Smith attended last Friday's first of four race meetings this month in the Cherry Capital, which will be highlighted by the annual Carnival of Cups race day, and the running of the 2019 Nic Dewar Memorial.

He said it's clubs like Young that are the strength of the industry.

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"It's family-type racing here. The people with the second-line of horses are the strength of our industry. Without them we wouldn't have an industry, and out of that second-line they'll sneak up," Rod Smith said at the meeting.

Smith, who owns a farm in Orange and was born and bred in the country, was impressed by the quality of racing and the fact there was 10 races on Friday's program, considering the close proximity Young is to major harness racing centres Bathurst and Wagga.

He said he likes to visit the smaller clubs and speak to trainers, owners and have a look at how a meeting functions compared to a feature event at the likes of Menangle or Bathurst.

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"I just wander around quietly to see what happens away from the feature meetings," he said.

"I just like to talk to the people there, I'm here to see why they're here. I think people like seeing someone from the board at these meetings too.

"They do really well here at Young for a small country town."

Young will host its Carnival of Cups on Saturday, March 16 and the final races of the 2019 Nic Dewar Memorial on Wednesday, March 20.

The Nic Dewar Memorial pits together some of the most promising young drivers in NSW and Victoria.

The winner is decided based on the results from four races at meeting at Shepparton and Young.

Dewar was tragically killed in a car crash on his way home from racing in Shepparton last February.