by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

In Sweden a spin-off of the very popular show Dancing With The Stars will be aired for the first time Friday night (June 26) on national TV broadcaster TV4.

In Sweden the show is called “Stjärnkusken” — or Top Driver — and eight personalities who never had anything to do with horses will be introduced to harness racing. In the sixth and final show on Saturday (July 27) three finalists will compete in a race at a racetrack.

Former well known trainer Kari Lähdekorpi is the mentor in the program, where also two of Sweden’s leading drivers, Jenny Tillman and Erik Adielsson, will help educate the new harness drivers.

The Swedish Trotting Association hopes that the program will get more people interested in harness racing.