by Bob Carson

Editor’s Note: The USTA website is pleased to present freelance writer Bob Carson and his popular “Outside the Box” features. This monthly series is a menu of outlandish proposals presented with a wink — but the purpose behind them is serious. The views contained in this column are that of the author alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or views of the United States Trotting Association.

Bob Carson

The purpose of communication is to change behavior. The past two decades has seen the methods of communication change dramatically. Words, pictures and videos instantaneously appear on electronic devices anywhere in the world. Anyone has access to this information; such is the wonder of the internet. But this Hail Mary is tossed directly at those individuals who created this new digital world.

Embedded in this strange message are words such as entrepreneur, innovation, fun, philanthropy, start-up, wealth, challenge and intelligence. These words are important because as your devices sift, filter and data mine, key words can help a message surface. Or perhaps your wife’s cousin has your personal e-mail account and will hit “forward.” At any rate, you made the opportunity for a connection possible.

You may live in Silicon Valley or San Francisco. Thousands of you are millionaires, hundreds are billionaires. You are somewhat atypical from your wealthy predecessors in that you don’t flaunt, you keep to yourselves. You wear T-shirts instead of silk hats. You dream big. You are constantly on the prowl for “something new.” You are pretty darn cool.

Autumn Ryan graphic

Your stupendous wealth, as often happens, can lead to somewhat insular lives. You work on isolated campuses, drive electric cars and plug in ear buds to shut out the noise of life. You have sushi delivered and send your children to excellent schools. Your philanthropy is whispered, not shouted. Sure, there is stress along the way, but all in all, It’s a wonderful life.

But no life is perfect, and, as you know, everything can be improved. Perhaps you are a bit restless, you are touched by moments of wanting a bit more and are in search of an exotic new hobby, a new passion, a new sport or a new outlet for you prodigious talents.

We can help. We can offer a fascinating outlet that is a mix of business and pleasure. We can satisfy your competitive juices and give your mind a rest from algorithms, platforms, beta tests and start-ups. We can stimulate you intellectually. We can give you a pastime that will differentiate you from your peers who collect valuable paintings, buy expensive wines or jet off to Monte Carlo.

We are a sport you probably have never seen. Our game is horse racing. To be more specific, we are a sub-sector of horse racing called harness horse racing. You might take a break from your relentless race into the future and visit our historic sport. Should some of you decide to spend time and money in our world, this would be good for both of us.

If you have never seen a harness race before, this link will take you to an example.

Rest assured, most harness races are not the extravagant spectacle in this video. The majority of harness races are simple affairs at local racetracks. However, if one of your horses is in a race, especially if you have raised the baby and watched it learn to race, any race is a thrilling affair for the participants.

People with disposable wealth have always gravitated to racing horses. There is a historical precedence of affluent members of society discovering that the lure of racing horses filled a need and enriched their lives. Many wealthy families, such as the Rockefellers, the Bonners, the Rooneys, the Steinbrenners, and Arabian sheiks have enjoyed racing.

Two men of colossal wealth took turns lifting the sport of harness racing.

Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in humble circumstances in 1794. Vanderbilt clawed his way to the title of “The Richest Man in the World.” He had three passions — ruthlessly amassing his astonishing fortune, playing a card game that was a forerunner of bridge called whist and racing trotting horses.

He became obsessed with breeding trotters, buying trotters and racing against his contemporaries. He built racetracks and raced his beautiful trotters through the streets of New York. He raced almost every day, with great delight, well into his eighties. He was not alone.

One of your early California citizens, Leland Stanford, followed in Vanderbilt’s hoof prints. Stanford was another fantastically rich mogul who became an ardent fan and innovator in the sport of harness racing. Like you, he made his fortunes in a new technology (railroads). To relive stress, Stanford’s doctor advised him to take up driving horses.

Stanford soon discovered he loved the sport and turned his Palo Alto farm into a harness horse racing laboratory. He began experimenting with new breeding and training techniques and establishing the most magnificent farm in the world. He built a self contained community with schools, housing and dining for his staff which tended to more than 700 horses. Stanford spent the morning of his last day watching trotters from his front porch.

Your advances in technology have opened the barn doors. The magic of these amazing animals is always invigorating. A morning in the fresh air, the smell of sweating horses and the touch of a muscular neck cannot be transmitted digitally. However, the I-pad and the computer have made the drive to farms and racetracks a perk, not a necessity. We have a long way to go in fully implementing your technology, and could use some of your expertise, but today we can seamlessly mine racing data and watch horses train and race in ways that previous fans and owners could never imagine.

Like most overachievers, you have focused intensely on your work for much of your life. When you come up for air you can find yourself somewhat introverted, perhaps a bit of a one trick pony. You may be timid about jumping into a sport with little previous knowledge and few connections. Once again, your work has changed the scene.

Today, for the first time in history, social media and digital technology allow you to learn our sport at your own pace, in your own space, to your own degree. Research on the internet is routine for you. Sharing on networks like Twitter, Foursquare, Path and Facebook is part of your DNA. A group of friends entering the world of harness horse racing at the same time, at the same level, would find the journey an excellent social experience. Having your horses race against each other could be a fulfilling, fun competition.

The world of horse racing is intellectually challenging. We are a sport that requires time and study. You will never stop learning in horse racing. We are so much more than we appear to be at first glance. Every facet, from buying horses, breeding horses, training horses, racing horses, gambling on horses, the business of operating racing, to running a small stable is a complex world unto itself. Many compare horse racing to chess or bridge or a start up business; we are a challenge that you can never quite master.

We also need you for business and philanthropic reasons. Harness racing is hanging on by a shoestring in California. An infusion of money and enthusiasm would stabilize countless jobs in our industry. Your world is built on innovation. Harness horse racing could use some innovators; we have become a bit stale.

You can enter our world as a participant, an owner or a gambler. We are a very “hands on” sport. Each race horse is like a small sports franchise that you control. Often, owners learn to jog and train their own horses. If you go to this link you can sample the sensation of sitting in the sulky.

We are looking for a Cornelius Vanderbilt or a Leland Stanford to help lead us in this century. We are waiting for people with powers of innovation and resources to stabilize our floundering ship and help turn us around. A great start-up challenge would be to rejuvenate California harness horse racing. Turn the state into the flagship of racing and reposition us in the sporting world using your technology.

Consider giving us a look. You might become enthused and glimpse the enjoyment that a hardy band of us see. Visit your racetrack, Cal Expo, at www.calxharness.com. Or visit any of our other racetracks. Just stroll up and say hello to a trainer, driver or owner; we are a friendly group that relish the opportunity to show visitors what we do, what we have to offer.

If you wish to learn the basics of our sport, this link will lead to a website. This link will lead to a diary of a group of new owners in their first year of ownership.