From Harness to Buggy Getting to Know Arabians Youth Bits & Katie Eick Cameron the Harness Hero P. 2 P. 5 P. 10 P. 12 TRACE AND BLAZIN BRITCHES POSTER INSIDE!
Youth Beats In this issue Match Made in Heaven p.2 Standardbreds are a great fit for Amish owners BY EMILY REAL Track Talk p.4 Q&A with Trace Tetrick BY EMILY REAL Breed Report p.5 Getting to know... Arabians BY EMILY REAL Starter from the Start p.12 Young fan spends a summer in the driver s seat BY EMILY REAL In every issue POSTER FEATURING: BLAZIN BRITCHES p.6 YOUTH BITS: PRESENTED BY THE HHYF p.10 GAMING GALLERY p.13 Get in touch! Do you have a great story idea or know of someone that should be featured in Youth Beats? Let us know! CALL: 877.800.8782, ext. 3269 E-MAIL: JASON.TURNER@USTROTTING.COM Katie Eick, a longtime volunteer with the Harness Horse Youth Foundation, writes about her journey on page 10. Post Parade Life is funny sometimes. You never know what s coming around the corner and you never know where you might end up a few months or even years from now. Just ask Katie Eick author of our Youth Bits feature. Several years ago, Katie entered a writing contest and submitted an essay called Why I Want to Go to Horse Camp. Her essay won the contest and marked the start of an unexpected but exciting journey with the HHYF. Katie s story is a great lesson it s important to take chances and explore new things because you never know where they might take you. And you can read all about it on page 10. Speaking of taking chances, we also have a cool story about Cameron Van Rhoden, an ambitious 8-year-old who spent a whole summer shadowing starters Mike and Becky Woebkenberg. Cameron would like to have a career in harness racing someday, and I d say he s off to a great start! Enjoy this issue and have a great summer, guys! We ll see you again in September. PUBLISHED BY THE U.S. TROTTING ASSOCIATION YOUTH BEATS EDITOR: JASON TURNER / jason.turner@ustrotting.com, ext. 3269 ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: HEATHER CASON / heather.cason@ustrotting.com, ext. 3217 ART DIRECTOR: GENA GALLAGHER / gena.gallagher@ustrotting.com, ext. 3265 WEBMASTER: AUTUMN RYAN / autumn.ryan@ustrotting.com, ext. 3222 PHOTOGRAPHERS: MARK HALL AND ED KEYS / photo@ustrotting.com, ext. 3288 JASON TURNER, YOUTH BEATS EDITOR
Match Made in Heaven Standardbreds are a great fit for Amish owners BY EMILY REAL For Standardbreds that are ineligible or retired from harness racing, finding a new line of work can be difficult. One possible avenue of employment for Standardbreds, however, is being adopted into an Amish community. In Amish communities, horses oftentimes Standardbreds have many uses including buggy pulling, hauling heavy materials, and helping out with farm-related tasks. Using them as a buggy horse is the main thing they re used for, said Richard Fry, a member of the Amish community who breeds and raises Standardbreds in Topeka, Ind. We ride them, as well, and a lot of people treat them like pets, too. They re really good for anything. Fry said Standardbreds are a good fit for the Amish lifestyle because of their easy temperament and the fact that they have usually been broken and are ready to work. They re already broke and used to big things: tractors, cars, trucks and are therefore easier to put on the road (buggy horses are the main mode of transportation for the Amish), Fry said. These two-lane roads out here (in rural areas) aren t nearly as much room as they had on the racetrack, but they handle it pretty well and are just ready to go. Another thing about the breed that makes Standardbreds a good fit for the Amish lifestyle is their gait, which is something that makes a Standardbred s racing background particularly helpful for members of the Amish community. Most people go for the trotters, Fry said. Pacers that can trot are good, too, but horses that can only pace aren t as good for long distances because pacing tires the horse quicker than trotting does. For folks trying to adopt a Standardbred, it s common to go online and look at horses put up for adoption by organizations like New Vocations and the Standardbred Retirement Foundation who help find new homes for horses. But for the Amish, the process is a little different. Traditionally Amish people don t use the internet and Fry said that many people in the community 2 PHOTOS BY MARK HALL
Using them as a buggy horse is the main thing they re used for. We ride them, as well, and a lot of people treat them like pets, too. They re really good for anything. RICHARD FRY source their horses through dealers who have connections to racing. The dealers know which horses have retired and gone to the sales, where prospective buyers can see them up close and test-drive them. They test-drive Standardbreds just like you d test-drive a car at a car dealership, Fry said. With the horses, sometimes you get a Buick, and sometimes you get a Chevy. Ultimately, Fry said that when deciding what Standardbred is the best for being a buggy horse, it all comes down to personal preference. In fact, what people think of when buying a buggy horse isn t all that different from what people think about when buying a car. Horses that are slower are great for older people who don t really want to go as fast, Fry said. Some of the younger folks, kids especially, might want a faster horse. Some want a horse that just looks fancy it s really like buying a car. Fry said the best way to find a horse that works for your taste is to take it for a test drive. It s the best way to see which particular horse is going to work for you, Fry said. There s always going to be a bad apple or two, but people will find the horse that works for them. In many ways, the Standardbred s cool, easy temperament, quick and steady trot, and relatively strong nerves make the breed a perfect fit for the Amish lifestyle whether it s for pulling a buggy, pleasure riding, or just helping out around the farm. Fry said the only thing that seems to spook A SIMPLE LIFE: Standardbreds have many uses in the Amish community, but serving as a buggy horse is the most common. The two-lane roads often found in rural areas are not as big as the racetracks they re used to, but Standardbreds handle the cars and the noise very well. (Above) Riding bicycles is also a popular mode of transportation in the Amish community. Standardbreds is the cows, strangely enough. It s funny they don t like cows for some reason. I think it s their color or something, Fry said. After they see a few, they re OK, but in the beginning they can get spooked. 3
track talk Q&A with Trace Tetrick BY EMILY REAL Driver Trace Tetrick recently won the 2017 Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association after setting career highs in wins and earnings, with 569 victories including two Breeders Crown wins and $6.81 million in purses. He was also among the top 10 dash-winning drivers in North America for the first time last year and has high hopes for 2018 as well. When you were growing up, did you have a particular horseman you looked up to? My dad, Tom Tetrick What is the most exciting race you ve been a part of? The Little Brown Jug is always really fun, and the Breeders Crown particularly last year. What is one thing harness racing could do to improve the sport? Keep promoting the sport, particularly the names of the horses and their drivers. What was the best thing that happened to you last year? Winning two Breeders Crown finals or getting the Rising Star Award If you won $1 million, what is the first thing you d buy? A vacation. I m not sure where I d go, but definitely somewhere warm after the weather we ve had. If you didn t have a job in harness racing, what kind of work would you do? I m not sure. I d definitely still want to work with horses somehow. What is the best advice you ever received? Just keep your head up. Don t dwell on the past and keep yourself focused on the future. What was your high school mascot? The Fairfield Mules Trace in 2017 Wins: 569 Earnings: $6,815,598 UDR:.327 Highlights: Two Breeders Crown wins, with Fiftydallarbill and Blazin Britches 4
breed report Actor Patrick Swayze, who died in 2009, was an owner and breeder of Arabians. small and light, they re incredibly strong due to their high bone density, short cannon bones, sound feet, and broad, short backs. This makes the strength of Arabian horses comparable to much taller breeds, like Standardbreds. In the early days of the breed, only Arabians with a naturally good disposition were allowed to reproduce, which helped the breed evolve into a consistently well-tempered breed. They are one of the few breeds that can be exhibited in nearly all show ring classes, including ones designated for kids. Getting to know... Arabians Standardbreds are one of the most versatile and dependable breeds in the world. They make great racehorses, great riding horses, and great companions. Since they re such an integral part of harness racing we know a lot about them, but there are countless other breeds many of them just as impressive that we d like to introduce you to. This month we re looking at Arabians. by EMILY REAL History Arabian horses are one of the oldest horse breeds, originating in the Arabian Peninsula around 4,500 years ago. They were originally bred as warhorses because of their incredible endurance and stamina. Unlike Standardbreds, Arabians originally came from the wild and were later domesticated. Today, Arabian bloodlines are found in almost every modern breed of riding horse, including Standardbreds. Common Uses Modern-day Arabians skill and TETRICK BY CONRAD PHOTO l SWAYZE COURTESY OF ARABIAN HORSE LIFE endurance make them a top choice for endurance competitors, who race on trails that range from 25-100 miles long. Like Standardbreds, Arabians are famously versatile horses. In addition to endurance racing, Arabian horses also compete in other disciplines and in polo matches, too. They also compete as show horses and play roles in movies, and are great for pleasure riding and trail riding. Strengths Even though Arabians are relatively Weaknesses Although Arabians are known for their good temperament, they re also classified as a hot-blooded breed, which means they re highly sensitive and intelligent. This is overall a positive quality, but their intelligence also means that Arabians can learn bad habits as quickly as good ones, and some claim that this can make them difficult to train. In addition, Arabians are prone to a number of genetic disorders. Famous Arabian Horses Blueskin Blueskin was one of George Washington s two primary mounts during the Revolutionary War. Due to his white coat, Blueskin is the horse most often portrayed in artwork with Washington. Cass Ole Cass Ole was a legendary show horse who won more than 50 championships and 20 Reserve Championships in his seven-year show career. The high point of his career was winning the King Saud Trophy of the American Horse Show Association, and he is also known for his role as Black in the films The Black Stallion and The Black Stallion Returns. 5
YOUTH BEATS / JUNE 2018
J A A Levi Bateson and Connor Headworth young harness fans megan and David at Pocono downs in 1991 8
Horseman in training at the mark ford training center Wyatt larson watches Itsnoproblemman driven by (dad) Brian Larson 9
youth bits CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE: Katie Eick (far left), author of this article and a Harness Horse Youth Foundation alum, had no idea what would happen when she entered a harness racing camp essay contest. It kicked off a remarkable and unexpected journey that resulted in a longterm relationship with the HHYF, including her eventual addition to the summer camp staff. One Thing Leads to Another HHYF essay yields an unexpected plot twist BY KATIE EICK I am always amazed how much of my identity can be traced back to an essay I wrote when I was 12 years old. It was titled Why I Want to Go to Horse Camp and it was for a contest to win a week of harness racing camp. I submitted the essay and was lucky enough to win. At the time, I thought of it only as a fun week of camp. I never could ve imagined the impact it would have on my future. In 2012, I attended the Harness Horse Youth Foundation camp at Gaitway Farm in New Jersey. I had a background in riding horses, but harness racing was new to me. This camp made my love for horses, and harness racing, skyrocket. At the end of the week, I was selected to participate in the end-of-summer exhibition race at the Meadowlands on Hambletonian day. This unforgettable day confirmed for me that harness racing was going to be in my future one way or another. I was hooked. I went from someone that simply liked horses to a person that wanted to know everything about horses especially harness horses. Every year I returned to volunteer with the HHYF at various camps. I participated in their leadership camp and even interned for them last summer. I also got a job at a local boarding farm so I could work with horses year-round. While volunteering with HHYF, I discovered what I wanted my career to be when an equine acupuncturist came to show campers what he did. This opened my eyes to the field of equine therapy and I became one of the few kids that could confidently answer the question, What do you want to be when you grow up? I decided that I wanted to become an equine sports and rehabilitation therapist. I wanted to spend as much time with racehorses as possible, but since my family doesn t have a background with Standardbreds it was hard to find opportunities. After a lot of persistence, I got my foot in the door at Freehold Raceway and learned the ropes in the paddock. I was excited to experience harness racing behind the scenes and meet the people involved. If you told me on my first day of HHYF camp, as I watched a Standardbred jog for the first time, that I would be paddocking racehorses in a few years I wouldn t have believed it. I have so much fun paddocking horses that it never feels like work, which is a great indication, I think, that a career with horses is right for me. 10 EICK COURTESY OF HHYF
Soon I have to decide which college I want to attend, the place where my remarkable journey will continue and my formal study of equine science will begin. As I continue to learn about the horse industry, I will remember to take any opportunity that comes my way because you never know where it might take you. Who could have guessed that writing an essay all those years ago would lead to me writing an article in Youth Beats?! by Keith Gisser 4-H Loves Standardbreds Are you looking for a new way to get involved with Standardbreds? Have you considered checking out your local 4-H club? 4-H is one of the oldest and largest equestrian youth organizations in the country. It offers a variety of programs, including an increasing number of Standardbred and harness racing activities. In Ohio, there are already 4-H groups embracing harness racing and Standardbreds and new clubs are being formed to showcase the breed. In Warren County, the Warren County 4-H group was created with advisors Scott, Cindy, and Lyndsay Hagemeyer. They promote harness racing through local programming and are actively looking for more members. Blazin Bridles and Buddies of Pickaway County, Ohio, was created last fall by Debbie Schiff and has six retired Standardbreds for its members to interact with and learn from. They ll be making an appearance at the Pickaway County Fair in June, to demonstrate the versatility of the Standardbred breed. The increased focus on Standardbred and harness racing activities in Ohio is awesome, and the Harness Horse Youth Foundation hopes to see more groups like this spring up all over the country. If you re in Ohio and want to get more involved with 4-H groups in your area, you can contact Regina Mayhugh of the Ohio Harness Horsemen s Association: email her at mayhugh@ohha.com. If you re in another part of the country, you can visit the national 4-H website www.4-h.org to see what programs are available in your area. Standardbreds are as versatile as they are lovable just one of many reasons we love them. It s easy to see why they re becoming a favorite breed of 4-H groups, too! l DID YOU KNOW: Standardbreds are not just bred to race. They are athletic, intelligent and have quiet temperaments that allow them to excel far beyond the miles they go on the racetrack. Standardbreds are becoming more and more popular for all pleasure disciplines, riding and driving. l DID YOU KNOW: Standardbreds are often misunderstood. Many people think that Standardbreds can t canter, just because they aren t supposed to on the racetrack, which isn t true. Although a Standardbred may need to practice balance at the canter, it s still a natural gait for the horse. l DID YOU KNOW: Standardbreds can have multiple careers. New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program has retrained more than 2,000 harness horses for pleasure disciplines. l DID YOU KNOW: Experience matters! Because of their lives on the racetrack, harness horses are accustomed to traffic and noisy crowds, making them a safe and fun riding horse. l DID YOU KNOW: Standardbreds are in demand. The trainers at New Vocations answer 50 emails and calls per day about adopting retired Standardbreds. l DID YOU KNOW: There are Standardbred pleasure horse organizations in many states. To find the one closest to you or for more information about Standardbreds and their abilities outside of harness racing, visit www.lifeafterracing.ustrotting.com.
harness heroes Starter from the Start Young fan spends a summer in the driver s seat BY EMILY REAL As a third-generation, 8-yearold kid, maybe it s not all that surprising that Cameron Van Rhoden wants to get into the sport of harness racing. What is somewhat surprising, however, is that he s not interested in being a trainer or driver. Cameron wants to be a starter when he gets older and is taking steps to make that happen. Cameron s dad, Ty Van Rhoden, said he noticed how excited Cameron got when hanging around the starting gate with veteran starters and family friends Mike and Becky Woebkenberg and thought that Cameron might enjoy shadowing Mike for a summer. Cameron loved [shadowing Mike], Ty said. Mike taught him how to do everything. He even made him an assistant starter T-shirt and Cameron followed him and Becky around with a clipboard, and he d help them out with everything. Ty said that before long, Cameron really started to get the hang I have to believe that the dreams you have as an 8-yearold are going to change as you get older, but I m going to help him fulfill that dream for as long as he has it. MIKE WOEBKENBERG of things. Once, when they were working at a fair, Cameron noticed that one of the starting gate s wings was broken. He called it out and even offered to fix it himself. He s very knowledgeable about mishaps SUMMER JOB: Cameron Van Rhoden, 8 (purple shorts), spent the summer shadowing starter Mike Woebkenberg (left) and found himself in this winner s circle photo. and accidents, Ty said. He can tell you everything what needs to be fixed, how to fix it, all of that. He also knows the names of all the drivers and all the horses. He s really, really good with that stuff. Mike Woebkenberg said he loved having Cameron around for the summer, and is excited to have someone to possibly pass his legacy onto. He said it s rare to have someone so young interested in his line of work, but he s happy to help however he can. I have to believe that the dreams you have as an 8-year-old are going to change as you get older, but I m going to help him fulfill that dream for as long as he has it, he said. When Cameron s not helping Mike and Becky with the starting gate, he s at school or riding the brand-new four-wheeler he got for Christmas. But Cameron s favorite thing, Ty said, is still the horses. He has his own horse and everything, said Ty. He sometimes rides with other [starting gate] drivers, too, and he rode with Mike just recently at Miami Valley. Currently, Cameron competes in Standardbred horse shows and has been pretty successful. He s won several awards, including best line-lead and overall champion. Although he s still young and his career goals could change as he gets older, one thing is for sure: Cameron s got his heart set on horses. Horses, horses, horses honestly that s the main thing he cares about, said Ty. 12 WOEBKENBERG BY MARK HALL l CAMERON COURTESY OF TY VAN RHODEN
2 Emoji Quiz How well do you know your emojis? Use these clues to find the names of some of harness racing s biggest stars of the past and present. *Answers below + + = This colt was right on time when he won the Metro Pace and Governor s Cup in 2017 + + = She was on fire in 2017 when she won 3YO Filly Pacer of the Year for Brian Brown THE WRITE STUFF 2 Ask a friend to give you a word for each blank space without letting him or her see the page, then read the completed story out loud for some hilarious results! Naming a racehorse is no easy task. There are many different to adjective plural noun consider. For example, you have to a name that you really like. Maybe it s a name that reminds you of your, or maybe it s a that you know from TV. Whatever you, it has to sound when an announcer calls it from his. You also have to make sure no one else has already noun it. The name would be very popular, of course, but only one can have it. Finally, your name has to be approved. It s not always, but picking a name should always be! verb past tense verb adjective plural noun noun noun adjective noun adjective noun verb adjective adjective adjective 1. LOST IN TIME 2. BLAZIN BRITCHES
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