The
steeplechase is a form of
horse racingHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
(primarily conducted in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
,
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church
steepleA steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside. In Great Britain and Ireland the official term now used for the sport is
National Hunt racingNational Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
.
It is a term now used to refer to a distance horse race with diverse fence and ditch obstacles; the most famous of these is the
Grand NationalThe Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
run annually at
Aintree RacecourseAintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England.It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in the 1960s....
, in
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, since its inception in 1836 (the official race was held three years later).
History
The steeplechase originated in Ireland in the 18th century as an analogue to
cross-countryCross country equestrian jumping is an endurance test, and is one of the three phases of the sport of eventing; it may also be a competition in its own right, known as hunter trials or simply "cross-country" - these tend to be lower level, local competitions.The object of the endurance test is to...
thoroughbred horse races which went from
church steepleA steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
to church steeple, hence "steeplechase". The first steeplechase is said to have been the result of a wager in 1752 between Cornelius O'Callaghan and Edmund Blake, racing four miles (6 km) cross-country from
ButtevantButtevant is a medieval market town, incorporated by charter of Edward III, situated in North County Cork, Ireland.While there may be reason to suggest that the town may occupy the site of an earlier settlement of the Donegans, Carrig Donegan, the origins of the present town are clearly and...
Church to St. Leger Church in
DoneraileDoneraile is a town in County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. It is located on the R581 regional road 8 km east of the N20 road which runs from Limerick to Cork. It is about 12 km north of Mallow town...
, in
CorkCounty Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
,
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. An account of the race was believed to have been in the library of the O'Brien's of Dromoland Castle. Most of the earlier steeplechases were contested cross-country rather than on a track, and resembled English cross country as it exists today. The first recorded steeplechase over a prepared track with fences was run at Bedford in 1810, although a race had been run at Newmarket in 1794 over a mile with five-foot bars every quarter mile. The first recognised English National Steeplechase took place on Monday 8 March 1830. The 4 miles (6.4 km) race, organised by Thomas Coleman of
St AlbansSt Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, was run from Bury Orchard,
HarlingtonHarlington is a village and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England, near the M1 motorway. The nearest town is Flitwick about three miles to the north...
in Bedfordshire to the Obelisk in Wrest Park, Bedfordshire. The winner was Captain Macdowall on "The Wonder", owned by Lord Ranelagh, who won in a time of 16 mins 25 seconds. Reports of the event appeared in the May and July editions of the
Sporting Magazine in 1830.
Statistics
Number of jumping races by country in 2008.
- Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
: 3366
- France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
: 2194
- Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
: 1434
- United States of America : 200
- Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
: 146
- Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
: 132
- New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
: 129
- Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
: 58
Great Britain and Ireland
Collectively Great Britain and Ireland account for over 50% of all jump races world wide, carding 4,800 races over fences in 2008. Jump racing Great Britain and Ireland is officially known as
National Hunt racingNational Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
.
France
French jump racing is similar to British and Irish National Hunt races, with a few notable differences. Hurdles are not collapsible, being more akin to small brush fences. Chases often have large fences called Bullfinches, a large hedge up to 8 ft (2.4 m) tall that horses have to jump through rather than over. There are also a larger number of Cross-Country Chases where horses have to jump up and down banks, gallop through water, jump over stone walls as well as jump normal chasing fences.
Unlike in most countries where the Thoroughbred is almost exclusively used for jump racing, many of the horses in French jump racing are
AQPSAQPS , translated as "Other than thoroughbred", is a general term used in France to refer to horses not listed as Thoroughbreds. Anglo-Arabians, Selle Français , and French Trotters plus all other crossbreds can be qualified as AQPS. For racing purposes, each breed has its own studbook...
(Autre Que Pur Sang), a breed of horse developed in France crossing Thoroughbreds with saddle horses and other local breeds.
AuteuilThe Auteuil Hippodrome is a horse racing venue on Route des Lacs in Paris, France. The 33-hectare race course opened November 1, 1873...
in Paris is perhaps the best known racecourse in France for French jump racing.
Czech Republic
The
Velká pardubickáVelká pardubická is a famous steeplechase cross-country run in Pardubice, Bohemia since 1874. It takes place every year on the second Sunday in October. The length of the steeplechase is 6.9 km, with 31 obstacles. It usually takes 9–10 minutes to finish the course; the fastest time: 8 min,...
Steeplechase in Pardubice in the Czech Republic is the location of one of the longest steeplechase races in Europe. The first Velka Pardubice Steeplechase was held on 5 November 1874 and it has been hosted annually since.
United States
In the United States, there are two forms of Steeplechasing (or jumps racing). Hurdle and timber. Hurdle races occur almost always over the National Fences, standardized plastic and steel fences that are 52 inches tall, with traditional natural fences of packed pine (Springdale Race Course in Camden, S.C.) and live hedges (Montpelier, Va.) in use on a few courses. National fences stand 52 inches tall at the highest point, but are mostly made of synthetic "brush" that can be brushed through (much like the synthetic fences now used in other countries). The hurdle horse is trained to jump in as much of a regular stride as possible. This allows the horse to maintain its speed upon landing. Since it is not always possible to meet a fence in stride, the horses are also schooled in how to jump out of stride. An out of stride jump can decrease a horses speed drastically. Hurdle races are commonly run at distances of 2–3 miles. Hurdle races occur at steeplechase meets mainly in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast and on the turf courses of several racetracks – Saratoga, Colonial Downs, Penn National, Monmouth Park and others.
Timber racing is conducted over solid and immovable wooden rail fences that, in the most extreme case, may reach five feet high. The distances are longer, ranging from three to four miles (6 km) in distance, and the jumping effort required of the horse is much different. Because of the size of the fences and their solid and unyielding construction, a timber horse is trained to jump with an arc, unlike a hurdle racer. An important factor in success at timber racing is for the horse to land in stride, so that it can carry its speed forward on the flat part of the race course. This is harder than in Hurdle races because the nature of the obstacle being jumped - if a horse hits a timber fence hard enough, it can bring it almost to a complete stop. Most notable US timber races include the Maryland Hunt Cup in
GlyndonGlyndon, Maryland is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1871 by Dr. Charles A. Leas, the village is located in the northwest section of Baltimore County and serves primarily as a residential suburb of metropolitan Baltimore City...
and the Virginia Gold Cup in
The PlainsThe Plains is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 266 at the 2000 census. It is centered around Virginia Route 55 and Virginia Route 245...
. Timber races currently are not held at any major US tracks (since the fences are not portable) but can be found at almost all steeplechase meets.
American jump racing happens in 11 states: Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and New York. The National Steeplechase Association is the official sanctioning body of American jump racing.
Steeplechase Times newspaper covers the sport.
Thomas Hitchcock-References:...
(1860–1941) is known as the father of American steeplechasing. In the late 1800s, he built a steeplechase training center on his 3000 acres (12.1 km²) property in
Aiken, South CarolinaAiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
and trained horses imported from England. No less important are the contributions by fellow Aiken seasonal resident
F. Ambrose ClarkFrederick Ambrose Clark was an American equestrian.Clark was the son of Alfred Corning Clark and a grandson of Edward Clark, a lawyer and later 50% owner of the Singer Sewing Machine Company...
. Clark held many important chases on his Brookville (Long Island) estate, Broad Hollow, in the 1920s and 1930s. Ford Conger Field was built by F. Ambrose Clark and is the site of the annual Aiken Steeplechase, a part of the Triple Crown in March. The first Steeplechase Meet in Aiken was held March 14, 1930 in Hitchcock Woods. In addition to the Aiken Steeplechase, South Carolina is also home to the Colonial Cup and the Carolina Cup, which is the largest event on the circuit. Both of these races are held in
Camden, South CarolinaCamden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...
.
The Virginia Gold Cup is also among the oldest steeplechase races in the United States, with its first running in 1922. Up until recently, the Gold Cup was a four mile (6 km) long hurdle race. The length of this race prompted many jokes - such as the jockey's putting marbles in their mouth, spitting one out each lap to keep track of what lap they had completed. Since the Gold Cup moved to the present course, it has been changed into a timber race with a very large purse. Every first Saturday in May, more than 50,000 spectators gather at
Great MeadowGreat Meadow is a field events center and steeplechase course located in The Plains, Virginia. It is operated under the stewardship of the Great Meadow Foundation, a 501 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of open space for community use.Great Meadow and the Great Meadow...
near The Plains, Virginia (45 miles west of Washington, DC). The 4 miles (6.4 km) grass course with 4 feet (1.2 m) high timber fences is often referred to as the "crown jewel of steeplechasing."
According to Tennessee State Historian Walter T. Durham, Grasslands relates the history of the Southern Grasslands Hunt and Racing Foundation, a group that organized the first international steeplechase held on U.S. soil 80 years ago at Grassland Downs, a 24 square miles (62.2 km²) course located in Gallatin, TN between 1929 and 1932.
In addition to holding an inaugural race in 1930, two international steeplechases were held at Grasslands in 1930 and 1931. The winners were awarded a gold trophy designed by King Alfonso XIII of Spain.
The
Iroquois SteeplechaseThe Iroquois Steeplechase is an American Grade III NSA sanctioned steeplechase race run each spring at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee....
event is held in
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
,
TennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Beginning in 1941, with one year off during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the race has been run continuously at Percy Warner Park on the a course inspired by Marcellus Frost and designed by William duPont.
The Queens Cup Steeplechase is another major annual steeplechase event. It is held the last Saturday of April at
BrooklandwoodBrooklandwood, or Brookland Wood, is a historic home located on the grounds of St. Paul`s School for Boys, in Brooklandville, Baltimore County, Maryland. It is a -story, five-bay dwelling. The central block and two later wings are brick, painted white...
, a farm and estate in
Mineral Springs, North CarolinaMineral Springs is a town in Union County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,370 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mineral Springs is located at ....
, about 20 miles (32.2 km) from
Charlotte- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
. This day long event of racing and social activities attracts over 10,000 spectators, many of whom travel great distances to attend.
The
Breeders' Cup Grand National SteeplechaseThe Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechase is an American Grade I NSA sanctioned steeplechase race run each fall over the rolling hills of Moorland Farms in Far Hills, New Jersey. Set over a 2⅝ mile course during the one day Far Hills Races, it has 14 national fences, and a purse of $300,000...
(formerly known as the American Grand National) is held each October at the
Far Hills RacesThe Far Hills Races is a steeplechase horserace held annually in Far Hills, New Jersey, United States. The October 2010 event was the 90th running, and race day purses can equal up to or more than $1,000,000, with six races offering the highest purses on the National Steeplechase Association...
in
Far Hills, New JerseyFar Hills is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 919.Far Hills was incorporated as a borough based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 7, 1921, from portions of Bernards Township, subject to the results...
and draws about 50,000 spectators for a single day race-meet. It is the richest event in American steeplechasing with a purse of $500,000.
During the 1940s and 50s, the Broad Hollow Steeplechase Handicap, the Brook National Steeplechase Handicap and the American Grand National were regarded as American steeplechasing's
Triple CrownThe Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...
.
Kentucky DownsKentucky Downs is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on the border between Kentucky and Tennessee, near the city of Franklin and just off Interstate 65...
near
Franklin, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 7,996 people, 3,251 households, and 2,174 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,074.7 people per square mile . There were 3,609 housing units at an average density of 485.1 per square mile...
(originally Dueling Grounds Race Course) was built in 1990 as a steeplechase track, with a kidney-shaped turf circuit. At its inception, the track offered some of the richest purses in the history of American steeplechase including a $750,000 race. The track has undergone numerous ownership changes, with steeplechase races playing an on-and-off role (mainly off) in the track's limited live race meets.
The Stoneybrook Steeplechase was initiated in
Southern Pines, North CarolinaSouthern Pines is a town in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 10,918 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Southern Pines is located at ....
on a private farm owned by
Michael G. WalshMichael Gerard Walsh was an Irish Steeplechase trainer and founder of the Stoneybrook steeplechase in Southern Pines, North Carolina.-Personal life:...
in 1949 and was held annually in the spring until 1996, with attendance near 20,000. It resumed as an annual spring event at the new Carolina Horse Park in 2001.
The
New York Turf Writers CupThe New York Turf Writers Cup is a steeplechase race for thoroughbred horses held at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York each year. A Grade I event on the turf for 4-year-olds and up, this race offers a purse of $150,000....
is held each year at
Saratoga Race CourseSaratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
attracting the best steeplechasing horses in the U.S.
Australia
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
has a long history of jumps racing which was introduced by British settlers. In the 20th century the northern states of
QueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and
New South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
phased out all jumps racing. Tasmania ceased jumps racing as of April 2007 due to economic unfeasibility.
The jumping season in Australia normally takes place from March until August (some minor races are held either side of these months). Horses used for steeplechasing are primarily former flat racing horses, rather than horses specifically bred for jumping.
There is an emphasis on safety in Australia which has led to a reduction in the size of obstacles. As jumps races take place at flat racing meetings there is also a need for portable jumps. Most chasing occurs on steeple lanes but also includes parts of the main flat racing track. From Easter to May the major distance races occur. The
Great Eastern SteeplechaseThe Great Eastern Steeplechase is an Australian Thoroughbred steeplechase horse race held annually at Oakbank, South Australia on Easter Saturday and Monday at the Oakbank Racecourse as part of the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival....
is held on Easter Monday at
Oakbank, South AustraliaOakbank is a town in the Adelaide Hills, east of Adelaide in South Australia. It is in the Adelaide Hills Council area. At the 2006 census, Oakbank had a population of 473.The town was founded in about 1840 by Scottish brothers James and Andrew Johnston...
drawing crowds of over 100,000. The
Grand AnnualThe Grand Annual is an Australian Thoroughbred steeplechase for horses run at Warrnambool, Victoria during its annual May Racing Carnival. The distance is officially listed as about 5500 metres because many sections of the race are run in open paddocks with little or no fences. The race is the...
, which has the most fences of any steeplechase in the world, is held in May at
Warrnambool-Cityscape:The original City of Warrnambool was a 4x8 grid, with boundaries of Lava Street , Japan Street , Merri Street and Henna Street . In the nineteenth century, it was intended that Fairy Street – with its proximity to the Warrnambool Railway Station – would be the main street of...
.
Each state holds its own Grand National race, the most prestigious is the VRC Grand National at
FlemingtonFlemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...
run in the winter. The jumping season culminates with the set weights and penalties Hiskens Steeple run at
Moonee ValleyMoonee Valley Racecourse is a horse-racing track in Melbourne, Australia which hosts races for Thoroughbreds. Located six kilometers from the Melbourne CBD, it is the home of the Moonee Valley Racing Club...
. The Hiskens is regarded as the
Cox PlateThe W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
of jumps racing.
The most famous Australian horse in the field was
CrispCrisp was a champion steeplechase horse. He was a bay Thoroughbred gelding that was foaled in 1963 in Australia. In his native country, he won many important jumping races, particularly two-milers, including the Hiskens Steeplechase in 1969 and 1970. So well did he jump, he was nicknamed "The Black...
, who was narrowly beaten by the champion
Red RumRed Rum was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years...
in the English Grand National. Crisp subsequently beat Red Rum at set weights. More recently
KarasiKarasi is a champion steeplechase horse bred in Ireland and based in Australia. The horse is best known for winning the world's richest steeplechase race, the Nakayama Grand Jump at Nakayama Racecourse, Japan for three consecutive years...
has won the
Nakayama Grand JumpThe Nakayama Grand Jump is a Japanese horse racing steeplechase, held at Nakayama Racecourse every year in mid-April. It is for thoroughbreds, four years old and older, run at a distance of 4250m ....
, the world's richest jumps race held in
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, three times.
Jumps racing was set to end in Victoria after the 2010 season. In September 2010, having satisfied a limit on the maximum number of deaths among starting horses, hurdle racing was granted a 3 year extension by Racing Victoria. A decision regarding steeplechase was postponed until October 2010 when a program for the 2011 season only was granted.
Australia
Jumps racing has been phased out in all states in Australia except for Victoria and South Australia. This was the result of a federal senate select committee inquiry into
animal welfareAnimal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
in 1991, which concluded that jumps racing should be phased out on the grounds of cruelty. The NSW government banned jumps racing in 1997.
Jumps racing is opposed in Australia by many groups including the
animal rightsAnimal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
organisations the
RSPCA AustraliaRSPCA Australia is an Australian organisation that promotes animal welfare. It is funded in part by the Australian Government but relies on corporate sponsorship, fundraising events and voluntary donations for its income.RSPCA Australia defines its purpose as being the leading authority in animal...
,
Animals Australia,
and Animal Liberation (South Australia),
and by political parties such as The Greens.
Eventing
The equestrian sport of
eventingEventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
has a steeplechase phase, which is held in its "classic" or "long format". Unlike the racing form, horses do not race each other over the course, but rather are just meant to come under a pre-set "optimum time." The fences are usually very similar in type, all with brush that is meant to be jumped through rather than over. Ditches, post-and-rail, and other upright fences are not used. Penalty points are added to the horse's score if he exceeds the optimum time, but there is no reward for an especially fast round.
See also
- American Grand National
- Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechase
The Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechase is an American Grade I NSA sanctioned steeplechase race run each fall over the rolling hills of Moorland Farms in Far Hills, New Jersey. Set over a 2⅝ mile course during the one day Far Hills Races, it has 14 national fences, and a purse of $300,000...
- Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
- Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
- English Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
- Henry Alken, Famous painter of steeple chases
- List of horse races
- National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup
The National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup is a National Hunt chase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about , and during its running there are twenty-four fences to be jumped...
- National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
- Point to point (steeplechase)
- Velká pardubická
Velká pardubická is a famous steeplechase cross-country run in Pardubice, Bohemia since 1874. It takes place every year on the second Sunday in October. The length of the steeplechase is 6.9 km, with 31 obstacles. It usually takes 9–10 minutes to finish the course; the fastest time: 8 min,...