This post provides readers with the opportunity to download two digital publications that address the possibility of creating a living and working environment that reintroduces people from within and outside the State of Maine to the horse. When the horse was king, Maine people understood the importance of the horse to their lives and its contributions to…

Several years ago I published a digital publication titled, S. Dexter’s Maine Spirit of the Turf. I published eight issues totaling more than 400 pages. In many of the issues I included a column, Outside the Oval. The purpose of this column was to share ideas that did not come from long time members of the harness racing…

Maine and New Brunswick Circuit Racing Locations  — Race Secretaries The Trotter and Pacer (Annual Blue Book 1923) The beginning of the age when the horse was king may have been in the era when Lady Suffolk broke the 2:30 minute mile. This was during the time period when premiere race horses were featured on the front…

This year will be a critical year for the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center. Each year fund raising becomes more difficult and 2017 may be the last year individuals can take tax deductions for their charitable contributions. Lost Trotting Parks has been fortunate for its contributions from Lost Trotting Parks Directors, the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association, the…

The history of harness or perhaps any sport generally features star performers, extraordinary events, and locations that hold wonderful memories. Our star performers are the record setting Standardbreds — their drivers and owners. The storyboards presented in this post feature the race cards from five Maine fairs held from 1945 to 1947. Hopefully we can find the…

I hope one of the many harness racing historians and followers of groups such as Harness Racing History might be able to provide the exact date of this program The Competitors: 2:16 Bar Pace — Race 1: Clinton High with Stanley up owned by J. Stanley, South Somerset, MA — Sunny Grattan with E. Brown up, owned…

  In early June, Jean Emerson met with Peggy O’Kane at the Maine State Library. The purpose of the meeting was to reach an agreement that would permit the Maine State Library through its Digital Maine Program to scan all issues of the Northeast Harness News from 1980 through 1995. Peggy and Jean reached an agreement to…

For at least three years I have known that when the 19th century judges’ stand was removed from the infield of the track at the Topsham Fairgrounds, I knew that it had been placed at a home in Brunswick, Maine.This year after harness racing, I spoke with Ronald Ponziani who had a horse racing that day. His…

From Stephen D. Thompson In late April 2017 I developed a survey that addressed the future of harness racing in the State of Maine. I urge each of you to read the findings of this survey and as you read highlight or take notes. Which of these findings agree with your thinking? Which of these findings do…

This post features the preliminary results for Lost Trotting Parks’ Harness Racing Survey that has been available for Maine Harness Horsemen and women and harness racing fans to complete. At this date, there are 67 respondents to this survey. Forty two of the respondents are from the State of Maine. The survey will be online through July….