Fairgrounds gets fair ready
Volunteers prep Canfield Harness Horsemen Association museum
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CANFIELD -- A group of volunteers is hard at work in the Canfield Harness Horsemen's Association Museum in the speed barn complex at the Canfield Fairgrounds.
The museum will feature a large variety of paraphernalia related to harness racing at the Canfield Fair, which has been around a long time, having been recorded during the days of the old all-wood grandstand that was replaced in 1925 with the concrete stands. Museum curator Ron Stacy said as near as he can tell, harness racing dates back about 150 years.
When the fair first opened, horse racing and gambling (betting on the races) was not permitted in the Western Reserve. When the fair first hosted the races, they referred to them as exhibitions of the horses' abilities.
All that early history is now preserved in the CHHA Museum located in the center of the speed barn complex at the south end of the racetrack. Inside the museum is everything harness racing, including jockey uniforms, harness racing toys and games, and racing paraphernalia.
This year, a small group of volunteers has been working for over a week and will finish up the day before the fair begins Wednesday. They are separating, cleaning and placing artifacts for the displays. Much of the museum's collection has come from donations, online users and from people who run across interesting items. One of those individuals is Woody Woolman.
"It is hard to come across Canfield-related items," Woolman said. "Every once in a while, I will see something and I'll pick it up. I know there are a lot of items in people's attics that would be nice to see in the museum."
For 2026, there will be some new artifacts at the museum and items from the collection that are red, white and blue to help celebrate America250. New horse blankets also were purchased in those three colors, and one will be given away to a lucky fairgoer. For more information on the blanket giveaway, fairgoers can visit the museum.
The museum is not the only building in the complex getting a clean new look. The speed barns are also looking good with a variety of flowers. Sherrie Johnson spent time over the past week beautifying the front of Barn 38. She placed multiple flower arrangements and painted the lawn jockey at the entrance. Lawn jockeys were widely used as hitching posts in front of big Victorian homes.
"I am here every day, year round," said Sherrie Johnson. "This is my therapy (to make the barn look good)."
Johnson has several horses housed year round in the barn and is there every day caring for them.
During the fair, most of the CHHA members prepare to compete in the Home Talent Colt Stakes, which is a circuit of races among the 15 counties of Northeast Ohio. Canfield (Mahoning County) is one of the 15 races on the circuit.
The harness racing under that circuit will take place Saturday and Sept. 7. Monday also will feature the Canfield Racing Derby and Canfield Trotting Derby.
"We get a lot of local horses in those derbies," Woolman said. "Horses have set the track record in three of the past five years in these races."
Last year's winner was Charlie May, who set a time of 1.47 minutes to beat the previous record of 1.54. That horse will be featured on one of this year's new collectable poker tokens. The tokens began several years ago and each year, one token features a famous Canfield horse.
The tokens for the horse will be given away at the museum. The other tokens for 2026 will be offered for sale or would be available from any fair director for the America250 token, or for the Rooster Crowing token, visit the chicken exhibits next to the antique tractors.
"As always, anyone with a token can cash it in for a bet during the horse races," Woolman said. "So far, since the collectible tokens have begun, not one has been turned in for a bet. People are not getting rid of them."
The museum is open all six days of the fair and is a free exhibit. It is a great place to learn about Canfield Fair's rich harness racing history.