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Sonoma County Fair Cancels Horse Racing for 2025 After 90-Year Tradition Ends

The decision follows the closure of key Northern California racing venues and a regional decline in racehorse numbers and industry participation.

Two race horses being trained at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, 2019. Up north, the Sonoma County Fair is canceling its horse race this year. 
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Overview

  • The Sonoma County Fair Board announced the cancellation of live horse racing for the 2025 fair, citing a diminished regional horse population and industry migration.
  • This marks the first time since 1936 that horse racing will not be part of the Sonoma County Fair, a long-standing cultural tradition.
  • Closures of Golden Gate Fields in 2024 and the Alameda County Fairgrounds racetrack in March 2025 contributed to the decline in available horses and personnel.
  • Many horse owners, trainers, and workers have relocated to Southern California and out-of-state circuits, further reducing local participation.
  • The fair will now focus more on agriculture, education, exhibits, and entertainment, with the board open to reinstating racing if the industry sees a sustainable resurgence.