Day at the races

View larger image Scott Woogen, of Richmond, and his horse "Diamonds for Julie" pass along the clubhouse section of the track during the Shenandoah County Fair harness racing Thursday. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Harness racers round the clubhouse turn Thursday at the Shenandoah County Fair. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Jockey Wayne Long, 26, of Delaware, gets ready for the next race during afternoon harness racing at the Shenandoah County Fair. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Amber Patton, 22, and her great grandmother, Marie Kibler, 90, both of Woodstock, watch the harness racing from the grandstands at the Shenandoah County Fair. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Charles Ritter, 72, of Toms Brook, looks over his race program during the harness races at the Shenandoah County Fair. Rich Cooley/Daily

Annual event for people of all ages, sizes a pleasure to watch, participate in

By Preston Knight - pknight@nvdaily.com

WOODSTOCK -- Harness racing has a valuable lesson about discrimination for America's youth.

"Fat people can do it. Old people can do it. Young people can do it," said Ron McLenaghan, a rider from New Kent.

Fortunately, plenty of young people were in attendance Friday to take away that message, the third day of racing at the Shenandoah County Fair. While many of them were unsure about future prospects of racing themselves, they all at least took pleasure in watching.

"She's a racehorse girl," Maurertown resident Shelby Lineweaver said of her great granddaughter, Katlyn Orndorff, 8. "She likes to see [her uncle] win."

Henry Shirkey brought his 6-year-old granddaughter, Claire, and explained why the horses go fast in one direction and slow in the other. When they run slower, they are on their practice runs.

Claire said she came last year and liked it. Getting the younger generation involved in something that usually attracts an older audience is nice to see, Shirkey said.

"Most of us are pretty senior," he said. "She seems to enjoy it. It's a chance for them to go see the horses."

A childhood of growing up watching harness racing can wear off, though. Donna Hollar, in attendance with her niece, Morgan Hollar, 6, said she used to frequent the racetrack with her father, but rarely does since he died.

As a county resident, at least the opportunity is there for her to attend. In Virginia, only Colonial Downs, outside of Richmond, also offers harness racing.

"It's dying," Edinburg trainer Crystal Clark said of the sport.

However, she said the number of horses competing at this year's fair has been the best in some time. The track is faster than the one at Colonial Downs, Clark said, but since it's a county fair, the objective is a little different.

"It's more or less for fun," she said, noting that betting is not promoted.

That's not quite what Earnest Taylor, a racer for 37 years, was up for talking about Friday.

"I don't enjoy anything about it right now," he said. "No money, no honey."

While harness racing is on the decline, the sport is still enjoyable, said Clyde Oglesby, who, like Taylor, is from Maryland.

His state has no places to race now, he said, and he was in New Jersey competing this week.

"Either you like the job or you don't like the job," said Oglesby, who has been racing since 1961. "I still love it."

He was laid off from his job last year, which has given him more time to enjoy many aspects of horses -- raising, breeding, training and racing them.

"If you don't like all that," Oglesby said, "you're in a bad place."

For children's sake, those in the grandstand were responsible for only one thing pertaining to horses -- watching them. Their level of interest from that could dictate the sport's future.

"I'll like it," said Bryan Shirkey, 8, visiting with his grandfather, Earl Shirkey. "Maybe."