The rich heritage of harness racing will be celebrated Saturday September 10th when Horsemen’s Day takes place at the fairgrounds in Cornish, Maine. The annual event benefits the Cornish Fairgrounds Restoration Fund and the racing action begins at 12:00 Noon. 

For more than a half century the historic fairgrounds were dormant, used only occasionally for the training of a few local horses. Several years ago, through the tireless efforts of the local harness racing enthusiasts, competitive racing returned to site and has been a fixture ever since. In the spirit of the early years of the sport the contests held on Horsemen’s Day are informally organized, and the participants are not required to hold the licenses that are required at other Maine venues. The racing card will also include a contest under saddle, and the fairgrounds museum will be open for the day. Horsemen’s Day at Cornish takes on a social character that has been characteristic of harness racing since the sport’s earliest days.  

Saturday also marks the opening in Cornish of a national exhibit devoted to the history of the sport. "The Story of Harness Racing by Currier and Ives" is a traveling exhibition organized by the Harness Racing Museum located in Goshen, New York, and the visit to Cornish will be its only area appearance. The exhibit is comprised of 33 lithographs by the noted artists that tell the story of the sport from its early stages though much of the 19th century. The display will be housed at the Cornish Fire Station, which is located at 37 School Street, and will run through September 25th. The exhibit will be open from 10 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Monday through Wednesday, from 10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. on Thursday, and from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on weekends.  

For more information about either Horsemen’s Day or the Currier and Ives Exhibit call Jim Ray at 207-625-8838 or Diann Perkins at 207-625-3281