OSKALOOSA — For more than 150 years, county fairs have showcased harness racing, and this year at the Southern Iowa Fair, two days of racing took place showcasing how popular the sport is in the region.
Dan Roland, of Grinnell, said he has been participating in harness races since he was a teenager.
“I started when I was about 13 [years old] helping my cousin. I used to spend my summers helping him,” Roland said.
Roland’s wife, Jeri, said she started helping around the time they were married in 1996.
“The fall of ‘96 we brought our first horse,” Jeri Roland said. “We bought an acreage in February with the thought of getting horses. That fall we bought our first mare.”
Dan Roland said he enjoys racing because it reminds him of his younger days of competing in sports.
“I was in sports and competed in things when I was younger. This was a way for me to keep competing as I got older,” Dan Roland said. “I drive them all myself, and it’s something our family can do together. My son has started learning and helping more.”
In March, the Roland’s suffered a devastating fire, losing their barn and several horses.
“We had a barn fire in March, and lost nine horses and two of them were mares getting ready to have babies any day,” Dan Roland said. “We still had 15 more horses, so we didn’t run out of horses.”
Jeri Roland said the couple had three two-year-old horses that were being penned by a friend in Illinois at the time of the fire.
“We still had those to raise,” Jeri said. “We had mares and yearlings and babies and the whole works.”
After the fire, the Roland family made the decision to keep racing.
“We just made a decision—do you sell all of them and get out or keep going? It’s what we do, this is our summer,” Jeri Roland said.
The Roland’s have been competing for the season since May despite the setback.
“We are about halfway through the summer. A-Train and Scramble Camp have been racing for the season since about the middle of June,” Jeri Roland said.
Race results from Sunday and Monday for the Harness Races at the Southern Iowa Fair.
Sunday race results:
Race 1—My Whirly Girl (Gary Liles)
Race 2—Marced For Terror (Adam Hauser)
Race 3—Cyclone Maximus (Dan Roland)
Race 4—Alight Guy (Will Roland)
Race 5—Broadway Sissy (Robbie Anderson)
Race 6—Juxta Cowgirl (Rick Huffman)
Race 7—Setyourheartonme (Adam Hauser)
Race 8—Elusive Image (Steve Huffman Jr.)
Race 9—Swingin Swan (Will Roland)
Race 10—Hot A Rena (Duane Roland)
Race 11—Meltdownshymntohm (Cary Sturtz)
Race 12—Awaygoesthecrown (Rick Huffman)
Race 13—Tegansmile (Gary Liles)
Monday race results:
Race 1—I'm On A Terror (Adam Hauser)
Race 2—Ima Juggernaut (Mark Mintun)
Race 3— Minnie Vinnie (Nick Roland)
Race 4—Scramble Camp (Dan Roland)
Race 5—Lippy Doo (Nick Roland)
Race 6—Princess Legacy (Adam Hauser)
Race 7—Tax Deadline (Curtis Carey)
Race 8— Hotrod Richard (Joel McDanel)
Race 9—Seelster Again (Elvin Zimmerman)
Race 10—Lil Handsom (Nick Roland)
Race 11—Lo All America (Joel McDanel)
Race 12—Red N Hotallover (Cory Larson)
Race 13—Massive Reactor (Gary Liles)
By Megan Showers