Thanks to you, we made it.

Today not only marks a new year, but the one-year anniversary of the return of Harness Racing Update (HRU).

A year ago, when we brought HRU back under new ownership, we appealed to readers and advertisers for support. Now 141 HRU issues later, we’re pleased to announce we’ve added nearly 1,000 new subscribers in 2016.

Yet, despite some positive returns, our commitment to you is that we’re just getting started.

Before we get going on 2017, we owe a huge thank you to all of our advertisers. When 2016 started, we asked for their support and faith that we could produce a publication that would reach the very people that they most want to reach — those that are connected and invested and passionate about harness racing. Our pledge is to continue to work hard to help them reach their customers, while providing a timely, informative, engaging publication.

This past year was something of a test. Your support throughout 2016 is an indication there is a place for HRU in the industry and that serves as an impetus for us not only try to do more, but do everything better.

Our goal is to keep HRU free, but to do that we ask for your continued support. Please be an active reader. We can’t get to every story, but we appreciate your suggestions. On the stories we do run, please send us your feedback — good or bad — whether it is for publication in our Sunday morning Feedback section or just a private note. If you like a story, please share it on social media. If you like HRU and don’t, yet, subscribe, please take a minute to do it. If you know of someone who might like to receive HRU, please let them know. After all, it is free and every single person on our email list helps us keep publishing.

If you’re on Facebook, please like our HRU page.

If you use Twitter, please follow us.

Most of all, when possible, please support our advertisers. They are the ones that make HRU possible. You can click on most ads to be taken directly to that advertiser’s website.

Thank you, as well, to our talented, dedicated staff that includes Brian Fuller, Lisa Bihuniak, Wilma Van Vaerenbergh, Lisa Duong and our accounting staff. We also owe a huge thank you to our team of skilled freelancers that includes Dean Towers, Dean Hoffman, Bob Heyden, Bill Finley, David Mattia, Lauren Lee, Trey Nosrac, Bob Roberts, James Platz, Brett Sturman, Dave Little, Tom Pedulla, The Curmudgeon, Dave Landry, Claus Andersen, Chris Lomon, Sandra Snyder and many more. We couldn’t have done it without every single one of you.

We made a lot of changes in 2016 while trying to preserve what you said you loved most about the old HRU. It wasn’t perfect, and never will be, but that’s what keeps us trying to improve each and every issue.

With continued support from our advertisers and readers, our goal for 2017 is to bring you better writers, better photographers, better opinion and better, more timely coverage,.

Thank you, again, for a great start to HRU’s return and we wish you health, happiness and prosperity in 2017.