RacingBetter News
	Friday 24th January 2025

The History of Horse Racing’s Popularity Compared to Other Countries

Equestrian sport has a long and illustrious tradition, with many top races being in existence continuously for decades or even centuries. The United Kingdom is certainly one of the countries where racing horses is a beloved hobby and top events attract huge crowds, but it’s hardly the only place in the world where this sport is popular. That makes it interesting to compare how history of the sport unfolded in different locations and try to put the British obsession with horse racing into proper context.

Of course, this activity was practiced since pre-historic times, but for the purposes of this analyses we will limit ourselves only to the modern format of the sport with tracks of standardised length and limits on which horses may be used.

Horse Racing in the United Kingdom

The UK was one of the earliest countries to start organising horse races that closely resemble today’s events. In the late 17th and early 18th century, British nobility including the royals became highly interested in equestrian competitions, which gave the sport a good deal of prestige. With growing interest, it became necessary to formalise things and Jockey Club was founded in 1750 with this in mind. Some of the oldest races still held today were also conceived in this period, as St Leger Stakes was first held in 1776 and Epsom Derby started in 1780. Not long thereafter, new racetracks started appearing all over Britain while different types of races (i.e. handicap races, steeplechasing, etc) were invented. All of this set the foundation that remains in place today, and gave the United Kingdom a leading position in the modern equestrian sport.

Horse Racing in the United States

As a British colony and a place where horses were a part of daily life, the United States embraced horse racing from the very beginning. It took some time for the sport to reach a more organised level, which generally occurred throughout the 19th century. After initially lagging behind Britain, the nation quickly caught up with more than 300 racetracks operating before the end of the century. The most iconic US races such as The Preakness (1873) and the Kentucky Derby (1875) were established in this period, followed by many others. Somewhat uniquely for the US, the sport was never seen as aristocratic and the main races were always popular with the masses. Today, horse racing remains in the public eye, and legalisation of betting is only helping it gain more fans among the new generation.

Horse Racing in Canada

Canadian history of horse racing dates back to the colonial period, and it is mostly concentrated in Lower Canada including Ontario and Quebec. The first equestrian clubs started appearing in the first half of the 19th century, and some of the best known races have roots in this period. Notably, King’s Plate race is organised continuously since 1836 and holds the distinction of the oldest race in North America. After achieving independence, Canada continued its love affair with horse racing and invested in building racetrack at a rapid pace. Today, the country has more than half million horses and a huge number of people involved in their breeding, nurturing, training, etc. To add to that total, horse racing accounts for a large share of the action at Canadian sites that belong to a sportsbook affiliate program, pushing the total contribution of this industry to the economy even higher.

Horse Racing in Ireland

Ireland is often overlooked when it comes to equestrian sport, but those in the know will tell you it has a rich tradition and continues to be at the forefront of competitive racing. In fact, the history of races is just as extensive as in mainland Britain and the level of support for the sport could be even higher. The first organised races in Ireland stared in the mid-17th century, with rules regarding breeding and racing soon being agreed upon. Notably, Ireland is the birthplace of steeplechase racing, which remains predominant in local events to this day. Some of the most beautiful tracks were constructed in the 19th century, with Ballybrit and Layton serving as great examples. After Ireland separated from Britain, horse racing remained popular and is considered one of the national sports in present time.

Horse Racing in the United Arab Emirates

Some of the most exquisite racing horses hail from the Arabian Peninsula, which is why it comes as no surprise that horse racing is very popular in the UAE. Arab tribesmen were master riders for centuries, but there was no significant infrastructure necessary for large-scale public races until several decades ago. Driven by the oil wealth of Dubai and other emirates, the small nation embarked on a mission to provide a new outlet for its ages-old horse riding tradition. New racecourses started appearing in the 1980s and 1990s in rapid succession, allowing United Arab Emirates to become a player on the international scene. The desert state now hosts dozens of events that attract some of the best horses and most skilled jockeys in the world, including the prestigious Dubai World Cup.