Diamond Creek Farm held its fifth annual open house this past weekend in sunny Wellsville, Pennsylvania.
The event was attended by over 750, and a large number of the attendees were from the community and have shown up every year.
"Every year this open house gets larger," said Diamond Creek's Adam Bowden, "My staff outdo themselves planning each year, and it shows in the excitement and feedback we get from everyone who attends."
Attendees this year got a front-row seat in the packed breeding shed to watch Sweet Lou being collected. They then followed the semen through the processing, ending in pregnancy scans by Dr. Pink in the mare barn. They also got chances to get up close and personal with champion Southwind Frank, who was out for pictures as well. In the mare barn, visitors got to meet curious new foals and feed carrots to some very happy mares.
Highlights of the day included the ‘Rody Races’ sponsored by Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association. With handicapping celebrity ‘Shades’ calling the races, the giant inflatable blue ponies were a runaway smash with the kids. The straw maze and the famous ice cream truck as well as the new addition of the brand new fresh cut fries to the menu proved a huge draw.
Other attractions included Pacing For The Cure, with their famous Hambletonian raffle, Harness Horse Youth Foundation with Trottingbred ambassador Sweet Karen, and the very famous, Foiled Again. Foiled Again was a huge hit with everyone, posing for picture after picture and getting lots of pats.
"This has become more than just a Diamond Creek event," said Bowden, "it has now become an event that promotes the whole harness racing industry, and we want to bring in more sponsors and vendors over the next few years to reach bigger audiences. We believe the sky is the limit."
(Diamond Creek Farm)