from the Iowa Harness Horse Association

Webster City, IA — For the first time since 1951, Standardbreds will be competing at the Hamilton County Fair. Racing begins at 5 p.m. this Thursday afternoon (July 27).

There will be seven races.

Local horses from nearby Humboldt will compete, as well as entries from central, northeast, and southeast Iowa.

Hamilton County Fair Board Vice President Randy Chalfant met IaHHA members at the Association of Iowa Fairs annual meeting in December 2016. Chalfant said the fair would be celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2017 and would like to bring back harness racing to commemorate their history.

Hamilton County neighbors Humboldt County, where there is an active community of horsemen. Some Iowa Harness Horse Association board members from Humboldt went to assess the track at Webster City and reported that the half-mile oval looks great for racing.