Fairgrounds harness racing features excitement

By P.J. GLISSON

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Ironwood - A fine, lingering drizzle last Saturday threatened the second day of harness racing, but turned out to make it better than ever at the Gogebic County Fair.

"The track was really in excellent shape," said Marvin Kauppi, director of harness racing, after races ended. "After the rain, I thought it would be a little greasy."

Instead, he said the moisture actually helped the surface, and although the track was dragged after each race, no watering was needed.

Kauppi said the races overall also were good with a lot of close wins on both Friday and Saturday.

Joseph Prevost of Green Bay won two of Saturday's races on his horse, "Unfiltered." He also owns and trains the horse.

"We support him wholeheartedly, 100 percent," said Prevost's mother, Shawn Ramirez, who was beaming over her son's wins.

Kauppi said the Prevost and Magee families are fourth-generation racers, and Joe's sister, Melissa Prevost, said she can recall coming to the track since she was a child.

Kauppi said he's also grateful to QKS Racing for bringing eight horses to the fair both last year and this year.

Before Saturday's races, Kim Schneider of QKS Racing was in one of the barns, readying "Winds of Winter" for a warm-up run around the track.

"He's just a three-year-old and he's a stallion so he's very excited," she said of the horse, whose barn name is the acronym "Wow."

Regarding the overall horses kept by and her husband, Quentin Schneider, she said, "Right now, we have 23," with two more expected before the end of August.

She said they stable in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, during the warmer months and then head to California for the winter.

Schneider was among many owners and handlers pitching in any way they could to ensure a successful racing experience.

"It's all about where you need to fit in," said Tammy Day, also of QKS Stables.

She said that all the owners she knows are "very hands on" and are even willing to clean out stalls.

According to Day, responsibilities can vary from track to track. For instance, regarding the Rice Lake track, she said, "I drag the track between the races, and Ed (Snider) drives the water truck."

Helping out as needed was how Aaron Lehman said he got started with QKS Stables. He said he was asked last fall to help transfer horses from Wisconsin to California. Once they arrived at their destination, he said they stayed for a few weeks, working with the horses.

After repeating that routine a few times, he decided to train to become a rider. Although he is not yet licensed, he was taking horses to the track for their warm-ups. And he already is the part-owner of "Dance Traveler," whose barn name is "Dancer."

"I love it. It's exciting," said Lehman. "I think this is what I'll be doing the rest of my life."

Betsy Vandenberg of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, was in another barn, settling down "Ideal Poppy" after her Saturday race. She assured that the racing world is exhilarating for the horses as well.

"This is what they live for," she said, explaining that they must be broken in before they can effectively race with a bike, but she added that it isn't an issue since "they're really bred to do that" and are "the best temperament."

Big races are not always the object, according to Vandenberg. "Most of them race the county fairs that have harness races," she said.

Regarding the overall racing business, Kim Schneider gave one warning.

"You have to really like it," she said. "It's not something you cannot look forward to doing."

The art of harness racing is a simple construct, at least at first glance. As race director Kauppi noted of the horses, "They race twice around (the track). The end of the second round is the end of the race."

Timings also are noted. For instance, Joe Prevost won by going two minutes and five and four-fifths seconds in the first Saturday race and two minutes and four-fifths second in the fifth race.

Kauppi - who was also the superintendent of speed - said the horse's owner gets the purse, which for Prevost was $813 and $756, respectively.

"The county board put that money up," said Kauppi, who explained that if the driver is different from the owner, then "the driver gets paid by the owner.'

Each race winner also gets a bucket with horse supplies and gift cards.

Viewers also have an opportunity to make some small change by buying the day's race program for $5 and choosing the horse and driver they believe will win. Betters who guess right receive $5 per race.

"It's called the 'Pick-a-Winner,'" said Linda Tilley, who was selling programs with Kathy Bednar Ghiardi. They are both of Gogebic County.

Kauppi was grateful to anyone involved in the races, including a "really good" crowd and volunteers who gathered in the week prior to the fair to repair grandstands in accordance with directives from a recent engineering assessment.

"It just shows the community spirit," said Kauppi.

He added that additional volunteers spent much of the summer engaging in weed eating and touch-up painting of the grandstand. "It's amazing how much people give to the fair," noted Kauppi.

The race director also commended Jim Byrns, chairman of the Gogebic County Fair Board and also a member of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners. Kauppi said Byrns "kept things going" despite the controversy surrounding the viability of this year's fair structures.

When Kauppi was asked how long he's been in charge of the races, a man around the corner called out "forever."

Kauppi said it's been more than 50 years for him, just as it is for announcer George "Woody" Woodbridge of Oregon, Wisconsin, and the program sellers.

Regarding changes he's witnessed over time, Kauppi recalled, "There used to be 75-80 horses entered and three days of racing."

He remembers that being the case back in the 70s and 80s, whereas this year he said there were fewer than 20 total horses racing.

Another big difference, said Kauppi, was that in bygone days, "You could stay and train at the fairgrounds all year round."

Even in winter, he said, they used to plow the track for use.

"But then it came down to money," he said, explaining that even though rent was paid for the boarding of horses, "it never really covered the bills."

Moreover, he said the state used to have betting tracks that sent money to the smaller fairground tracks. "They cut that out when they started casinos," he said.

One sad point that Kauppi concluded was how summer schedules also have changed since the previous century. "The fair used to be the main highlight of the summer," he said. "Now, it's just another activity."

Nevertherless, he mused, "These barns hold a lot of history."