Two camps announced for Hands On Horses program

ELORA

As the Ontario Harness Racing Youth Camp celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, the Hands On Horses program has announced some coming activities.

The program is an umbrella one for the interactive initiatives of the standardbred revenue allocation (SRA) marketing committee. It is responsible for administering funding from the pari-mutuel tax reduction program, to be used for initiatives that create new racing fans and new horse owners while promoting Ontario harness racing.

The Hands on Horses initiatives include:

- Ontario harness racing youth camps;

- standardbred Xtreme adult harness racing camps;

- project iDrive;

- So, You Think You Can Drive;

- showtime racetrack staff training;

- racetrack open houses; and

- industry representation at equine events.

The education initiatives rely on a stable of retired standardbred racehorses, double-seated jog carts, and the support of industry participants who volunteer their time and expertise to assist in promoting Ontario harness racing.

The Ontario Harness Racing Youth Camp was the flagship initiative of the Hands On Horses program, a decade ago. Additional projects have blossomed over the years, and initiatives under the program have introduced thousands of children and adults to the world of harness racing.

Dates have been confirmed for Youth Camps at Clinton Raceway (July 5 to 8) and Grand River Raceway in Elora (July 10 to 13). The camps are for children ages 10 to 13, last three to four days, and feature two exhibition races on the final day of camp.

Dates for other Ontario tracks are being confirmed and will be announced on the  Hands On Horses program website.

An adult camp is been slated for Sept. 8 to 10 at Grand River Raceway.

The program has released a helmet-cam video filmed during the 2011 youth camp at Grand River Raceway, which captures the action, and emotion, of the exhibition races. See it at http://youtu.be/9GXq4jldpqc.

A short promotional video about the  Hands On Horses program can be seen at http://youtu.be/fl_jpeC3Mow.

Complete details of programs can be found at www.handsonhorsesprogram.com or by contacting coordinator Stacey Reinsma at stacey.reinsma@gmail.com.

June 15, 2012