Anyone with a passing interest in British sports will know that horse racing is one of the biggest sports in the nation. This is especially true when it comes to racing in Ireland, with the sport being deeply entrenched in Irish culture. What is it that makes horse racing in Ireland so unique, and why has it become such a deep part of the culture?
The History Of Irish Horse Racing
As a sport, horse racing in Ireland has a long and storied history. In fact, some records note that horse racing dates all the way back to around 110 BC – 60 AD. Documents from this time state that chariot races took place on the Curragh, somewhere that was used all the way up to the current day. There is also datable evidence from the 1600s, with several documents mentioning horse racing and jockeys.
It was in 1666, under the rain of King Charles II, where horse racing really took hold in Ireland. Horse breeding took off in order to gain plates for the King’s Plate Races, with the Curragh being awarded their plates in the 1670’s. Nowadays the Curragh hosts many large events include the Irish Guineas and Irish Derby, which racing bookmakers suggest are the two biggest in Ireland.
Horse Breeding In Ireland
Something else that is worth noting about Ireland, is that it is uniquely primed for breeding thoroughbred horses. The climate and soil structure has been noted to help breed strong horses who are ready to be trained for racing. This leads to calcium within the grass, with the mild temperatures and lack of seasonal variability allows horses to graze year round.
Ireland is also an agricultural country, and this has fed into their experience in breeding horses. Throughout the centuries, those working with animals in Ireland have been able to bring that experience to breeding racing horses.
Of course, with horse racing being so strong as an industry, even now there is still high interest in working with horses. That ensures that some of the best thoroughbred horses are coming from the country.
Horse Racing And The Economy
As you would expect, any country that has such a deep interest in horse racing will have made the sport work, even through tough economic times. During the first world war for example, initially horse racing wasn’t even cancelled. There was a short-lived ban on race meetings following the 1916 rising, but this really only lasted for six weeks. There was huge outcry on the bans, as around 20,000 people were employed in the racing industry at the time. In fact, the British government had to give a concession to allow the Curragh festival to go ahead during this period.
At time of writing, thoroughbred breeding alone is seen to generate around 229 EUR million each year. What’s really interesting is about 80% of those horses are exported to Great Britain. Ireland is the largest producer of the breads in the EU itself, producing around 40% of the total amount of horses within Europe.
Of course, it is not just the breeding of horses that brings in money to the Irish economy. With horse racing comes horse racing betting, and this has gone strong throughout the decades. With the advent of online betting in the last few years, horse racing in Ireland has encouraged the growth of this sector.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why horse racing is just so popular in Ireland. Having been mainstay in the country since at least 110 BC, and with a strong breeding program for thoroughbreds throughout the EU, it helps build a strong economy and a national sense of pride in the sport.