from the Harness Horse Youth Foundation

Goshen, NY — Fifteen-year-old alumnus Justin Irvine put an exclamation point on the Harness Horse Youth Foundation’s 40th anniversary celebration Sunday (June 5), winning the Open Pace Matinee at Goshen Historic Track with Cruzing Hill by 25 lengths over a sloppy track in 2:01.2.

Chris Tully photo

Justin Irvine and Cruzing Hill cruised down the stretch to win the Open Pace at Goshen Historic Track Sunday.

In Irvine’s first charted drive, he pulled from second with the Mark Ford trainee as the horses headed to the three-quarter pole and drew off to easily defeat the opposition with a :30.3 final quarter. Cruzing Hill is owned by George and Rose Bonomo of Illinois.

Earlier, more than 100 attendees celebrated HHYF with brunch at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame. They witnessed a program that featured a cavalcade of guests, with Bob “Hollywood” Heyden serving as Master of Ceremonies.

Chris Wittstruck received his Service to Youth Award from HHYF and he made a passionate plea for the industry to support HHYF’s efforts. The assembled also heard from Service to Youth winner and former HHYF President Callie Davies-Gooch, former scholarship recipient and equine vet Dr. Patty Hogan, alum and Little Brown Jug winning driver Montrell Teague, current President Marlys Pinske, and future camper Wyatt Beaver, who will be attending camp at Gaitway Farms this summer. The group then had time to tour the museum prior to the start of the matinee card at the Historic Track.

Celebrating 40 years of youth education and service to harness racing, 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 makes a difference in young people’s lives through 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.