Harness racing held at Arden Fairgrounds
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Harness racing was held over a two-day period Sunday and Monday at the Washington County Fairgrounds. More than 100 horses competed over the course of the event.
The two-day harness racing event was held at the Washington County Fairgrounds. While the annual Washington County Agricultural Fair was canceled, the state approved harness racing to continue.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Lou Goans, an owner/trainer, participated in the harness racing event held at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Sunday and Monday. The annual fair would have taken place this week. Harness racing was permitted to continue.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Harness race driver Kyle Bolon prepares for one of the dozen races held Monday at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
There won’t be a Washington County Agricultural Fair this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but one long-running event went on as scheduled.
Harness racing was held at the fairgrounds on Sunday and Monday.
More than 100 horses showed their grace, strength and speed over the 23 races that took place during the two-day event, held at the Arden Fairgrounds.
Owner Frank Indof of Rostraver Township watched as his horse, Patriot Way, competed in a Monday morning race.
Indof said it’s important for the development of the horses that they compete.
“They need to race. A lot of them develop at these fairs and they turn into pretty decent horses,” said Indof. “It’s very critical. There are some nice horses that end up coming out of here. This is where a lot of them who are behind come to learn to be race horses. They don’t just go out there and race, they’ve got to learn to pass and things like that.”
Racing was allowed after Gov. Tom Wolf’s approval last month of a legal waiver allowing the Department of Agriculture to reimburse local fair boards for harness races held at otherwise canceled fairs.
The races are to be held with no spectators.
Driver Kyle Bolon said it felt different to race without fans in the grandstand, “but we’re happy to be out there doing it.”
Bolon was slated to drive four races Monday.
Randy Naser, race secretary for the Washington County Fair, said harness racing is one of the longest-running events at the fair.
“It’s been going for just about as long as the fair has been around,” said Naser. “It worked out. And usually, we race Monday and Tuesday on fair week. It helped the horsemen to race Sunday and Monday because that gives them an extra day where they can go race at another fair.”