Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association

What Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association does

Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association (OHHA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1953 and headquartered in Grove City, Ohio, representing owners, trainers, drivers, breeders, grooms, and farm workers in the Ohio Standardbred harness racing industry. OHHA serves as the central coordinating body between its members and the state's pari-mutuel and county fair racing infrastructure, which spans 4 commercial tracks and 67 county fairs, alongside four flagship racing programs: the Ohio Sires Stakes, Buckeye Stallion Series, Ohio Fairs Championships, and Ohio State Fair Stakes. The association also operates the P.A.C.E.R. Political Action Committee for legislative advocacy on issues including racino taxation and Greyhound racing decoupling.

The organization's core offering is a bundled member services stack rather than a technology product. Members access group medical insurance through the O.H.H.H.I.T. plan underwritten by Aetna; industry-specific coverage including sulky, third-party liability, on-track accident, and AD&D via Van Gundy; a Workers' Compensation Insurance Co-Op with Sedgwick; the Harness Horsemen's Retirement Trust Plan (H.H.H.R.P.); the Human and Equine Benevolent Fund; and tax preparation services. OHHA also publishes industry materials and distributes live fair-race streaming via HarnessRacingOhio.com on YouTube, representing the organization's primary digital distribution surface.

Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues (priced at $65/year for Full Active members and $25/year for Associate members), PAC contributions, and ancillary fees tied to the insurance, retirement, and racing programs it administers. With a disclosed headcount of 1-10 employees, OHHA operates as a lean association whose value to members derives from group purchasing power, regulatory representation, and coordination of the statewide racing calendar rather than from technology scale or commercial product sales.

Name

Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association

Legal name

Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association

Website

https://ohha.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association is a non-profit trade association founded in 1953 that represents Ohio Standardbred owners, trainers, drivers, breeders, and farm workers, providing group insurance, retirement, tax, and racing-program services across 4 commercial tracks and 67 county fairs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Other Insurance Funds (52519)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Racing Associations, Governance & Integrity Services (MPAEADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Racetrack & Race Meeting Operations (MPAEADAA)

Keywords

• Harness racing association
• Equine insurance programs
• Standardbred breeding support
• Industry lobbying representation
• Retirement trust services

Headquarters

HQ city

Grove City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Full Active Membership at $65 per year and Associate Membership at $25 per year. Members receive benefits including insurance, retirement plans, publications, lobbying, regulatory representation, and access to OHHA programs.
2. P.A.C.E.R. Political Action Committee: Political Action Committee for Equine Racing (P.A.C.E.R.) accepts cash donations and contributions through the Pacer Stallion Auction and stallion breeding donations to support legislative efforts for expanding gambling and other issues impacting Ohio harness racing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

OHHA is a membership-based trade association that provides insurance programs (health, sulky, third-party liability, on-track accident, workers' compensation, AD&D), retirement benefits, tax preparation discounts, lobbying, and regulatory representation to harness racing professionals in Ohio. The organization also coordinates racing events and breeding incentive programs such as the Ohio Sires Stakes, Buckeye Stallion Series, and Ohio Fairs Championships across the state's 4 pari-mutuel and 67 fair racetracks.

Product overview

Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association is a membership-based trade association offering a portfolio of member services including insurance programs (health, sulky, liability, accident, workers' compensation), retirement benefits, tax preparation services, and lobbying representation for the Ohio harness racing industry. The organization also manages racing programs and events including the Ohio Sires Stakes, Buckeye Stallion Series, and provides publications and resources for breeders, owners, and trainers at Ohio's 4 pari-mutuel and 67 fair racetracks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• P.A.C.E.R. Political Action Committee for Equine Racing - helps OHHA support legislative quests for expanding gambling and other issues impacting Ohio harness racing
• O.H.H.H.I.T.
• H.H.H.R.P.
• Ohio Sires Stakes (OSS)
• Buckeye Stallion Series (BSS)
• Ohio Fairs Championships (OFC)

Products and services

• Full Active Membership Annual membership ($65/year) providing owners, trainers, drivers, and breeders of Standardbred horses with voting privileges, Breeders Awards access, and full member benefit services including insurance, lobbying, and publications.
• Associate Membership Annual membership ($25/year) for industry enthusiasts, stables, and business entities, providing access to publications, lobbying efforts, and knowledgeable staff without voting privileges.
• Health Insurance (O.H.H.H.I.T. Aetna Program) Self-pay medical insurance through Aetna Healthcare Plan for Ohio's trainers, drivers, grooms, and farm workers, with Single Coverage at $453/month and Family Coverage at $1,047/month, including EyeMed eyecare insurance.
• Sulky Insurance Insurance coverage for sulkies damaged in racing accidents, with optional supplemental coverage available to members.
• Third-Party Liability Insurance Excess liability coverage for members for accidents or damage caused by a racehorse to a third-party's property.
• On-Track Accident Insurance Insurance coverage for participants injured during pari-mutuel races, qualifying races, matinee races, or Ohio county fair races.
• Accident, Death, and Disability Insurance (AD&D) Coverage for drivers injured on-track during races at Ohio pari-mutuel racetracks or county fairs, with Plan A and Plan B options available through Van Gundy Insurance.
• Worker's Compensation Insurance Co-Op Workers' compensation insurance co-op offered through partnership with Sedgwick, providing free reviews for existing policyholders and cost-effective coverage options for Ohio businesses.
• Harness Horsemen's Retirement Trust Plan (H.H.H.R.P.) Retirement trust account providing individual contributions from statewide breakage fund and VLT contributions for qualified full-time drivers, trainers, grooms, and breeding farm workers.
• Human and Equine Benevolent Fund Grant-based assistance program providing support to standardbred horses, owners, trainers, grooms, or breeding farm workers experiencing distress.
• Tax Preparation Services Year-round tax preparation help providing $25 off retail tax preparation, free Tax Identity Shield for prior clients, and discounts through H&R Block partnership.
• P.A.C.E.R. (Political Action Committee for Equine Racing) Political Action Committee for Equine Racing that supports legislative efforts for expanding gambling and other issues impacting Ohio harness racing through donations and stallion auction contributions.
• Ohio Sires Stakes (OSS) Premier Standardbred racing program for Ohio-bred horses, established in 1976 and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, offering legs across multiple racetracks including Miami Valley Raceway, Eldorado Scioto Downs, and Northfield Park Racino.
• Buckeye Stallion Series (BSS) Racing series for 3-year-old Ohio-bred horses with $20,000 divisions held at Eldorado Scioto Downs and Northfield Park Racino throughout the season.
• Ohio Fairs Championships (OFC) Championship races held at Ohio county fairs as part of the broader racing program coordinated across 67 fair racetracks statewide.
• Publications and Stallion Directory Industry publications including the OHHA Newsletter, B.H.H. Newsletter, Ohio Stallion Directory, and various racing-related publications provided to members ($10 of each membership fee is allocated for publication and distribution).
• Ohio Fair Racing Resources Resource program providing Feature Race Grants, Capital Improvement Grants, track maintenance support, regulatory resources, and crisis communication guides for Ohio fair racetracks.
• Breeders Awards Program Breeders Award and Buckeye Owners' Bonus program available to eligible Full Active Members, supporting Ohio's Standardbred breeding incentive ecosystem.
• USTA Accident Insurance (Added Coverage) USTA-coordinated accident insurance offered as Added Coverage for OHHA members, including Canadian track coverage, with enrollment and claims handled through Van Gundy Insurance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ohio ranks #1 in North America for Standardbred breeding nine of the last 11 years

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AetnacoreOthersAetna provides self-pay medical healthcare coverage under the O.H.H.H.I.T. (Ohio Harness Horsemen's Health Insurance Trust) program for eligible trainers, drivers, grooms, and farm workers in the Ohio harness racing industry. Coverage includes Single ($453/month) and Family ($1,047/month) options with EyeMed eyecare insurance.
• United States Trotting Association (USTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSTA provides licensing coordination and accident insurance programs for OHHA members. USTA Added Coverage information is available for members, and the organizations collaborate on racing standards and driver-trainer insurance programs including Canadian track coverage.
• SedgwickminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSedgwick provides Workers' Compensation Insurance co-op services for OHHA members, offering cost-effective coverage options with free reviews for existing policyholders through Kathy Redmond, Client Services Manager.
• Ohio Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ohio Department of Agriculture is referenced as the regulatory body overseeing racing fairs and harness racing operations, with OHHA providing resources and coordination for county fair racing programs.
• Eldorado Scioto DownscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEldorado Scioto Downs hosts major OHHA racing events including Ohio Sires Stakes legs, Buckeye Stallion Series races, and special events like the OSS 50th Celebration Tour Reunion Night.
• Northfield Park RacinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthfield Park Racino hosts Ohio Sires Stakes and Buckeye Stallion Series races for sophomore pacers and trotters as part of the OHHA racing calendar.
• Van Gundy InsuranceminorOthersVan Gundy Insurance handles Accident, Death, and Disability Insurance enrollment and claims for USTA members, with forms faxed to (309) 452-7500 or mailed to Normal, IL office.
• HarnessRacingOhio.comminorOthersLive race streaming and programming platform for Ohio fair races, allowing fans to watch races and access programs an hour before post time.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• United States Trotting Association (USTA): The national governing body for harness racing in the U.S. and a current OHHA partner; broader in scope than OHHA but overlaps materially on licensing, member services, and racing rules. Acts as an umbrella incumbent above state associations.
• Hambletonian Society: Governing society for Standardbred breeding and the sport's premier stakes races; operates at a national/industry level comparable in advocacy and race-program governance role to OHHA's state-level scope.

Direct peers

• Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association: Michigan state harness racing trade association serving owners, trainers, drivers, and breeders with member services and racing program support — a Midwest peer of comparable scale and scope to OHHA.
• Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association (PHHA): PHHA is the closest direct peer: a state-level harness horsemen's trade association that similarly advocates for Standardbred owners, trainers, drivers, and breeders in Pennsylvania, coordinates sires stakes and racing programs, and provides member benefits. Operating model and member-service mix mirror OHHA's structure.
• Indiana Standardbred Association: Indiana's state-level Standardbred breeders and owners association; comparable in serving Midwest harness racing participants with member services, racing program coordination, and advocacy functions analogous to OHHA's.
• Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association: Illinois-based state-level harness horsemen's association; comparable in providing member services, racing program support, and advocacy for harness racing participants in a Midwest pari-mutuel state.
• New York Harness Horsemen's Association (NYHHA): NYHHA is a direct state-level peer representing Standardbred participants in New York, administering member benefits, insurance, retirement programs, and representing members before the New York State Gaming Commission — a near-analogous structure to OHHA in Ohio.
• Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund / Delaware Harness Horsemen's Association: Delaware's harness horsemen's association administering breeders' fund programs and member services for Standardbred participants — directly comparable state-level peer structure.

Others

• Ohio State Racing Commission: Ohio's state regulatory body for racing; not a peer in the trade-association sense, but a closely adjacent stakeholder with which OHHA regularly coordinates on racing rules, licensing, and fair racing policy.

Regional players

• Ontario Harness Horse Association: Canadian counterpart serving Ontario Standardbred participants; comparable harness racing trade association function but operating across a different regulatory jurisdiction than OHHA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@harnessracingoh/streams
• Xx.com/HarnessRacingOH
• Facebookfacebook.com/OhioHarnessHorsemensAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-harness-horsemens-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association