by Jessica Schroeder, USTA Outreach & Membership Enrichment Coordinator

Columbus, OH — With cooperation between the USTA, Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption trainer Jennifer Daniels, the Standardbred will be represented once again at Equine Affaire, held at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus from April 10-13.

The OHHA and USTA are co-sponsoring a booth in the Voinovich Center, booth spaces B64-B66, for the duration of the event. Space B66 will be a petting stall, where people can meet, visit with and learn more about a specific Standardbred.

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption will be right next door in spaces B67-B68.

New for 2014 is the Equestrian Experience where groups are given 60 minutes to present their discipline. “A Glimpse into the World of Harness Racing” will be held in the covered paddock from 9:45-10:45 a.m. on Saturday (April 12).

Two 10-minute breed demonstrations are currently being scripted to focus on:

• Off-The-Track Standardbred careers — Saturday at 11:15 a.m. in the Voinovich Center
• Harness Racing — Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in the Coliseum

There will also be a 15-minute breed pavilion presentation each day at 4 p.m. in the Voinovich Center, as well as a youth pavilion segment on Friday (April 11) at 5:45 p.m.

Some of the horses that will be on hand to represent the breed at Equine Affaire are Anvil Raider N p,8,1:51 ($340,812), Investor 3,1:56 ($336,612), Special Report p,5,1:48.4 ($1,515,489) and Viking Kemosabi p,6,1:52 ($181,150).

AllAmerican Legacy and Studs Hooligan have long left their racing careers behind, but have excelled on the show circuit and will represent the various disciplines off-the-track Standardbreds excel at.

If you would like to attend Equine Affaire to see featured clinicians, breed presentations and to shop one of the largest horse-related trade shows in North America, event admission is $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 7-10 (those 6 years old and under get free admission). Show hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit www.EquineAffaire.com.

Since 1996, the Standardbred Equine Program has worked with off-the-track Standardbreds and their owners to educate the general public about the many disciplines at which Standardbreds excel once they are retired from racing. For more information about the SEP at the USTA, visit LifeAfterRacing.ustrotting.com, or send e-mail inquiries to sep@ustrotting.com.