Wisconsin’s Harness The Stars Tour comes to a close

Viroqua, WI --- Harness racing in the State of Wisconsin came to a close this past weekend, thus ending the Harness The Stars Tour sponsored by the Wisconsin Harness Horse Association. The Vernon County Fair in Viroqua capped of the year-long racing season and did so in exciting fashion.

Trotters stole the card on Saturday (September 17). Jet Flow, owned, trained and driven by Orval Bronkhorst of Brandon, Wis., won both heats of the NW $1,500 trot.

The first division of the Free For Trot had split heat winners. The first was won by One Man Wolf Pack (Dave Ginter) and the second brought 10-year-old veteran Starry Night Star (Gabe Wand) back to the winner’s circle. The second division of the Free For All Trot was won in straight heats by Fair Trial, a 7-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding owned by Horseman’s Financial Agency & Premier Racing Stable. The Jay DeLong trained and Ben DeLong driven Open class trotter took a two-hole trip behind eventual Wisconsin Trotter of the Year Windsong Erica. But in the end Fair Trial got up for the victory, breaking the five-year-old track record. He trotted the mile in 2:03.3, knocking one and two-fifths seconds off the previous record.

USTA District 4-B Director Bob Yohn highlighted the rest of the day by winning all four of the pacing races. Prairie Ibeezabub and Set the Tempo each won in straight heats in their respective divisions of the NW $750 Pace.

Despite overnight rains and cool temperatures, racing continued on Sunday (September 18) on a wet racing surface in which only two drivers brought home winners on the eight-race card. Adam Turnbull of Sharon, Wis., won both divisions of the NW $8,000 Pace, the first with a 10-year-old pacer he had just purchased, Whose Trick N Who, and the second with an 8-year-old mare, Erica’s Blossom.

Susan Schroeder photo

Gabe Wand (left) and Benjamin DeLong (right) fight for the driver’s title.

Wisconsin’s leading driver, Gabe Wand, scored victories in the other four races of the day. Lemondrop Martini, owned by Gabe and his father Robert, easily won both heats of the NW $1,500 Pace. Lemondrop Martini’s second heat win gave Wand his 100th career victory which was celebrated trackside. Do Me Bliss with Wand in the bike won both heats of the Free For All Pace, in the fastest times of the day, 2:04.3 and 2:04.4.

It was a tight race for top honors all year, and it was all decided at the Vernon County Fair. Spicymac, owned by Sally Amundson and Jay DeLong, held off Erica’s Blossom, owned by Adam Turnbull, for Wisconsin’s top pacing honors. Windsong Erica, owned by Janice Simmons of Mequon, Wis., held off Get Physical, owned by Gary and Donna Magee of Shawano for top trotting honors.
In the driver’s race, WHHA President and USTA District 4 Director Gabe Wand captured his third consecutive driving title while 17-year-old Benjamin DeLong picked up the runner-up honors.

Year-end awards will be presented at the WHHA annual banquet on January 21, 2012. For information on the awards ceremony or a complete recap of the Harness the Stars Tour, log on to www.wisconsinharnessracingtour.com or contact WHHA President, Gabe Wand, at 608,574,5468 or gabewand@yahoo.com.

Harness Racing featured on ABC!

View the full story on ABC - WKOW 27's website!

Weyauwega: Pick A Winner!

Make sure you fill out your Pick A Winner sheets in the grandstand at Weyauwega this Sunday, August 28th. A lot of local business's have donated prizes that will be used in the Pick A Winner contest. Post time is Noon, come early so you have time to Pick A Winner!!

Thank you to the following sponsors of the Pick A Winner contest.

MCDONALD'S OF NEW LONDON, WAUPACA & CLINTONVILLE -
10 Certificates for 1 Free Lg. Menu Sandwich or 1 Free Breakfast Sandwich
10 Certificates For 1 Free Hamburger or Cheeseburger
5 Certificates For 1 Free Sundae

CULVER'S OF WAUPACA
3 Certificates For 1 Free Value Basket

ARBY'S OF WAUPACA
20 Certificates For 1 Free Regular Roast Beef Sandwich

JAN AUGSBURGER - AVON REPRESENTATIVE
4 Avon Shower Gels

Weyauwega Sponsor Thank You's!

Horsemen will be happy to know that eleven individuals and businesses have agreed to sponsor races at Weyauwega this year.

Each winning horse and it's owners will receive a $50 gas card to help with the ride home. 

Thank you very much to the following sponsors.

GARY AND DONNA MAGEE - "IN LOVING MEMORY OF ELWOOD MAGEE"
JAN "MA" AUGSBURGER - "IN LOVING MEMORY OF AL AUGSBURGER"
LARSEN CO-OP - 849 Manor Drive, Weyauwega, WI 
"DOC" GAY - Greenville, WI
WE CARE ANIMAL HOSPITAL - 421 Industrial Avenue, Clintonville, WI
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF WAUPACA - 111 Jefferson Street, Waupaca, WI
AGROPUR, INC. - 105 E. Third Avenue, Weyauwega, WI
JIM & PEG VAN SCHYNDEL - "IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOE VAN SCHYNDEL"
WHM STANDARDBREDS - WAYNE, BEA & DEL MOLDENHAUER & SUNRISE FARM - ED & RUTH MILLER
COURTSIDE SPORTS BAR - 2181 S. Appletree, Waupaca, WI

FARMERS STATE BANK - 112 W. Fulton Street, Waupaca, WI 

Elkhorn Fair Reminders!

ATTENTION FELLOW HORSEMEN: Just a reminder that anyone that is racing that shows their USTA membership card will get in FREE to the Walworth County Fair. Also a reminder that we have a new post time of 12:00 for both days. And don't forget that LEROY BUTLER will be joining us on Sunday Sept. 4th for raffles and a book signing. He will also be presenting the winner of the Packer Pace with a blanket.

Monroe Racing - RESCHEDULED!

Harness Racing Proudly Sponsored by the Green County Fair!

The Fair has recognized that Harness Racing has been rained out 4 out of the last 5 years in Monroe, and they are happy to provide an opportunity to race yet in 2011!  The only open date that was workable is below.  We all realize this is not the most ideal date -- especially for horsemen trying to race, but we will make do (We always do!)  Spread the word!

 

Sunday August 14, 2011               1:00 pm

Classes will accommodate horses entered. Horses may be classified according to age, sex, gait and money earnings. Conditions governed by USTA rules. Races will be 1 Dash unless there are less than 6 races carded. 

 

Purse Pool: $3,600 split equally among all races.

 

NO HORSEMEN’S PASSES WILL BE ISSUED. 

 

Conditions: The Association is not liable for accidents. Five starters will be required in each event. All races open to the world.  Money divided each heat - 45, 25, 15, 10, 5%. Every heat a race. Entry fee $20.00 per horse at time of entry. Everyone will buy admission tickets to the grounds. In order to provide an adequate race program, we have reserved the right to rearrange racing schedule to balance the program. USTA rules to govern.   2011 Coggins test required. Race day on track insurance provided.  All Drivers must be current 2011 members of the WHHA.

 

 

Entries close Thursday August 11^th at 11:00am

 

 

Kim Remley, Supt. of Speed

 

Call entries to:

Gabe Wand

608-574-5468

Ironwood, MI - required testing UPDATE

For those of you racing at Ironwood Michigan this year:

 

Michigan is no longer requiring a test for equine piroplasmosis prior to entry. 

Previously, horses coming from a state where a case had been diagnosed within the past 12 months were required to be tested. Michigan still requires a statement on health certificates for certain horses - the details are in the attached letter. 

MI & WI have not had a positive case in last 12 mo but MN requirements don’t expire until November 2011.

 

Please remember you still need to have your coggins test and current health papers as usual.

 

Any questions, please see the attached documents for contact info.   (coming soon)

 

Calendar Raffle - Winner Update! (06.18.11)

The WHHA Board of Directors is launching a huge fundraiser - a calendar raffle with $2,000 in prize money!

WI Racing in the Press - (message from Gabe)

June 20, 2011

Harness Racing Friends-

The WHHA is working very hard to make this season the best season ever by really stepping up the marketing efforts for the Harness The Stars Tour.  We have already had numerous press releases printed in local papers that have prompted some follow up feature articles in local papers.  This is just the type of press that can benefit Wisconsin racing!

We expect to have more features done on the local level through newspapers, radio, and video.  Please take the time to talk to any of the reporters that ask for a minute of your time to tell your story.  Also please be sure to keep your comments POSITIVE.  Yes, harness racing is subject to the same economic troubles that all industries are facing, but we cannot dwell on those.  We need to speak of the great things about our sport and the people/horses involved.  Some experts say "any press is good press" but it's not.  We cannot afford to leave reporters thinking our racing industry is failing and that we can't fill races, etc.  I encourage us all to take an active role in POSTIVELY promoting our sport.

In closing, the WHHA is going to start keeping a scrapbook of all our harness racing articles.  If you see an article that mentions harness racing, please clip it out of your paper and send me a copy.  Even if it's just a small picture in the paper, we want to see it.  If you see it online (whether it is a local paper's website or a Racing publication) send me the link so we can track it.  Never assume that one of the board members has seen it -- we would rather have it sent to us 10 times than never have seen it at all.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

Gabe Wand

270 N. Bonson St. #4

Platteville, WI  53818

gabewand@yahoo.com

Illinois Slot Bill Passes the House & Senate!

Legislative update, May 31, 2011 7PM.

As many of you already know, we did it!!! After years of trying and coming up short, we have finally accomplished what so many said we could not. We needed 30 votes to pass the bill. We got 30 votes. Your phone calls made a difference. For once, our efforts paid enormous dividends. We still need to work for the Governor’s signature, (more on that later) but obviously completing the first two stages of this was monumental. Everyone is encouraged to call back their Reps and Senators and say thanks for their yes vote. (If they voted yes.)  Today as a group, as an association, as an industry, we passed a major, controversial gaming bill that will save our industry in Illinois. Thank you for supporting us and thanks to all for the kind messages and texts.

Tony Somone
David McCaffrey

Aric Douglas Pace - Early Closer

To Be Contested at
Iowa County Fair, Mineral Point, WI
Monday, September 5, 2011 – 1:00 pm

Pace:  Non-Winner’s of $1,000 Lifetime, as of June 1, 2011
Purse:  $1,500
Bonus:  All Nomination Money will be paid directly to the winner.

Nomination Payment:  $25.00 per horse postmarked no later than June 1st.
Starting Fee:  $50.00 payable on race day.

Conditions:
-           Race will split on 8 horses.   Race will be split first on owners, secondly on trainers, and then drawn by lot per USTA Rule 14, Section 3.
-          If multiple divisions, Bonus money will be split evenly between winners.
-          Race will be 1 heat, unless there are fewer than 6 races carded for the day.
-          In case of 2 heat racing, money will be split equally between heat winners.
-          In case of insufficient nominations, money will be refunded prior to race day.
-          Five to Enter, Four to Start.
-          Purse Splits: 45-25-15-10-5%
-          Bonus Money will be paid directly to the winner, in addition to his 45% share of advertised purse.  (For example, if 20 early nominations are received, the winner will receive an additional $500.)

Nomination Payments shall be mailed to:
Scott Douglas
14303 Center Lamont Rd
Darlington, WI     53530

Harness racing at Elkhorn June 18

Wednesday, June 08, 2011 - from the WHHA marketing department

Elkhorn, WI --- Everyone is invited to the historic Walworth County Fairgrounds in Elkhorn on Saturday, June 18, for a fun filled afternoon of harness racing. Post time is 1:00 p.m. and is being sponsored by the Wisconsin Harness Horse Association and the Elkhorn Trotting Club. Admission is free.
Come and see many of Wisconsin’s top drivers and horses for the start of the harness racing season in the Badger State. Some of the horses participating will be making their first lifetime start which always proves to be an educational feat in itself. We are fortunate to have some of Wisconsin’s leading drivers on hand: Bob Yohn from Beloit, Gary Magee of Shawano, and Gabe Wand of Platteville, as well as local celebrities: the DeLong brothers from Clinton, and Adam Turnbull form Sharon.
There will be pick-a-winner contests for the fans as well as a 50/50 raffle to try your luck at! Fans will have a chance to meet and greet some of the leading drivers (who will be tossing t-shirts into the crowd) and are encouraged to tour the barn area to see the equine athletes up close and personal. There will also be a horseman’s hot dog eating contest to witness (after the races of course–can’t have those drivers weighted down). Lunch will be available on the grounds for spectators.
The entry box closes at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15, and you can enter by calling Becky Swinehart at 608-728-1818. The WHHA uses an open box system where races will be comprised based on horses entered and their current age, sex, gait and earnings. Two time bar races (2:20 pace and 2:30 trot) will also be offered.
For more information regarding the day’s events or any of Wisconsin’s harness races, contact WHHA president Gabe Wand at 608.574.5468 or e-mail gabewand@yahoo.com.


VIEW FULL USTA ARTICLE HERE

PreOrder for Midwest Horse Fair

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Midwest Horse Fair is just a few days away, and for those attending, we have an opportunity for you – an exclusive T-Shirt Presale!  We just received the new WHHA “Harness The Stars Tour” shirts in and man do they look sharp!   For those interested, please let me know which color/size you will want, and I can deliver to you at the Midwest Horse Fair….otherwise they will not be on sale until the first r ace meet June 18th in Elkhorn!  Colors and Sizes vary, so don’t get shut out!  I have attached pictures of each color.  Cost: $10.00 per shirt

Royal Blue:  Sizes Small – Double XL
Red:  Sizes Small – Double XL
Lime Green:  Sizes Small – Double XL
Pink:  Sizes Small – Double XL
Daisy Yellow: Sizes Small – XL
Sapphire Blue:  Sizes Small – XL

We also have the White USTA County Fair Harness Racing T-Shirts available for $5.00.  Sizes are Youth Med, Youth Large, and Adult Small – XL.

Calendar Raffle
Also, if you haven’t purchased your 2011 Calendar Raffle tickets, they will be available also at the Horse Fair.  Cost for those is $20.00 with chances to win part of $2,000 in prize money!

Pedal Horse Raffle
The WHHA will also be raffling their final Pedal Horse at the horse Fair.  Tickets are $2.00 or 3 for $5.00.  Winner must arrange pickup.

Hope to see you there!

Gabe
gabewand@yahoo.com
608-574-5468

Tattler's Jet gets win #100!

Veteran pacer Tattlers Jet celebrated a special milestone on Saturday night at Northville Downs as he scored his 100th career win in a $4,000 conditioned assignment.