There have been many changes to the landscape here in southern Maine. New retail and housing developments have crept into our towns and neighborhoods, and it seems that the open spaces that used to be so abundant in York and Cumberland counties is becoming harder to find.

Harness racing has been a traditional Maine sport since the 1880s, and developed from friendly carriage races between friends and neighbors into a commercial activity. Bangor Raceway opened in 1883 and was part of racing’s Grand Circuit in the 1920s.

Scarborough Downs has been in operation since 1950, and there are nine Agricultural Fairs throughout the state that host harness racing meets as an important entertainment aspect of their fair experience, drawing thousands of tourists and local Maine folk.

It takes open space to raise a horse, and the standardbred is no exception. Drive along nearly any rural road in Southern Maine and you’ll still find evidence of harness racing in the form of pastures and farms. On your drive to work, do you pass a white-fenced pasture and enjoy the site of horses grazing? On Route 112 in Saco, early in the morning, you might see one of the top breeding stallions, Moving Forward, grazing or racing trucks along his fence line at the 300-acre Dupuis Farm. On East Bridge Road in Westbrook, drive by Race Me Stables and, depending on the time of year, you might see mothers and foals enjoying the sunshine, the foals chasing and playing with each other, trying out their future racing legs.

In Falmouth on Blackstrap Road is the Norton Farm, whose acres of pasture land extend down to the Maine Turnpike. Maybe you’ve seen the horses grazing in those green fields edged by wooded hills as you sped by on the highway through Falmouth. The 60-acre Lindon Farm is on Bonney Eagle Road in Hollis. Owners Don and Linda Marean would be glad to show you around, introduce you to the babies and their prize stallion, the very gentle Armbro Blaze, now 27, once a top producer of champions. There are more standardbred breeding and boarding farms in Saco, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Gorham, Buxton, Berwick, Springvale and elsewhere in southern Maine. Some are small, some are more extensive. All of them help preserve the open space and wooded areas that make this area a beautiful place to live. It’s estimated that throughout the state, the sport of harness racing preserves about 100,000 acres of open space.

So the next time you’re out and about, take a look around you. You might see evidence of harness racing right in your own town. Enjoy the sights and the beauty of horses and all they bring to a community. And if you think they look good grazing in a field, come see what they can do at the track!

There have been many changes to the landscape here in Southern Maine. New retail and housing developments have crept into our towns and neighborhoods, and it seems as though the open spaces that used to be so abundant in York and Cumberland counties are becoming harder to find.

Harness racing has been a traditional Maine sport since the 1880s, and developed from friendly carriage races between friends and neighbors into a commercial activity. Bangor Raceway opened in 1883 and was part of racing’s Grand Circuit in the 1920s. Scarborough Downs has been in operation since 1950, and there are nine agricultural fairs throughout the state that host harness racing meets as an important entertainment aspect of their fair experience, drawing thousands of tourists and local Maine folks.

It takes open space to raise a horse, and the Standardbred is no exception. Drive along nearly any rural road in southern Maine and you’ll still find evidence of harness racing in the form of pastures and farms. On your drive to work, do you pass a white-fenced pasture and enjoy the site of horses grazing? On Route 114 in Saco, early in the morning you might see one of the top breeding stallions, Moving Forward, grazing or racing trucks along his fence line at the 300-acre Dupuis Farm. On East Bridge Road in Westbrook, drive by Race Me Stables and, depending on the time of year, you might see mothers and foals enjoying the sunshine, the foals chasing and playing with each other, trying out their future racing legs.

In Falmouth on Blackstrap Road is the Norton Farm, whose acres of pasture land extend down to Route 95. Maybe you’ve seen the horses grazing in those green fields edged by wooded hills as you sped by on the highway through Falmouth. The 60-acre Lindon Farm is on Bonney Eagle Road in Hollis. Owners Don and Linda Marean would be glad to show you around, introduce you to the babies and their prize stallion, the very gentle Armbro Blaze, now 27, once a top producer of champions. There are more Standardbred breeding and boarding farms in Saco, Scarborough, Berwick, Buxton, Springvale, Gorham and elsewhere in Southern Maine. Some are small, some are more extensive. All of them help preserve the open space and wooded areas that make this area a beautiful place to live. It’s estimated that throughout the state, the sport of harness racing preserves about 100,000 acres of open space.

So the next time you’re out and about, take a look around you. You might see evidence of harness racing right in your own town. Enjoy the sights and the beauty of horses and all they bring to a community. And if you think they look good grazing in a field, come see what they can do at the track!