Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

The 2024 Ferndale horse races will feature a familiar voice in the stands, as Craig Braddick returns for his fourth season as the race announcer.

This year’s horse races has an expanded schedule, with three weekends of action getting under way on Friday.

And Braddick will be on hand for all three weekends.

The English native, who first called the action in Ferndale in the summer of 2021, believes Ferndale is one of the best stops on the West Coast circuit.

“The support from the community, the unique race track, the beautiful setting and getting to call a race like the Humboldt Marathon makes me call Ferndale and the Humboldt County Fair a definite visit on the ‘bucket list’ for horse race fans,” he said. “I am certainly looking forward to my fourth season of calling the races at the Humboldt County Fair. 

“In fact, I consider Ferndale the highlight of my yearly racing schedule.”

Braddick’s distinct race calling style, laced with his native British accent, has been well received by Humboldt fans. 

And the track announcer reciprocates the feeling to the Ferndale racing faithful.

“It has been exciting to see fans close to the action on Ferndale’s half-mile track,” said Braddick, who was born in Cambridge, England. “Their enthusiasm is fantastic. And I have had many locals tell me about their families coming to the fair and watching the races generation upon generation.

“Ferndale certainly embraces the All-American experience for racing fans. It’s unique and I feel very fortunate to call the races. So, you can tell I’m extremely excited to return for a fourth season at the Humboldt County Fair.”

Boasting an announcing resume that started in 1991 at Cottenham Point To Point race course in England at the age of 15, Braddick has called thoroughbred, quarter horse, Arabian, standardbred and steeplechase races both overseas and at many tracks in the United States. 

Since moving to the United States in 2001, his race calling duties have taken him to Thistledown in Ohio, Zia Park in New Mexico, steeplechase venues in Maryland, South Carolina and Georgia, and more recently thoroughbred action at Turf Paradise and Rillito Park in Arizona before shifting his horse race residency in Northern California.

Currently, he is the “Voice of the NorCal summer fair circuit,” calling races at Pleasanton (Alameda County Fair), Sacramento (State Fair), Ferndale and Fresno (Big Fresno Fair), along with an October-May stint at Turf Paradise.

“The Northern California fair swing offers me a great change of pace following the long meet at Turf Paradise,” Braddick added. “And to return to Ferndale is very special for me. I want to help every fan have an enjoyable time at the race track.”

The eight days of racing action, which as always coincides with the Humboldt County Fair, gets under way on Friday and will run for three days on the first two weekends, including a day of racing on Labor Day, followed by two days of action on Sept. 7 and 8 to close out the annual event.