from the U.S. Harness Writers Association

Harrisburg PA — The United States Harness Writers Association, harness racing’s leading and largest membership organization for industry communicators, is pleased to announce that a group of four Jeff Gural racing entities — Meadowlands, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, and Winners Bayonne OTW — are partnering with the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and Winbak Farm in sponsoring a luncheon to be held Sunday (Feb. 26) at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, before the Dan Patch Awards Banquet Presented by Hoosier Park is held that evening.

The luncheon will begin at 12 noon, following the morning’s annual membership meeting of USHWA. Members of the organization taking part in the morning session will be attending, as will the sponsors of the luncheon and special guest Brian Sears, the newest Hall of Fame member. The recent electees to the Communicators Hall of Fame, Gordon Waterstone and Steven Wolf, already have seats at the table as former presidents of USHWA.

Tim Bojarski, president of the harness writers, noted that “USHWA is honored to have the New Meadowlands and its off-track site, along with two major New York tracks in Tioga and Vernon, join together with one of the sport’s premier auction companies, based in Kentucky, and one of the sport’s elite breeding farms, headquartered in Maryland, for this sponsorship effort.

“The fact that these diverse organizations, located in diverse areas, are combining in this sponsorship shows the ‘win-win’ attitude of these groups so necessary in this competitive entertainment market. We of USHWA are proud they have chosen to support us as we honor the best in our sport next month.”

The Dan Patch Awards Banquet Presented by Hoosier Park will be held as the culmination of the Feb. 25-26 weekend when USHWA holds its annual business meetings. Further information about the banquet and the weekend, including links for dinner tickets, Souvenir Journal advertising congratulating award winners, and room reservations at special USHWA rates for Planet Hollywood, is available on the group’s website, www.ushwa.org.