Janet Terhune takes over the reins at Harness Racing Museum

By Geri Corey

GOSHEN — Horses have been a part of Janet Terhune’s life ever since she was five years old. As the new director of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, she now has the dream job of a lifetime.
Terhune took over the reins from longtime director Gail Cunard, who retired in May.
“I love being involved in the day-to-day running of one of the finest museums in the country promoting and preserving the sport of harness racing,” said Terhune.
Her responsibilities include coming up with new ideas, fundraising, and getting the word out about the excitement of harness racing.
Terhune's long interest in horses started when she joined the 4-H Club as a girl, showing horses, camping out with them, and just being around and riding them.
Terhune became a racing enthusiast during the summers she spent watching the races in her grandparents' box at the Saratoga flats. Her knowledge of horse racing continued to grow while attending Ohio State University Agriculture and Technical Institute, a two-year program specializing in standardbred training and racing.
“I had a good mentor at the Institute who suggested I get a bachelor of science in animal science," she said. "So I went to the main campus at Ohio State University in Columbus, earned my B.S. and stayed to earn a master’s degree."
Her major was in animal breeding and genetics.
Her master’s thesis required research at the United States Trotting Association (USTA), located two miles from OSU, so Terhune spent a lot of time at the office learning all she could about the sport. She was there so much, the association offered her a job. “I jumped at it,” she said.
That was in 1986, and she remained in Ohio until coming to Goshen. At the USTA, Terhune worked in different positions, most recently as director of Registry and Member Services, which set the stage for her Goshen assignment as director of the Harness Racing Museum.
Terhune was born in Connecticut and grew up in New Hampshire. But she has ties to New York. Her mother is from Troy, where family still lives, and her father is from White Plains. She has two children, a daughter, Kate, 23, and a son, John, 20,who is attending Miami University.
Terhune has lived in Goshen for less than two months, but she loves it already. “I love being close to the track, being close to horses and horsemen, immersed in the wonderful sport," she said. "And I see horse racing every single day.”
Her other interests include gardening, reading, weaving, spinning, and dyeing to create rugs, blankets, and shawls. She also enjoys going to auctions to find “anything horse."
One activity she’d like to see more of in the area is racing under saddle, where horses stay in a trot. Two under saddle races were held at the Historic Track in Goshen during Hall of Fame weekend in July. More such races were held during Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands in New Jersey on Aug. 4.
“This sport is popular in Europe, but it’s in infancy in the United States and Canada," Terhune said. "I hope it gains in popularity here."
The museum is located at 240 Main St. and can be reached by calling 294-6330.