by Amanda Benson

Ballston Spa, NY — It was a breezy spring day at the 4-H Training Center in Ballston Spa, N.Y., where nearly 700 children from local elementary schools gathered to learn about Saratoga County Agriculture.

There were many different stations including honey bees, dairy cattle, goats, sheep and horses. There was also a station that was new to the annual event — harness racing.

Local trainer Kathleen Allen brought her 9-year-old trotter Through The Night to promote the harness racing industry in Saratoga County. She taught the children, parents and school teachers of the importance that the harness racing industry has in Saratoga County. Children asked many questions like what race horses eat, why they wear bandages on their legs, and what all the different equipment was used for.

When asked what she took away from the program, Allen replied, “I was amazed at the amount of adult chaperones and teachers that didn’t know there was harness racing at Saratoga Casino and Hotel. Out of all the adults present, at least 75 percent of them were surprised to learn that harness racing went on just a few hundred feet from the video gaming machines. I hope that I made a positive impact on the community and really enjoyed promoting the sport of harness racing.”