by Jessica Schroeder, USTA Outreach & Membership Enrichment Coordinator

Columbus, OH — The 2014 Matching Funds Grant Program will assist 14 county fairs and horsemen’s associations with funding for promotional events and advertising for county fair harness racing.

The recipients include:

• Defiance County Area Horsemen Association (Hicksville, Ohio)
• Erie County Fair (Wattsburg, Pa.)
• Fowlerville Harness Horsemen (Fowlerville, Mich.)
• Gogebic County Fair (Ironwood, Mich.)
• Hancock County Fair (Findlay, Ohio)
• Mahoning County Agricultural Society (Canfield, Ohio)
• Meigs County Agricultural Society (Pomeroy, Ohio)
• Menard County Fair (Petersburg, Ill.)
• Mercer County Fair (Celina, Ohio)
• Midland County Fair (Midland, Mich.)
• Minnesota Harness Racing Inc. (all Minnesota fairs)
• Richland County Fair (Richland Center, Wis.)
• St. Joseph County Grange Fair (Centreville, Mich.)
• Wisconsin Harness Horse Association (all Wisconsin fairs)

Another 11 fairs/organizations were assisted through the Matching Funds Grant Program for purchasing promotional items to be given out in the grandstands or sold as fundraisers. Items such as t-shirts, can koozies, seat cushions and drawstring backpacks will be available at different fairs in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Matching Funds Grant Program was started at the USTA for the 2006 racing season, with a budget of $10,000. The program’s funding has since doubled and provides assistance to those working to encourage attendance at, and participation in, county fair harness racing.

For a complete listing of fairs that have earned grants throughout the years, visit this page. For other ideas on how to promote the racing in your area, visit the Racing Promotion Idea Center or the Matching Funds Grant webpages on the USTA site.