ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Harness racing in New Zealand

Harness racing in New Zealand is like a big horse race, but with special cart things called sulkies that the horses pull behind them. The horses that are used for harness racing are called Standardbreds, and they are specially trained to pull these sulkies very fast.

Before the race, the horses all line up at a starting point, and the man or woman driving the horse sits in the sulky behind them. When it’s time to start the race, the horses take off running, pulling their sulky behind them.

The track that the horses run on is usually made of dirt, but sometimes it can be made of grass or another material. The track is shaped like a big oval, and the horses run around it multiple times until they reach the finish line.

People can place bets on which horse they think will win the race, and the person who wins gets money. The horses that race in New Zealand come from all over the world, and many of them are really fast and competitive. It’s a really exciting sport to watch!