Columbus, OH – A record-breaking 73,000 people were in attendance at the 98th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis during the week of Oct. 27. The harness racing booth was one of 300 exhibitors present at the FFA Convention Expo to meet the future of agriculture, educate them on our sport and provide materials for FFA advisors.
A Standardbred Education Station asked students to identify equipment, tell the difference between a trotter and pacer, and match equine tools to the human equivalent; different types of horse feed were identified; a 360 video experience had many students hop in the bike for the first time, and many conversations were had about harness racing careers, off-track opportunities for ex-racehorses and where they can find harness racing, either at their local pari-mutuel track or at a county fair.
The racing industry showed up, both working at the booth and through sponsorships. Special thanks to booth workers from the Indiana Standardbred Association and local horsemen: Tony Renz, Tabby DeLong, Emily & Sonora Dever, Rachel Leonard, Donna Loney, Marcus Miller, Joyse & Ron Rhoades and Alexandra Sarkine; the Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Fund: Emily Adams; the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association: Ashley Dailey; the Harness Horse Youth Foundation: Ellen Taylor; and the USTA: Jessica Schroeder and Jourdan Miller. Special thanks to the Erv Miller Stable for providing a race bike to use for the 360-video experience.
The booth would not be possible without the sponsorship from the USTA, Harness Horse Youth Foundation (HHYF), Indiana Standardbred Association (ISA), Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Fund, Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA), Delaware Standardbred Owners Association (DSOA), Meadows Standardbred Owners Association (MSOA), Minnesota Harness Racing, Inc. (MHRI) and Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOA NJ).
Planning is already underway for next year’s FFA Convention and Expo, which will be held Oct. 21-23, 2026. Those interested in learning more about the FFA convention and the harness racing presence can contact Jessica Schroeder at 614.224.2291 or jessica.schroeder@ustrotting.com.
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization whose membership exceeds 1.042-million students from 9,407 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Michigan, Florida and Wisconsin saw the highest growth rates in membership compared to last year; the top five states for membership are Texas, California, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina. The convention was first held in 1928 in Kansas City, Mo., and was in that city for 70 years; it has also been held in Louisville and will be in Indianapolis through 2040.