by Keith Gisser, for the Harness Horse Youth Foundation

Westfield, IN — June 1 is the application deadline for young people ages 12 to 14 who wish to participate in the Harness Horse Youth Foundation’s Midwest Summer Programs, a series of one and two-day events designed to give youth hands-on experience working with the HHYF’s stable of Trottingbred horses.

Each event will allow children the chance to explore many aspects of harness horse preparation, from stall cleaning, grooming and harnessing to actually jogging the horses.

The programs scheduled are:

June 13–Maywood Park, Maywood, Illinois, ages 12-14 with mentor Big Brothers/Big Sisters program
June 15–Elkhorn, Wisconsin, ages 12-14
June 19-20–Running Aces, Columbus, Minnesota, ages 12-14
June 22–Cannon Falls, Minnesota, ages 12-14
June 24–Grinnell, Iowa, ages 12-16

Applications and complete details are available at www.hhyf.org/programs.asp. The deadline for applications to be received by HHYF is June 1.

“The response so far has been very strong. We are especially happy with the support we have received from the horsemen’s associations in these midwestern states, but we still have a few openings left,” said Executive Director Ellen Taylor.

The Harness Horse Youth Foundation is a charitable 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing young people and their families educational opportunities with harness horses, in order to foster the next generation of participants and fans. The Foundation has been making a difference in young people’s lives since 1976, and its programs include interactive learning experiences with these versatile animals, scholarship programs, and creation and distribution of educational materials. For more information on opportunities through HHYF, or to support its mission, go to www.hhyf.org.