Mississauga, ON, June 11, 2002-Twelve young people will have a unique opportunity to experience harness racing from a “hands-on” perspective at Mohawk and Woodbine Racetracks from July 7 to 11.

The Harness Tracks of America’s Youth League Summer Camp has been operating in the United States since 1999 and will make its first ever Canadian stop at the Toronto area tracks next month. The Camp, for young people ages 11 to 13, gives participants a taste of several aspects of life in the harness racing business including working in the barns, jogging and feeding horses and talking with trainers, drivers, veterinarians and farriers. The Camp participants will get to meet the judges, attend a night at the races at Flamboro Downs and visit a breeding farm.

There are also numerous social activities during the Camp including a fishing derby sponsored by the Ontario Harness Horse Association.

The Camp culminates on July 11 at Woodbine Racetrack with a race between campers using trotting-bred ponies hitched to two-seated jog carts. Each Camp racer will be accompanied by a professional driver.

Also that night, campers will participate in the winner’s circle activities of an Ontario Sires Stakes event.

To be eligible for the Camp, participants must submit a written essay (up to 250 words) about “The Wind in My Hair, The Pounding of Hooves–Why I Want to Feel the Thrill of Driving a Race Horse.”

The deadline for submitting entries is June 20, 2002 and the 12 winning applicants, along with two alternates, will be notified the week of June 24. Successful applicants will be required to complete a registrations package which includes medical forms and waivers. The registration fee for the entire camp is $100.

The HTA Youth League Summer Camp is being directed by the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association in cooperation with the Harness Horse Youth Foundation, Woodbine Entertainment Group, the Ontario Sires Stakes and 4H Ontario. Essays are to be submitted by June 20 to:

Kimberley Hargreaves
c/o Ontario Sires Stakes,
7145 West Credit Avenue, Building 1, Suite 201,
Mississauga, ON. L5N 6J7.
Phone: 905-812-0168
Fax: 905-812-1948
or they may be e-mailed to: promotions@ontariosiresstakes.com