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MUSEUM INTRIGUES
AND INFORMS HORSE LOVERS

by Joyce Dalton

Goshen, N.Y. may be only 60 miles from Manhattan, but it looks and feels like a New England village. There�s a village green and grand old Victorian homes. And since 1951, Goshen has claimed an internationally recognized Harness Horse Museum and Hall of Fame.

The setting is appropriate. Directly behind the museum stands a half-mile race track dating to 1838, which makes it the oldest active harness racing track in the U.S. What�s more, Goshen played host to the Hambletonian, the Kentucky Derby of harness racing, between 1930-1942 and 1944-1956, although this event was held at the town�s Good Time Park, a track no longer in existence.

Both the Hambletonian (this year�s Aug. 5 running at the Meadowlands in Secacus, N.J. marks the race�s 75th anniversary) and Hambletonian, the horse, are much in evidence at the museum. Born in 1849, Hambletonian raced only once.� However, in his 24 years at stud, he sired over 1,300 foals and it is said that 99% of today�s harness horses trace back to him.

Hambletonian lore shares museum space with dozens of two- and four-legged legends in the field of harness racing.

First, visitors view a 15-minute award-winning film about a sport which owes its origins to horse and buggy days when people just couldn�t resist racing their teams down the streets. Then, to the sounds of neighs and hoof beats, they pass through stable doors to find rows of stalls, each housing a well-marked exhibit devoted to a particular time period�s most noted horses, drivers or trainers.

Virtually everything connected with harness racing is on display including pedigree journals, paintings, trophies, driving colors (outfits worn by drivers) and sulkies (the two-wheeled carriages used in harness racing) ranging from big wooden-wheeled models to the slick light-weight ones in use today.

Touch videos show snippets from the life of Delvin Miller, the only person in any sport whose career spanned eight decades. Miller made his mark as a driver, trainer, harness horse breeder and track executive. When he was well into his 80s, Miller drove in -- and won -- his last race, just a week before his death.

An entire stall is devoted to the legendary Dan Patch, a horse a museum spokeswoman called the Michael Jordan of his day.� His wins became such a forgone conclusion that owners refused to put their horses up against him. The champ remained in the spotlight, however, touring the country in the comfort of his own railroad car and giving one-horse exhibition races. The Dan Patch two-step became a popular early 20th century dance while baby boys from east to west were named in the horse�s honor.

A spokeswoman claimed that a $6 million renovation in 1997 put� the museum �on the cutting edge for the new millennium,� and the second floor exhibits prove her right. Children and adults alike find enough inter-active displays to occupy them for quite awhile.

Listen to an explanation of racing rules, then watch a videoed race to decide if a penalty should be called or climb aboard a sulky behind a life-sized gray horse. The latter proves a popular photo op. There�s a talking horse, his head protruding from a half-open barn door, a set of huge painted blocks which can be moved around to create a colorful picture of a horse, and a life-sized diorama of a horse auction with a touch video explanation and the voice of a real auctioneer.

Visitors can even call a race themselves. Listening to three well-known announcers, they first get a feel for style and racing terminology. Then, positioned before a mike, they make an on-the-spot call of a videoed race.�� ���������������

Everyone enjoys a good movie, but how many of us knew that harness racing has been featured in dozens of films? At Harness Racing Hollywood, a collage of clips dating from the silent era to the present includes scenes from such films as The Great Dan Patch starring Dennis O�Keefe and Gail Russell; Ma & Pa Kettle at the Fair with Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride and April Love with Pat Boone and Shirley Jones.

On a more serious note, the Hall of Fame is filled with statuettes representing people who have made significant contributions to the sport.� Each July, new members are honored. The museum also houses an impressive collection of antique weathervanes (horse-topped, of course) and what is believed to be the world�s largest collection of Currier and Ives equine lithographs.

Ensuring that everyone leaves on a high note, the museum saves the most exciting activity for last -- a 3D simulation of an actual race. Once visitors are seated with 3D glasses firmly in place, a bar snaps down and it�s off to the races! Seats bounce and tilt and it�s hard to remember that the race is on a screen and that you definitely are not driving that horse who�s cutting around this one, that one and now, leads the pack. Dirt flies up, as does a horseshoe, seemingly right at your face. Naturally, your horse wins, but it was a hard-fought race and when the lights go on, everyone�s a little exhausted.

Who says museums are stuffy?

If You Go

The Harness Horse Museum is open daily, including Sundays, between 10:00 and 6:00 and is located at 240 Main St., Goshen, NY 10924. Tel: (914) 294-6330. Admission is $7.50, $6.50 for seniors, $3.50 for children aged six to 15 and free for those five and under.� It is accessible for those with disabilities.

Racing takes place at Goshen�s historic track, located directly behind the museum, on� several weekends in June plus during the town�s annual Great American Weekend over the July 4 holiday.

From Manhattan, take the NY Thruway (Rt. 87N) to exit 16 (Rt. 17W). Continue on 17W to exit 124 and make a left at the traffic light. At the next light, turn right onto Rt. 207. The museum is 1/4 mile past the next traffic light on the right.

A number of tourist attractions are within an hour�s drive of Goshen, including Hyde Park (Franklin D. Roosevelt�s home), the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Bear Mountain state park, George Washington�s Headquarters at Newburgh, the Shawangunk Wine Trail, Boscobel historic house at Garrison and Woodbury Common Outlets (150 stores discounting leading designers� and manufacturers� products) at Central Valley.

Images by Joyce Dalton

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