RUS NY Announces Fair Series Dates and Conditions

 

The excitement of racing under saddle at New York State county fairs will return this season. 

Committee members of RUS New York, an organization that helps promote the sport and the versatility of Standardbreds, are excited to announce racing will be back after going on a year hiatus because of the pandemic. Races are scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 8 at Afton Fair with a fair final set at Goshen Historic Track on Sunday, Sept. 5 pending funding. 

According to the group’s treasurer Michelle Miller, RUS NY has committed to funding eight races at county fairs so that much is guaranteed as long as there are horses and riders to fill the box. She said she is hopeful that the series’ past flagship sponsor, The New York Sire Stakes, will pull through with some grant funds to ensure a full series. 

RUS NY President Cathy Gearwar said horses and riders will still accumulate points earned along the way and awards will be given regardless if there is a final or not. According to race conditions, horses and riders will need to participate in at least three races to qualify for awards. That is the same number of races required to qualify for the final, if one is held. 

Each race will go for a purse of $1,000 unless split up into more than one division. Purse distribution will be done a little differently this year. All participants will earn $100 each and the remaining purse funds will be distributed based on a percentage of starters like in the past.  Fair rules and conditions can be found at: https://rus-newyork.com/fair-conditions-2/.

Also new this year, pacers may participate in the races. Pacers may be assigned post positions if races cannot be divided by gait.  MOST entries will be taken 5 days before the race (omitting Sundays) to have them ready for programming to avoid any issues. The group handles RUS entries so do not try to call the hotline. More information on entries will be announced soon. 

Fundraising is required to partake in the series. Please visit https://rus-newyork.com/rules-regulations/ for more details. Fair qualifying requirements have also changed and can be found with the same link. 

Official dates and locations for the races are as follows:

• Thursday, July 8 ---- Afton Fair (noon post) 

• July 15 -  Genesee County at Batavia (must have 4 entries) (12:30 p.m. post) 

• Tuesday, July 20 --- “Little World’s Fair" in Hemlock (noon post)

• Tuesday, July 27 --- Oneida County in Boonville (11AM Post)

• Tuesday, Aug. 3 --- Otsego County Fair in Morris (noon post)

• Sunday, Aug. 8 --- Tioga County in Owego (noon post)

• Tuesday, Aug. 10 --- Schoharie County Sunshine Fair in Cobleskill (noon post) 

• Monday, Aug. 16 --- Steuben County in Bath (noon post)

• Friday, Aug. 20 --- Madison County in Morrisville (10 a.m. post)

• Tuesday, Aug. 24 --- Tompkins County in Trumansburg (noon post)

RUS New York is still accepting sponsorships. The sooner one gets on board the more exposure one will get. For as little as $200, sponsors will be put in all fair race programs. Please contact Gearwar at fourgears@shoreham.net or call (802) 537-2145 for more information. Other ways to support the group is through providing donations such as tickets to places and events, gift certificates, gift baskets and other items that can be used to raise money at various fundraising events.

What is Racing Under Saddle: 

Also known as Monte Racing, RUS, is a hybrid between harness racing and 

thoroughbred racing. The sport consists of a rider atop a Standardbred in a saddle instead of pulling a sulky.  RUS is an exciting part of international standardbred racing and is conducted daily at most European tracks as part of their regular pari-mutuel wagering programs.

The Fair Series is organized by RUS NY, an organization that helps coordinate and promote under saddle races across the state. The main goal is to promote the unique sport,  educate about the versatility of the Standardbred breed as both a racing and a riding horse and to help Standardbreds find great homes after they finish their days on the track.

To keep up on RUS NY happenings follow the group at:

• Facebook.com/RUSNYSeries

• http://rus-newyork.blogspot.com

• Rus-newyork.com

RUS NY To Race Fair Series, Schedule Not Yet Set

Typically we would have a race schedule and conditions out for the RUS New York Fair Series by now. 

The good news is we will be racing again this year after having a year hiatus because of the pandemic. The bad news is we are still waiting on the harness racing schedule to be able to finalize our race schedule.  Scheduling racing at the fairs has been held up because of Covid guidelines and many unforeseen unknowns. 

We have had many fairs reach out to us in hopes of including us in their racing program and we are hoping to fit in as many as we can without having back-to-back races and most likely no races within the same week as we do not have enough riders or horses to commit to that.

Some county fairs will be hosting races during the week they have a fair while others will not. We will post dates and conditions as soon as we know more. 

This will mark the seventh RUS New York Fair Series. RUS New York highly relies on sponsorship funds to be a success and the group is still looking for potential sponsors. For as little as $200, sponsors will be put in all forms of promotion that we do for the season. This includes being featured in all fair race programs  and much more. The earlier one gets on board, the more exposure one will receive.

For more information, visit http://rus-newyork.com/become-a-sponsor/ or contact our Sponsorship Director and President Cathy Gearwar at fourgears@shoreham.net or by phone at (802) 537-2145.

Afton Fair RUS Conditions Announced, Entries Due July 3

This race's winner circle leadline presentation is sponsored by 
T&K Harrington LLC.

Afton Fair RUS Conditions 

Entries will be taken by RUS New York via email or text and must be submitted by 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 3. Email: rusnewyorkseries@gmail.com text: (607) 643-8047. You will get a confirmation email or text back. You can also call the number if you do not have email or text.

Purse: No less than $800 to be distributed evenly. Winner will also get halter and leadline. 

Anybody entering the fairgrounds must pass a temperature check and sign a Covid release. 

Horses must have rabies and coggins and be checked in with secretary no later than 15 minutes before the noon time post no matter when the race is scheduled. Rider waiver, W-9(s) and purse authorization must be turned in the day of the race NO EXCEPTIONS! Nobody should get on a horse until paperwork is handed in. 

No entry fee 

Riders and horses do not need to be qualified as this is being held as an exhibition race.  Please be responsible and ride and practice as much as possible before the race to make for safe racing. Entries can be denied at the discretion of the race secretary or RUS NY Committee. 

Riders must wear helmet, safety vest, colors and proper boots at all times while on a horse. 

Horse Eligibility Requirements

All horses participating in RUS events must be registered with either the United States Trotting Association or Standardbred Canada in the name of the current owner. No horse under the age of three shall be eligible to start, however horses older than 14 will be permitted.

Horses that plan on racing under saddle must have RUS electronic eligibilities activated prior to entering for any RUS event. This is in addition to the eligibility they hold for regular harness events.Pacers and trotters will race together 

Required Equipment

(a)  Bridle with bit and overcheck.

(b)  Rubber racing, Ladder reins or Double “French” reins.

(c)  Crupper.

(d)  English, monte, or jockey saddle. Overgirth on saddle with only one billet.

(e)  Breast collar or buxton.

(f)  Appropriate saddle pad.

(g)  Head numbers, head poles, line poles and two-ring martingales are prohibited.  Line burrs are now allowed 

(h)  Securing the rider to the saddle and/or the legs or feet of the rider in the stirrups, including but not limited to tying the stirrups to the girth, banding the feet in the stirrups is prohibited. 

*** hobbles are allowed 

RUS NY Won’t Be Hosting Fair Series, But Has One Fair On Board To Race

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the RUS NY Fair Series is cancelled for 2020.  However, we are happy to announce at least one fair will be hosting a race and conditions are set. 

“The shutdowns due to the virus have caused countless disappointing consequences, and that is an understatement,” said the organization’s president Cathy Gearwar. 

She said members of the RUS New York Management Committee have decided to take this year and focus on fundraising to make sure a complete series can happen in 2021. The management committee will help to plan races if venues are still interested in having races on an individual basis but cannot guarantee rider and horse availability. 

“The plan for this year is to only hold races being funded by the host track and save our funds for next year so we can have a series and satisfy our commitments to our sponsors,” explained Gearwar, who is also the group’s sponsorship director. 

“Fundraising and sponsorships are more important than ever because once racing is back the funds need to be there to continue and we cannot rely on getting the New York Sire Stakes grant funds that we normally receive,” she continued. “We thank everyone who has supported us and appreciate your patience and understanding through this all.” 

Sponsors who have already supported the group are posted on the RUS NY website, rus-newyork.com, with most having links to their website or Facebook pages. For more information on sponsorship opportunities please visit: http://rus-newyork.com/become-a-sponsor/. 

“We really need to use this year to rebuild and try to get new blood interested in the sport,” Gearwar said. “We cannot give up and look at it as a total wash out year. We would love to network and help out anyone who would be interested in getting licensed and try it out.” 

On a more positive note, RUS NY has been able to work with race secretaries at Afton Fair to still be able to put on a race on Thursday, July 9.  It will be held as an exhibition race. The conditions can be found at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tRlxBoekNgcDqz9_qE_4ZN8zyN86jx4BlSFHz_4Sw7A/edit?usp=sharing. 

The group is holding a raffle to help raise funds for the 2021 season. Winners will be drawn in October via Facebook Live. Date and time TBA at a later date and the video will be left on the RUS New York Series Facebook page for all to be able to view. All prizes are good through 2021. Names will be drawn for the amount of prizes offered. Once the drawing is done the president will call each individual to choose one of the prizes. Then the next person will be called and so on. Tickets can be purchased from riders or online at https://rafflecreator.com/pages/37801/rus-ny-fundraising-raffle?fbclid=IwAR2oEiTlkMi8cwSwBms4mgTHNNoel0lK0EGKj3ydwGm3k3HGnb4hTLsgWqg. 

Plans For Uncertainties Announced

RUS New York is facing the same unknowns as the rest of the world because of forced cancelations caused by the Coronavirus.  At this time, there is no way to know if there will be a racing season or not. There is a lot still up in the air, as some things have been put on hold. 

Will there be fairs? If not, will the racing season still go on? Will some of the season be canceled instead of all of it? 

The future of the 2020 RUS NY Fair Series largely depends on the existence of county fair harness racing and grant money provided by the organizations’s flagship sponsor, the New York Sire Stakes and Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. 

“We are considering all options for saving the season or some part of it, but also considering what to do if canceled,” said Kelly Young Executive Director of the Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. 

She said there are still plans to review the RUS NY grant needed to host the series, but at a later date. For now, grants and the publication of the fair book is on hold, according to Young. She said, “Because we are the epicenter, all these decisions may be made for us.”

“If the grant does not get approved, there will be no racing series,” RUS NY Marketing Director and Treasurer Michelle Miller said.  "A couple of individual races at fairs that do open may be possible in this event, determined on a case by case basis.”

According to Miller, the most important thing right now is to make sure RUS NY sponsors know they will be taken care of no matter what happens. 

Committee members held a meeting in early April to form a plan. If the season is canceled all sponsorships will be transferred to the following season. Sponsorships get added to the RUS NY website as the group receives funds so sponsors will actually be advertised longer if this is the case, she explained. If only some races are cut, sponsors will be included in that many races in 2021. Winner circle leadline sponsors will be transferred to the following season or possibly be allowed to switch to available races not spoken for if available.   

Questions about sponsorship for this year can be sent to Director of Sponsorships Cathy Gearwar at fourgears@shoreham.net or through the Facebook page, RUS NY Series. 

“We will take care of our sponsors,” Gearwar said. “They are essential to our existence.”

Sponsors can be found at http://rus-newyork.com/sponsorship-fundraising/our-2020-sponsors/. Most logos are linked to the sponsor’s direct website or Facebook page. Please show your support! 

RUS NY is also looking for items for an online raffle, keeping in mind the drawing will be done in the fall. Items should be easily mailable and good through 2021. The deadline is May 31. Contact Gearwar for more information. 

BECOMING A SPONSOR: 

For as little as $200, sponsors will be put in all forms of promotion that we do for the season. This includes being featured in all fair race programs (generally parimutuals will include a page of our sponsors as well) and much more. The earlier one gets on board, the more exposure one will receive.

What you get for your buck:

Just for donating you will be provided advertisement on our website. 

For just $200 or more you will get a mention in all promotions such as race programs. (200 copies are printed for each fair) 

For $500 or more you will be provided everything above as well as a feature spot on our homepage and inclusion on a bucket to be used as a prize throughout the season. 

We will link your website or Facebook page to any ad on our website if provided

There will be limited opportunity to become a sponsor for a winner’s circle presentation. This offering will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Sponsors will have their info printed on a lead line to be handed out after each race. A group photo is taken with the lead line being presented and an announcement is made on the sponsor’s behalf. Please visit
www.rus-newyork.com for more information. 

It is not always feasible to donate money and RUS NY more than happily accepts product donations that can be used for prizes or fundraising purposes. 

RUS NY Meeting to Focus on Uncertainties Being Caused By Coronavirus

Like so many others, committee members of RUS New York are preparing and navigating through this uncertain time created by Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

While many things are being canceled, some being rescheduled out as far as September, the reality is we cannot be sure our racing season will be held as planned. For now, everyone in the state is being told to stay home unless it is for “essential” reasons and the reality is this probably is not going away anytime soon even if the president loosens up restrictions. New York is being hit hard. 

We will be holding a meeting at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 5 via Facebook video chat to discuss these uncertainties and plans moving forward. If there is anyone that would like to get involved and is not on the video chat group already please contact RUS NY President Cathy Gearwar at fourgears@shoreham.net or call (802) 537-2145. She may also be able to arrange alternate ways of being involved if Facebook is not an option. 

It may seem like the least important time to get involved, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We will need the support and commitment to the group more now than ever. Please get involved and we appreciate any support during these times. We thank all our fans and supporters and hope you and your families are staying safe. We hope to see you out at our events sooner rather than later! 

Officers Elected to Management Committee, Participation Needed

Going into the new year, RUS New York plans to focus on recruiting new participants and start back up from its roots as it was difficult to get enough officers to stay in existence.  

Cathy Gearwar, who has been a part of the organization for two years, will take on the lead role of president giving Michelle Miller some time off from the duties. Gearwar will remain the sponsorship director and help with website and Facebook postings. Miller will be staying on as an officer, accepting the position as treasurer and helping with fair planning, marketing and promoting the versatility of the breed. 

David Fisher will begin his second year as vice president providing guidance as a non-rider and someone who has worked in the standardbred industry for more than 35 years, including experience as a race judge. 

Kara Duh will remain the secretary of the organization. Also in her second year, she will continue to be the director of membership. 

Officers and directors were voted on at the December meeting. Directors will be Hillary Hartnett and two more non-riders, Hannah Miller and Russell Hoagland. Hannah Miller will serve as entry clerk like in year’s past unless otherwise noted. 

Gearwar said with a lack of rider participation in 2019 the goal will be to still offer a fair series, but to cut back on the number of fairs in hopes of offering fuller fields for more exciting racing. This will be decided based on miles being driven by committed riders, not having more than one race a week and funding. 

At the last meeting, according to Michelle Miller, members agreed to make sure every horse will get at least $100 in purse money to participate to help cover travel costs and perhaps encourage participation as long as the funding is available. The rest of the purse funds would be distributed based on where the horse places like in the past, she said, noting this would require larger purses. 

The hope is to be able to offer another rider challenge, but it will not be able to be as grand as last year’s, she said, adding more information will be provided once funding is secured. 

“We have parimutual tracks on board that are willing to host races, but we need to know we can fill fields before putting the cart before the horse,” Gearwar said. “We really need new blood to be successful. And not just to ride, but to get involved as members, be active in the group’s fundraising and meetings so things can run smoothly.”

Pacers are now allowed to race under saddle and will be allowed to participate in the fair series. 

“With the addition of pacers the possibility of more than one race held at a given fair or track increases,” Gearwar said. “Hopefully this addition will make it easier for riders to get mounts and increase participation and interest in the sport as there are more pacers on the tracks and they can generally be purchased for less money than trotters.”

RUS New York is required to have seven members on its Management Committee. 

Duties of the those on the Management Committee shall be to:

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the organization.
• Ensure that an organization remains accountable to its donors and to the general public.
  
• Evaluate financial policies, approve annual budgets, and review periodic financial reports to ensure that the organization has the necessary resources to carry out its mission.
• To act as lesions to our members and represent their best interest when voting.
  

Directors are expected to actively participate in organizational planning and decision-making and to make sound and informed judgments. When acting on behalf of the organization, directors must put the interests of the Group before any personal or professional concerns and avoid potential conflicts of interest.

An information group has been made on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/rusny1/ for networking and getting important notifications to those wanting to race. For more information on the organization including race dates and more, visit rus-newyork.com. 

RUSNY needs more rider involvement to succeed and grow. If you are interested contact Gearwar at 802-537-2145 or email rusnewyorkseries@gmail.com. 

RUS NY Seeks Sponsors & Product

RUS New York highly relies on sponsorship funds to be a success. The organization is reaching out for support before the race season begins so that businesses and individuals get the most out of their buck. 

Where else can one get so much advertisement and promotion for so little money? The answer is nowhere. 

For as little as $200, sponsors will be put in all forms of promotion that we do for the season. This includes being featured in all fair race programs (generally parimutuals will include a page of our sponsors as well) and much more. The earlier one gets on board, the more exposure one will receive.

What you get for your buck:

• Just for donating you will be provided advertisement on our website. 
• For just $200 or more you will get a mention in all promotions such as race programs. (200 copies are printed for each fair) 
• For $500 or more you will be provided everything above as well as a feature spot on our homepage and inclusion on a bucket to be used as a prize throughout the season. 
• We will link your website or Facebook page to any ad on our website if provided

There will be limited opportunity to become a sponsor for a winner’s circle presentation. This offering will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Sponsors will have their info printed on a lead line to be handed out after each race. A group photo is taken with the lead line being presented and an announcement is made on the sponsor’s behalf.

It is not always feasible to donate money and RUS NY more than happily accepts product donations that can be used for prizes or fundraising purposes. 

The organization is in the midst of putting together a raffle where tickets will be sold throughout the season to maximize profit. There will be multiple names drawn, so the goal is to have at least three donations. A couple of big ticket items would really help this fundraiser become a success. A May 31 deadline has been set so tickets can be made in time for the race season. Keep in mind the drawing will be done in the fall, probably at our fair final or shortly after, so gift certificates ect. need to be good after that time.

Why support RUS NY?

• Because we are about more than just racing. RUS NY was created to help promote the versatility of the breed and to organize and promote under saddle races for Standardbreds across the state of New York including fairs. Our group promotes the Standardbred breed as a riding and sport horse, beyond just the sport of racing. One of our goals is to show people how versatile the horses are and help rehome them once their racing careers are done.  
• Because the sport allows women and men from all different equestrian disciplines to have the opportunity to participate and it helps attract some fresh fans to the sport of harness racing.
• The sport and group offers a second career for Standardbreds by providing horses that may not make enough or fit classes at the tracks with another use for owners. Retired horses can continue racing in this discipline as long as they can meet qualifying standards. 

RUS NY also has a link, http://www.rus-newyork.com/sponsorship-fundraising.html,  where donations can be made via PayPal. For more information, contact RUS NY President and Sponsor Director, Cathy Gearwar at fourgears@shoreham.net or (802) 537-2145.