(Woodstock, from-25-8-2025) —- Edinburg, Virginia Native John Pence is an avid supporter and fan of the Shenandoah County Fair that started his 106th edition on Monday and continues until Saturday 30 August on the site in Woodstock. Pence is even so avid that he did not miss a day at the fair in 60 years. And he is not just a participant. Since 1974 – when the head of the Harness Racing Committee of the fair told him to board a tractor and “go for it” – Pence has been an integral part of the track team that racing half mile oval for four days of Harnas, each August. This week he will celebrate for 50 years in that role.
“My parents were Fervent Fairgoers and that just stretched out,” he said. “That is the way we grew up. Not only me, but many people in the area. The fair was a big problem. It may not be as exciting as it used to be, but it is still very nice to come to the fair. Back in the 60s and 70s I could tell you that everyone has grown. County and must get bigger and better. “
“The attitude of people about trade fairs changing,” he continued. “I don’t believe that people are as serious about them as before. Fair must be cultivated.
Harness Racing has a rich County Fair tradition in Woodstock that goes back 106 years at the current location and even a few decades before races were held for the fair. Pence is on the track for five decades in his duties, but interesting enough he was never a big horse or even a horse racing fan. “I sold horse trailers and worked on the track,” he said, “but never drove a horse.”
Wallets for fair Harness races rose from $ 150 when Pence started, up to $ 2,000 per race now. The Virginia Equine Alliance, which performs the Shenandoah Downs Spring and Fall Pari-Mutuel, is on the stock exchange ground and has invested more than $ 1 million in the track in the last ten years, pays an average of $ 60,000 a day to the wallet. Pence has also been closely involved in the Downs operation and has been helping maintaining the track and the site since 2017.
“The maintenance of the track is hard work,” Pence said. “I enjoyed the challenge to keep it in shape for horsemen, so that they can go outside and do it well. That is a very satisfying aspect. When we settled the track record of Shenandoah Downs here in 1:51 4/5, I felt that I was part of it. Of course you had a good horse, but we had a job, but we had a job, but we had a job, but we had a good job.”
Pence was asked about racing -specific changes he saw in his five decades.
“It’s hard to explain,” he said. “In the past, the Demolition Derby and Tractor Pull were both held on the track for the two evenings before four days of Harness Racing started. We would finally start preparing the track on Tuesday evening after the Demolition Derby was over – with very little equipment. It was a long night. Most participants were then local farmers and the wallet were $ 150 or $ 200. Money.”
The Shenandoah County Fair is the only stock exchange in the state of Virginia that Harness Racing organizes during his annual week -long run. On Wednesday to Saturday racing schedule has been a staple for decades. “There is definitely a sense of pride,” Pence said. “The fact that Woodstock racing the Summer House of Harness for so long means something. However, changes are happening and that is just the way of life. People change, the honest changes, wallet changes, everything changes. But after all these years it is still the stock market and it is still the race track.”
Pence will be recognized for his service between Harness races during the program of Wednesday (August 27). The 8-race card goes to Post at noon. The Fair Meet continues with daily tickets on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The much -praised Racebeller Roger Huston will call the promotion the first three days. One happy fan gets a chance every day to “possess a horse for a day” thanks to the Virginia Harness Horse Association. The winners will return to Sunday, September 14 during the opening weekend of Shenandoah Downs and will each have a horse in a race of $ 5,000 ‘and keep the bag of money it deserves. Details are on shenandoahdowns.com.
Through Darrell WoodFor Shenandoah Downs
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