The History of Steeplechase Horse Racing
The sport of Steeplechase racing dates back to 1752 in
Ireland when two, half-crocked, friends settled the argument over who owned the
best horse by racing to the nearest Church steeple after returning from Fox
hunting. The winner actually rode right through the church where the vicar was
holding a solemn funeral. Soon steeplechase racing spread to England, where in
1792, the first recorded race was held. This sport then crossed over from the
Atlantic to the US, where it has became very popular.
In the early 19th century nine prominent men from New York -
August Belmont, H. DeCourcy Forbes, Samuel S. Howland, James O. Green,
Frederick Gebhard, A.J. Cassatt, Foxhall P. Keene, John G. Follansbee and
Frederick H. Prince founded the National Association for Steeplechase. When it
was first founded, its mission was to make the sport popular in the US and help
it grow across the Atlantic. For membership details and other small tidbits
about the Association, you can visit their website at http://www.nsfdn.org/membership.html.
Steeplechase races are held at 12 states across the country
and the cumulative purses for these events are $5 million annually. The horse
races are a place to see and be seen at. It's seen across the country by
millions of fans and admirers and is a major sponsored event where corporate
sponsors vie with each other for sponsorship of the events. It attracts the
best talent for horses, horse owners, and riders and also raises millions of
dollars in charities. Thus it also attracts the most powerful and the
influential men and women. If you have seen Pretty Woman, you pretty much have
got the idea.
Some of the oldest and the most prestigious steeplechase
horse racing events are Montpelier Hunt Races, which was started on the estates
of Former President James Madison since 1929. For more information you can
visit their site http://www.montpelier.org/races.htm.
Others are The American Grand National that began in 1899 and
the The National Hunt Cup in Radnor, Pa., which was started in 1909.
For more information on steeplechase racing across the
country, you can visit http://www.steeplestakes.com/links.html, which
lists all the races, their schedules and the prize monies.
In Virginia, you can visit the Virginia Steeplechase
Association at http://www.vasteeplechase.com/.
The big races in Virginia are The Virginia Gold Cup, The
FoxField Races at Charlottesville, Fairfax Hunt races at Great Falls,
Middleburg Spring races at Middleburg, Montpelier Hunt Races at Montpelier
Station, Morven Park Steeplechase Races at Leesburg and the Mountaineer Chest
Track in Chester.
You can also visit these websites for further information on
racing in Virginia.http://www.ctownraces.com/ http://www.colonialdowns.com/
http://www.fairfaxhuntraces.org/
http://www.montpelier.org/
http://www.foxfieldraces.com/
http://www.vagoldcup.com/
http://www.middleburgspringraces.com/
Toby Beavers is best known as one of Virginia's most
interesting Horse Farm realtor's. He writes frequently about Virginia horse
farms, racing, Virginia history and Charlottesville area gardening. Toby
resides in Charlottesville with his family on their 1753 farm, The Shadows. You
can view over 70 Virginia horse farms for sale at: http://www.Charlottesville-Area-Real-Estate.com
About The Author:
The
history of Steeplechase racing. Learn all the history and facts before you
attend the races. Read more about what America's new, glamorous, spectator
sport at: http://www.charlottesville-area-real-estate.com/Charlottesville-Area-Articles.html
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