Misconceptions about harness racing?

[Crosshill Pacers]

Apologies in advance if people are getting sick of hearing about Standardbreds and harness racing - it's just something I'm passionate about and something that will be a huge part of the rest of my life. I would really appreciate people taking the time to respond if they have anything to say on the matter, whether it's good or bad.

There is a general consensus in the UK harness racing community that our sport is dwindling, and that without outside investment and support, in the near future it's going to decline, and eventually collapse completely. The main problem is that the sport is deemed not to be commercially attractive and we quite simply can't get the general public through the gates. This is the first thing that needs to be addressed, so myself and several of my friends involved in the sport are trying to do something about this.

I have found, from looking through old threads on here and talking to non-trotting horsey-people, that quite a detrimental factor to the sport's progression is the lack of knowledge or misconceptions held about the sport.

So call this 'market research' if you will. Tell me what you think of when you hear 'harness racing'. What have you seen of the sport? What have you heard about the sport? Would you attend a meeting once, just to find out whether you liked it or not? Do you have any questions that you've always wanted to ask? If you knew more about the sport, would that change your opinion?

I'm not here to convert you all to my way of life, I simply need examples of public opinion (and arguably from our primary target audience - non-trotting horsey people) to take to the British Harness Racing Club so that together we can try and move the sport forward. If we know what the problem is, we can hopefully find a solution.

Thanks for your time, feel free to let yourselves go and tell me EXACTLY what you think (I won't take offence I promise!)

 

[lee1984]

It dont help that tracks are being shut down. Or race's cancelled either & there are next to No tracks in the republic of Ireland. Who is going to sponsor if races are cancelled every month for silly reasons?? sand is to wet....its not mud.

Also a horse thats 7/8 trotter not aloud to use the tracks or race, no wonder the sport is slowing down,

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Also a horse thats 7/8 trotter not aloud to use the tracks or race, no wonder the sport is slowing down,

That's a matter for the BHRC/IHRC and their rules. Wales & Border Counties allow part bred horses to race provided they have a STAGBI-issued passport though. Is this the way forward? Should partbreds be allowed to race against full Standardbreds? Or would you like to see partbred-only races?

I suppose comparisons must be drawn with the racing authorities in the US/Canada/Australia/NZ and also with Thoroughbred racing.

Would it encourage more people to attend in your opinion? And why?

 

[EPRider]

When I hear the word trotter/trotting races I first think of the travelling community and their road racing.

This despite the fact that as a schoolchild our class were taken round a national stud in Normandy and shown the stallions out on the track.

I would love to attend a meeting and know where my nearest track is but never remember about it until passing to go somewhere else. Perhaps because I never see any publicity about it.

 

[Rattie]

I have to admit I know very little about harness racing, apart from that meets take place close to where I live (Brands Hatch) and that I see the pacers in training up and down the A20 and makes me cringe to think what it's doing to their ligaments and tendons.

I took an interest when I bought a Standardbred Pacer a few years ago, I was told she had famous racing bloodlines. Didn't think much of it until I lookeD into it then realised that the 'rumours' about her were true and saw how big harness racing is over in the US (where my mare's 'family' originate).

I have to admit, the people round here who harness race don't seem the kindest to their horses and hate when they take an interest in my mare. She has never raced herself though, think she's just a very obvious standardbred lol.

I'd like to know more about her heritage though, but not sure what goes on round here is the same as what you are involved in or the huge industry in the USA.

 

[lottiepony]

It's certainly not something that you hear much about (or I haven't) I would certainly attend a meet to see what it's all about however don't know if there are any tracks near me (suffolk) It doesn't seem to have a very high public profile maybe this could be improved by more demos etc at various places like normal race tracks - have no idea if this possible in regards to surfaces etc please excuse my ignorance

 

[lee1984]

part breds v part breds, if it was pb v fb that would be like putting a shetland against a tb.

Why do you think there is so much road racing in Ireland?? there are no tracks or better still your not allowed on the track,

Last month king of the road was hosted on a closed road in crossmaglen nearly 5000 people turned up with horses coming over from england and wales well over 100 horses in different groups racing that day.

just think of the difference you could make to the sport with that amount of people turning up to race properly on a track, without running the risk of getting killed by a car or lorry on a public road.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

part breds v part breds, if it was pb v fb that would be like putting a shetland against a tb.

Why do you think there is so much road racing in Ireland?? there are no tracks or better still your not allowed on the track,

Last month king of the road was hosted on a closed road in crossmaglen nearly 5000 people turned up with horses coming over from england and wales well over 100 horses in different groups racing that day.

just think of the difference you could make to the sport with that amount of people turning up to race properly on a track, without running the risk of getting killed by a car or lorry on a public road.

But would this bring in the GENERAL public? Arguably, Tregaron in August attracts crowds of that number and more, and a turnout of nearly 200 horses, but the crowd is invariably the usual harness racing supporters from all over the country, with a few local people and those that just visit Tregaron once a year for the craic and the beer tent.

I have suggested before to one of our local committees that a race for coloured horses could be staged, as this has attracted quite a crowd when held at Corbiewood in Scotland. The general public might like to see something 'different'? Much like the Poltergeist Pace on Halloween in the US where they hold a race with 8 grey pacers. Is partbred racing enough to attract people who have never been harness racing before?

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

I would love to attend a meeting and know where my nearest track is but never remember about it until passing to go somewhere else. Perhaps because I never see any publicity about it.

Can I ask where your nearest track is? You make a valid point, all the race meetings are advertised on the BHRC website, however unless you're involved in harness racing, why would you be checking the site?! I joined a committee for a new race meeting last year and we make a huge effort to attract members of the local community, which is something that should be looked at by other committees/tracks.

It doesn't seem to have a very high public profile maybe this could be improved by more demos etc at various places like normal race tracks - have no idea if this possible in regards to surfaces etc please excuse my ignorance

Demos are a great idea, some are held at county shows and at the Royal Welsh every year. Would you be able to suggest somewhere in your region that would be suitable? i.e. a show or racetrack?

I'd like to know more about her heritage though, but not sure what goes on round here is the same as what you are involved in or the huge industry in the USA.

Rattie, if you'd like to PM me her pedigree I can try and find out some info for you. I work for STAGBI, but I've also got an encyclopaedic OH who has grown up in harness racing and he's pretty good at giving me a brief history of most horses! The racing in this country is trying to emulate that in the USA, however we face a whole host of problems. I'm trying to combat the public perception element, a friend of mine is trying to make horse-owning more accessible by offering shares in a racehorse etc.

Would trips to studs or training yards be an incentive to get people interested? How about talks on the sport at Pony Club or riding schools?

 

[lee1984]

Yes I recon it would, as the sport get's bigger, as you said thats once a year theres the young kings of the road comming up in a month or so,

battle of Britain is being run this weekend.

Then scottish king of the road in march sort of time

If all theses races could be held on a track I recon the sport would have a massive boost.

All the top horses in Ireland are coloured that counts them off the track... I think there need a big review of the rule book to move the sport forward.

 

[siennamum]

If I am honest. I know nothing about trotting, and may be entirely wrong, but think it looks brutal and abusive to the horses. The bits look sharp, the horses wear what appear to be bearing reins and I think it is fundamentally wrong to make them pace.

This may all be complete nonsense in which case I apologise, but it's why I have no interest in the sport.

 

[Ibblebibble]

i will be completely honest about my ignorance and admit that i know it is big in the US but i didn't even realise that they had a governing body/group in the uk! the only harness racing i have heard about here is the travellers road racing and that i don't like because of the conditions they race under, doing anything like that on public roads is a huge risk to those involved and other road users it's not common around here but any programme you see about travellers will have a clip of a road race in it somewhere which is where i guess the misconceptions come from

 

[lee1984]

i will be completely honest about my ignorance and admit that i know it is big in the US but i didn't even realise that they had a governing body/group in the uk! the only harness racing i have heard about here is the travellers road racing and that i don't like because of the conditions they race under, doing anything like that on public roads is a huge risk to those involved and other road users it's not common around here but any programme you see about travellers will have a clip of a road race in it somewhere which is where i guess the misconceptions come from

Read above of some of the reason's why we cant use a track,

How difficult would it be for you to ride if you couldnt use bridleways,forest's ect and had to use the roads instead taking that risk every time of getting hit by a car.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

All the top horses in Ireland are coloured that counts them off the track... I think there need a big review of the rule book to move the sport forward.

I don't know if Forafewdollarsmore's owner would agree with you there

Your complaint is that partbreds can't race on racetracks (under the rules of the current authorities). Perhaps the answer is a partbred racing organisation, that can approach existing grass and hard track owners with a view to putting meetings on? It's difficult to get started, but perhaps it would be easier to embrace that branch of racing, rather than try and force a change with the existing organisations? As for coloured horses, they're allowed to race under BHRC rules provided they are full bred (think Howards Colourmein etc).

There's a breakaway side in the ROI now that runs separately from the IHRC, that we over here equate with Wales&Borders. Perhaps it would be worth approaching them to see whether they would add a partbred element to their racing? Much like W&BC have over here in Wales?

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

If I am honest. I know nothing about trotting, and may be entirely wrong, but think it looks brutal and abusive to the horses. The bits look sharp, the horses wear what appear to be bearing reins and I think it is fundamentally wrong to make them pace.

This may all be complete nonsense in which case I apologise, but it's why I have no interest in the sport.

Very interesting point. I think wider information about the harness and training techniques would be useful, so that people can see why certain pieces of harness are used.

*As an aside, pacers aren't made to pace, it's a natural gait that they are able to do from birth. The hobbles/hopples help them maintain that gait at speed, although I've seen plenty of racehorses pacing freelegged in races!

 

[Ibblebibble]

Read above of some of the reason's why we cant use a track,

How difficult would it be for you to ride if you couldnt use bridleways,forest's ect and had to use the roads instead taking that risk every time of getting hit by a car.

i understand your frustration and do understand to a point why it ends up happening on public roads, but even you admit that it's not ideal and it's dangerous. i don't have a problem with harness racing or the people who take part in it.
i was trying to explain why it is probably misunderstood, because the only media coverage it gets is always done in a negative way, the focus is always 'look at these naughty people racing on the road' rather than 'look at the well cared for horses who have spent hours in training with their dedicated owners'.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

i was trying to explain why it is probably misunderstood, because the only media coverage it gets is always done in a negative way, the focus is always 'look at these naughty people racing on the road' rather than 'look at the well cared for horses who have spent hours in training with their dedicated owners'.

I agree. But I think that's failure to take the opportunity to put the positives into the spotlight, by the racing authorities. Lowly grooms like me are the ones taking the reins and trying to create a change, because we can identify that we're the future of the sport and things need to change. Sometimes it feels overwhelming but if I can get some good examples, such as yours, to the BHRC, then perhaps they will realise there are things that they can do to promote the sport. Thank you for pointing it out.

 

[lee1984]

I don't know if Forafewdollarsmore's owner would agree with you there

Your complaint is that partbreds can't race on racetracks (under the rules of the current authorities). Perhaps the answer is a partbred racing organisation, that can approach existing grass and hard track owners with a view to putting meetings on? It's difficult to get started, but perhaps it would be easier to embrace that branch of racing, rather than try and force a change with the existing organisations? As for coloured horses, they're allowed to race under BHRC rules provided they are full bred (think Howards Colourmein etc).

There's a breakaway side in the ROI now that runs separately from the IHRC, that we over here equate with Wales&Borders. Perhaps it would be worth approaching them to see whether they would add a partbred element to their racing? Much like W&BC have over here in Wales?

I see were your comming from, but there are still no tracks here to race on, theres a few up in the north, Another one closed down a few months ago.

The only option we have here at the moment is to do it on the road, however some countys are in talks with the guards allowing a road closed off for a day to race, so things are starting to get better, but its still not a track,

Iv only 1 7/8 horse and I dont race him, the rest are full bred,

but Like I said the rule book is dated and need changing with the times or the sport will die out. ( track that is )

 

[EPRider]

My local track is at Green Hammerton near York. It is on the A59 but not a road that I use frequently.

A lot of traffic use the road for attending the Great Yorkshire Show in July, perhaps a board with adverising and race dates at the end of the road would give some cheap publicity?

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

My local track is at Green Hammerton near York. It is on the A59 but not a road that I use frequently.

A lot of traffic use the road for attending the Great Yorkshire Show in July, perhaps a board with adverising and race dates at the end of the road would give some cheap publicity?

Your local track is incidentally the best track in the country! This is not the first time I have heard that it isn't being advertised well at all. A friend of mine and her husband were staying in York for a weekend, had planned to go to the races so jumped in a taxi and told the taxi driver to take them to York Harness Raceway. He didn't know where it was

I am very good friends with the track manager and have said on several occasions that for all the money the owner is pumping into the track (he is now building more stables so trainers can train from the track, and a purpose built indoor sale ring), he is missing a trick by not locally advertising the track. It's got a bar, a grandstand, does food, has the best layout of any hard track I've been to in the UK (and I've been to them all!), and most racing is on a Saturday. It's ideal for taking the sport to a wider audience.

ADVERTISING = the best answer so far!

 

[lee1984]

Well you have answered your own question then.

 

[dafthoss]

Well I wouldnt know where to go to watch it personally. I dont know enough about the training methods used but as with all things I'm sure there are good and bad. I hate the idea of road racing though so that would put me off big time and I wouldnt want to support those that road race.

 

[Rattie]

*As an aside, pacers aren't made to pace, it's a natural gait that they are able to do from birth. The hobbles/hopples help them maintain that gait at speed, although I've seen plenty of racehorses pacing freelegged in races!

I just wondered that, as my mare has always paced from a foal and will always favourite that gait to trot or canter in the field.

Will PM you tomorrow when have more time SarahThomas, thankyou x

 

[It's Me Megan]

When I hear harness racing my thoughts go straight to America and how it is bigger sport than here.

Honestly you never read about it over here, they need things in magazines like H&H alongside their racing section.

Plus I don't have a clue about going harness racing, where is the nearest track to me? If there is one, they certainly don't advertise themselves!

I would go harness racing because all horse racing interests me but the industry needs to do more to help itself it if wants to survive!

 

[lee1984]

Well I wouldnt know where to go to watch it personally. I dont know enough about the training methods used but as with all things I'm sure there are good and bad. I hate the idea of road racing though so that would put me off big time and I wouldnt want to support those that road race.

If there's no Tracks there's no choice, A lot of people are trying to get off the road & get on to the tracks.

 

[lee1984]

When I hear harness racing my thoughts go straight to America and how it is bigger sport than here.

Honestly you never read about it over here, they need things in magazines like H&H alongside their racing section.

Plus I don't have a clue about going harness racing, where is the nearest track to me? If there is one, they certainly don't advertise themselves!

I would go harness racing because all horse racing interests me but the industry needs to do more to help itself it if wants to survive!

Its a massive sport in Germany,france,finland,canada, Just the uk & Ireland are slow to pick up on it, as said there is no advertising tracks are very far and few, The rules are outdated to & those involved in it are wondering why its on its knees.

 

[weebarney]

see people training round my way hammering along and it just makes me wonder how long before their legs are shot? Also agree with what someone else said about them using bearing reins(or what looks like one anyway) must be awfull for the horse going up or downhill without being able to alter its head position.

 

[lee1984]

see people training round my way hammering along and it just makes me wonder how long before their legs are shot? Also agree with what someone else said about them using bearing reins(or what looks like one anyway) must be awfull for the horse going up or downhill without being able to alter its head position.

You dont really know alot about harness racing do you?? As they say you cant educate everyone

 

[weebarney]

You dont really know alot about harness racing do you?? As they say you cant educate everyone

Well your doing you're sport so much help arent you by responding like that. I suggest you read what the opening post is and then maybe you could have offered an enlightening response.

 

[lee1984]

Its the same thing thats been answered many times in the last few days,

Yes for theres plenty of muppets running horses in to the ground st8 from the field with no training whatsoever, Its always the same tar them all to the same brush,

The bearing rain its an over-check rain and its there for a reason and a good reason to stop the horse shaking its head and catching on the shalfs of the sulky not something you want to happen at 30+ mph regardless to the surface your racing on.

As for damage to there legs, every training yard in the world train on concrete/tarmac these horses are bred for this.