The governing body of Harness Racing in Ireland is
Irish Harness Racing Association (IHRA)
www.irishharnessracing.com
FAQ:
What Harness racing sport is about?
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which Standardbred horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace) They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although in Europe racing under saddle (trot monté in French) is also conducted.
What speed horses can develop?
Standardbred horses can develop speed up to 30mph ( 48 km/h)
where are you racing? Hippodrome or Racetrack
Hard all weather tracks or grass half mile tracks
who are pacers?
pace Is identified by the horse gait used, as pictured to the right.
Pacing horses can be easily recognised by the special equipment “hopples” used on their legs, designed to help the horse maintain its pacing gait.
PacersIn pacing the horse’s leg’s move one side at a time. This has historically been the style of racing in Ireland, and is also most popular in the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Trot
The trot is a two-beat diagonal gait of the horse where the diagonal
Trotter
pairs of legs move forward at the same time with a moment of suspension between each beat. This is the most popular style of racing in Europe and is currently becoming more popular in Ireland.