Mayville, WI — The inaugural “Reading With a Racehorse ” campaign was well received at the annual Audobon Days in small town Mayville, Wisc., where former racehorse Derek Bromac N was in attendance introducing children to harness racing.

Kids wrapped themselves in horse blankets and cozied up on hay bales as they listened to the story of the New Zealand-bred gelding, who was injured at 13 and deemed to never race again, but after coming to Wisconsin and some time off, came back a winner at 14 and again at 15 on the Wisconsin County Fair Circuit.

Derek Bromac N was driven by owner Paul Sawyer, 13, of Mayville. Amber Sawyer photo.

The festival was held in the town’s park, following a parade where the 19-year-old former pacer was driven by owner Paul Sawyer, 13, of Mayville.

“It was so cool to drive my horse through my town and have all my friends from school see me,” said Paul, an 8th grader at Mayville Middle School.

For some of the children in attendance, it was the first time they had ever seen a horse up close.

This was the second parade Derek Bromac N has participated in. He is also a regular at The Midwest Horse Fair in Madison, Wisc.

Derek Bromac N and his owners plan to bring him to a few local schools for more children to hear his remarkable story about the horse that never gave up.