Gibson County Fair - Princeton, Indiana

Gibson County is located in the Southwest corner of Indiana, near Evansville.  Princeton, more specifically, is the site of the Gibson County Fairgrounds.  The folks in Gibson County have hosted Indiana Harness Racing during several seasons.

With the help of horsemen like Terry Grimes and Jesse Larkins, Harness Racing resumed in Gibson County in 1989, after being absent from the fair for several years. 

The first race at the revived Gibson County Fair was won by the chestnut Indiana-sired trotter, Foxy Kitten, with Harold Ruddick in the sulky.  Foxy Kitten went on to win the divisional title of 1990 Indiana Four-Year-Old and Up Trotter of the Year and was voted 1990 Indiana Trotter of the Year.  Her first foal, I'm In A Hurry, garnered several titles in her racing career.  She was the 1995 Indiana-sired Two-Year-Old Trotter of the Year, 1996 Indiana-sired Three-Year-Old Trotter of the Year, and was voted 1996 Indiana Trotter of the Year.

In 2000, horsemen and fans were treated to a HUGE surprise.  Previously, the fair was "hard-pressed" for stabling facilities to take care of all the horses racing at the fair.  With the help of the "Build Indiana Fund", local donations, and grants, including a very generous helping hand from the Eli Lilly Foundation, the fair was able to build a terrific new facility.  The building is easily able to accommodate every horse entered at the fair.

Local horseman, Don Swartzentruber, has donated his time and the use of his track conditioner to improve the racetrack.  We are told, "Were it not for the torrential downpour of rain prior to the races in 1999, Princeton would have probably seen a few records broken."  Southern Indiana's beautiful Gibson County is a terrific place to race horses.