No more harness racing at Northern Maine Fair

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - Harness racing will no longer be part of the Northern Maine Fair. Officials have announced that they will be removing turns 1 and 2 and leveling that part of the track. Fair Board President Lynwood Winslow said they did everything they could to keep harness racing at the fair, but with the reduction from a nine day to a four day fair and the cost of operating a race meet made it not feasible to continue with racing. The removal of turns one and two will improve the safety of motor sports events and easier to control spectators and an opportunity to grow the agriculture displays with exhibits and food. Mike Cushing is the President of the Maine Harness Horsemen Association and made an annual trick to the County with Cushing Stables to compete and also to enjoy some relaxation.

Mike Cushing:” You were almost forced to stay a day or two. You found yourself going golfing, going fishing. Going out at night to Keddy’s when it used to be known as that before the Convention Center. Horsemen were able to stop and smell the roses for a minute and be friends. Not that we are not, but it created a situation where it was naturally going to happen. Then you had those generations of families there that played host. They were horsemen and proud of their town and so happy to have us there. They made sure we went to their house at night and had a good time. There’s still a couple of fairs left where that is the tradition. Windsor and Fryeburg excellent at that. Northern Maine the ride seemed much shorter because of the destination once you got there at least for me personally.”

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