The first horse track in Waitsburg was laid in 1865, and ran through 1870. A straight, half-mile stretch that ran north and south, along what is now Highway 124. Saddle horse races were common fun for Waitsburgonians. 

During the early 1900’s, horse shows grew in popularity and began attracting exhibitors from throughout the Walla Walla Valley. The first mention of a horse show in the local newspaper, the Waitsburg Times, was in 1902. The following year, the horse shows moved to Main Street, with trotting and running races being held in the City Park. The 1903 meet was held in conjunction with a two-day picnic, sponsored by the Occidental Lodge No. 11, AOUW (Ancient Order of United Workmen), in June. The picnic took place in Dickinson’s Grove, just west of town, and was known as Workman Day. 

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By 1914, Waitsburg was organizing its 10th Annual Horse Show. That year, the City of Waitsburg held its first decorated automobile parade, and an excerpt from The Times reported that “everybody here was well-pleased with the showing made.” 

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Just two years later, in 1916, the annual gathering grew to a three-day event, opening on a Thursday with automobile events, and a Friday horse show. By 1922, the weekend had been coined the “Days of Real Sport,” which became the official title for the racing association in 1926. 

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In 1930, crews broke ground for the historic grandstands that still stand at the Waitsburg Fairgrounds. The stands, which had a maximum capacity of 1,000 general seats, plus a row of private box seats, cost $2,500 to construct. 

Days of Real Sport ran for 39 consecutive years, minus a two-year break during World war II. In 1952, DRS President William Payne announced that the races had been canceled for the year, stating that the association could not operate successfully under the current state rules. The break was short lived, and in 1956, the Days of Real Sport welcomed pari-mutuel betting for the first time. 

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By 1963, the event had grown drastically, with more than 100 thoroughbred horses arriving for a chance at becoming a champion. A new paddock, new building, roof, fences, and restrooms were added at the fairgrounds to accommodate growing crowns. 

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In 1980, the event had to be postponed for as much as an hour on opening day, to allow the sky to lighten up, in order to prevent accidents from a spooked horse. The 1980 Days of Real Sport was held the same weekend that Mt. St. Helens erupted. 

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The Days of Real Sport weekend was one that all Waitsburg residents looked forward to, until 2010. The Washington Horse Racing Commission, that year, announced that there would likely be no more state funds to cover the more-than $100,000 jockey insurance required for Class C “Bush” tracks, which ended the small circuit that covered Kennewick Sundowns, Walla Walla, Waitsburg, and Dayton tracks. 

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After a few years of silence at the Fairgrounds, a small group of volunteers banded together to form the Waitsburg Celebration Days. The original premise was to keep the third weekend in May reserved for the Days of Real Sport, should horse racing make its return to Waitsburg. The first official event, in 2013, was a three-day affair, featuring ATV rides, cowgirl horse races, fairway games, a parade, antique car show, and so much more. 

The event has been represented throughout Washington and Idaho by a mounted royalty court, keeping one of many Days of Real Sport traditions alive and well. In 2013, the first court was made up of local young ladies Emily Adams, Megan Morrison, Bryeana Myrick, and Morgan Forney. 

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Waitsburg Celebration Days took a two-year break, starting in 2020, as the world fell into the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, event organizers plan on making up for lost time with a fresh slate of volunteers, new events, and plenty of fun.