1. When Was The First Documented Horse Race In France Today
2. When Was The First Documented Horse Race In France War
3. When Was The First Documented Horse Race In France Map
4. When Was The First Documented Horse Race In France Right Now

User’s tip for France’s page: Hot-odds offers all France's Horse Racing followers the most updated information about France. Including fixtures, odds trend, latest results, dropping odds, general information and many more. French racing is hugely popular among horse racing punters and FreeTips.com provides you with previews, predictions and best bets for the biggest events on the calendar in France. Our tipsters assess the betting odds, market movers and form to come up with value tips for the Group 1 features in France during the flat season and the big jumps.

• Early history
• The modern age of racing

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Horse racing, sport of runninghorses at speed, mainly Thoroughbreds with a rider astride or Standardbreds with the horse pulling a conveyance with a driver. These two kinds of racing are called racing on the flat and harness racing, respectively. Some races on the flat—such as steeplechase, point-to-point, and hurdle races—involve jumping. This article is confined to Thoroughbred horse racing on the flat without jumps. Racing on the flat with horses other than Thoroughbreds is described in the article quarter-horse racing.

Horse racing is one of the oldest of all sports, and its basic concept has undergone virtually no change over the centuries. It developed from a primitive contest of speed or stamina between two horses into a spectacle involving large fields of runners, sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment, and immense sums of money, but its essential feature has always been the same: the horse that finishes first is the winner. In the modern era, horse racing developed from a diversion of the leisure class into a huge public-entertainment business. By the first decades of the 21st century, however, the sport’s popularity had shrunk considerably.

Early history

Knowledge of the first horse race is lost in prehistory. Both four-hitch chariot and mounted (bareback) races were held in the Olympic Games of Greece over the period 700–40 bce. Horse racing, both of chariots and of mounted riders, was a well-organized public entertainment in the Roman Empire. The history of organized racing in other ancient civilizations is not very firmly established. Presumably, organized racing began in such countries as China, Persia, Arabia, and other countries of the Middle East and in North Africa, where horsemanship early became highly developed. Thence came too the Arabian, Barb, and Turk horses that contributed to the earliest European racing. Such horses became familiar to Europeans during the Crusades (11th–13th century ce), from which they brought those horses back.

Racing in medievalEngland began when horses for sale were ridden in competition by professional riders to display the horses’ speed to buyers. During the reign of Richard the Lionheart (1189–99), the first known racing purse was offered, £40, for a race run over a 3-mile (4.8-km) course with knights as riders. In the 16th century Henry VIII imported horses from Italy and Spain (presumably Barbs) and established studs at several locations. In the 17th century James I sponsored meetings in England. His successor, Charles I, had a stud of 139 horses when he died in 1649.

Organized racing

Charles II (reigned 1660–85) became known as “the father of the English turf” and inaugurated the King’s Plates, races for which prizes were awarded to the winners. His articles for these races were the earliest national racing rules. The horses raced were six years old and carried 168 pounds (76 kg), and the winner was the first to win two 4-mile (6.4-km) heats. The patronage of Charles II established Newmarket as the headquarters of English racing.

In France the first documented horse race was held in 1651 as the result of a wager between two noblemen. During the reign of Louis XIV (1643–1715), racing based on gambling was prevalent. Louis XVI (reigned 1774–93) organized a jockey club and established rules of racing by royal decree that included requiring certificates of origin for horses and imposing extra weight on foreign horses.

Organized racing in North America began with the British occupation of New Amsterdam (now New York City) in 1664. Col. Richard Nicolls, commander of the British troops, established organized racing in the colonies by laying out a 2-mile (3.2-km) course on the plains of Long Island (called Newmarket after the British racecourse) and offering a silver cup to the best horses in the spring and fall seasons. From the beginning, and continuing until the Civil War, the hallmark of excellence for the American Thoroughbred was stamina, rather than speed. After the Civil War, speed became the goal and the British system the model.

Match races

The earliest races were match races between two or at most three horses, the owners providing the purse, a simple wager. An owner who withdrew commonly forfeited half the purse, later the whole purse, and bets also came under the same “play or pay” rule. Agreements were recorded by disinterested third parties, who came to be called keepers of the match book. One such keeper at Newmarket in England, John Cheny, began publishing An Historical List of All Horse-Matches Run (1729), a consolidation of match books at various racing centres, and this work was continued annually with varying titles, until in 1773 James Weatherby established it as the Racing Calendar, which was continued thereafter by his family.

Open field racing

By the mid-18th century the demand for more public racing had produced open events with larger fields of runners. Eligibility rules were developed based on the age, sex, birthplace, and previous performance of horses and the qualifications of riders. Races were created in which owners were the riders (gentlemen riders), in which the field was restricted geographically to a township or county, and in which only horses that had not won more than a certain amount were entered. An act of the British Parliament of 1740 provided that horses entered had to be the bona fide property of the owners, thus preventing “ringers,” a superior horse entered fraudulently against inferior horses; horses had to be certified as to age; and there were penalties for rough riding.

Contemporary accounts identified riders (in England called jockeys—if professional—from the second half of the 17th century and later in French racing), but their names were not at first officially recorded. Only the names of winning trainers and riders were at first recorded in the Racing Calendar, but by the late 1850s all were named. This neglect of the riders is partly explained in that when races consisted of 4-mile heats, with the winning of two heats needed for victory, the individual rider’s judgment and skill were not so vital. As dash racing (one heat) became the rule, a few yards in a race gained importance, and, consequently, so did the rider’s skill and judgment in coaxing that advantage from his mount.

Bloodlines and studbooks

All horse racing on the flat except quarter-horse racing involves Thoroughbred horses. Thoroughbreds evolved from a mixture of Arab, Turk, and Barb horses with native English stock. Private studbooks had existed from the early 17th century, but they were not invariably reliable. In 1791 Weatherby published An Introduction to a General Stud Book, the pedigrees being based on earlier Racing Calendars and sales papers. After a few years of revision, it was updated annually. All Thoroughbreds are said to descend from three “Oriental” stallions (the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Barb, and the Byerly Turk, all brought to Great Britain, 1690–1730) and from 43 “royal” mares (those imported by Charles II). The preeminence of English racing and hence of the General Stud Book from 1791 provided a standard for judging a horse’s breeding (and thereby, at least to some degree, its racing qualities). In France the Stud Book Française (beginning in 1838) originally included two classifications: Orientale (Arab, Turk, and Barb) and Anglais (mixtures according to the English pattern), but these were later reduced to one class, chevaux de pur sang Anglais (“horses of pure English blood”). The American Stud Book dates from 1897 and includes foals from Canada, Puerto Rico, and parts of Mexico, as well as from the United States.

When Was The First Documented Horse Race In France Today

The long-standing reciprocity among studbooks of various countries was broken in 1913 by the Jersey Act passed by the English Jockey Club, which disqualified many Thoroughbred horses bred outside England or Ireland. The purpose of the act was ostensibly to protect the British Thoroughbred from infusions of North American (mainly U.S.) sprinting blood. After a rash of victories in prestigious English races by French horses with “tainted” American ancestry in the 1940s, the Jersey Act was rescinded in 1949.

Evolution of races

The original King’s Plates were standardized races—all were for six-year-old horses carrying 168 pounds at 4-mile heats, a horse having to win two heats to be adjudged the winner. Beginning in 1751, five-year-olds carrying 140 pounds (63.5 kg) and four-year-olds carrying 126 pounds (57 kg) were admitted to the King’s Plates, and heats were reduced to 2 miles (3.2 km). Other racing for four-year-olds was well established by then, and a race for three-year-olds carrying 112 pounds (51 kg) in one 3-mile (4.8-km) heat was run in 1731. Heat racing for four-year-olds continued in the United States until the 1860s. By that time, heat racing had long since been overshadowed in Europe by dash racing, a “dash” being any race decided by only one heat, regardless of its distance.

The French horse racing industry: an ambitious transformation plan aimed at boosting horse racing

25 May 2016

.

A new brand, EpiqE, and new spectacular events offer, the EpiqE Series

Paris, 18th May 2016 – EpiqE, the new common brand of the horse racing world, was unveiled this morning by all actors in the sector (France Galop, LeTROT, the Fédération Nationale des Courses Hippiques*, PMU and Equidia). It aims to transform the sector and profoundly renew the horse racing experience of punters and racegoers, aficionados and novices alike. (*the French National Horse Racing Federation)

When Was The First Documented Horse Race In France War

The horse industry is a major economic sector in France and relies in particular on horse racing, a unique and popular event that attracts over 2-million viewers and enthusiasts every year. In 2015, French gambling approached 10 billion euros for approximately 18,000 gallop and trotting races organized in the 236 racecourses throughout France, which is nearly half of all racecourses in Europe (500). This is a sector of excellence which has now chosen to upgrade its facilities to strengthen and renew its offers and audience.

When Was The First Documented Horse Race In France Map

The requirements of the general public in terms of entertainment kept on evolving over the past years, and the horse racing industry has launched a highly ambitious in-depth reflection process to enhance the visibility and power of attraction of horse racing events.

In order to widen the audience interested in horseracing and develop their commitment, racecourses will be modernized to enhance the overall experience of gambling and races by ensuring viewers are more familiar with horses and those actively involved in racing. TV broadcasting of major meetings will now draw its inspiration from the greatest international sporting events and offer innovative formats to turn races into truly spectacular sporting events. Events offer will be clearer and more regular. And finally, the experience for the audience and TV viewers will be greatly enhanced by digital innovations that offer more content, a second screen and interactivity.

A new brand for a new offer of spectacular events

The horse racing industry now has a name and an identity: 'EpiqE'. Backed by the entire sector, this new brand will enhance the visibility and clarity of races in order to boost the power of attraction of spectacular events. As an extension to the creation of this new identity, a new and clearer offer has been devised with the launch of the 'EpiqE Series' circuit, an offer easier to understand for the general public.

EpiqE Series, which influence will be worldwide, will include the 14 most outstanding French trotting and gallop races globally renowned for their prestige. First of all, the world's best gallopers will meet to take part in 7 prestigious events and attempt to win, in fine, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the world final in their discipline, on the 2nd of October in Chantilly. In the autumn, the world's best trotters will once again take over with a circuit composed of 7 events that will lead them to the Holy Grail of their discipline, the Prix d’Amérique Opodo. The kick-off for this new spectacular event will be given on the 5th June 2016 in Chantilly for the Prix du Jockey Club.

Hard-hitting TV broadcasting with new ambitions

The TF1 group is the new broadcaster of these horse races, mainly via LCI on channel 26 on free-to-air DTTV. A live programme lasting 45 minutes will therefore be devoted to broadcasting each meeting. TF1 will supply live broadcasting of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Prix d’Amérique Opodo. And finally, weekly series of 52 one-minute episodes will be broadcast on Sunday evenings at 7.50 pm on TF1 starting the 22nd May 2016. The general public will be able to watch all episodes of the series on MyTF1.fr, Epiqe.fr and on social networks.

New means require new ambitions. By implementing this newly devised strategy to upgrade horse racing, by 2020 the industry aims to double the number of TV and digital horse racing viewers, achieve a 30% increase of people going to racecourses and register a 20% rise in betting over the same period.

About LeTROT:

LeTROT's primary mission is to develop trotting races in France and protect the specific characteristic of French trotters. It is responsible for upholding the rules of trotting in France and ensures the sporting and economic development of the trotting industry. Every year, LeTROT organizes 11,157 trotting races throughout 221 racecourses and through 1,543 meetings (figures for 2015), with the climax of international competitions such as the Prix d’Amérique Opodo, the Grand Prix de France, and the Grand Prix de Paris. It is directly responsible for managing 4 racecourses: Paris-Vincennes, Enghien, Caen & Cabourg and the International Training Centre in Grosbois. www.letrot.com

About France Galop:

France Galop stands out as the organizer of major horse racing events of international repute such as the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Prix de Diane Longines, the Prix du Jockey-Club or the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. France Galop plays an essential part in the organization of over 7,000 flat and jump races in France every year. It is also responsible for the management of 6 racecourses (Auteuil, Longchamp, Saint-Cloud, Maisons-Laffitte, Chantilly and Deauville) and 3 training centers of global repute (Chantilly, Maisons-Laffitte and Deauville). www.france-galop.com

About PMU:

PMU is an Economic Interest Group made up of 60 racing associations. Its mission is to finance the French horse racing industry that includes 180,000 jobs via its net result (€807 M in 2015). PMU is the leading pari mutuel operator in Europe and 3rd at global level, with close to 10 billion euros in stakes in 2015. With 12,800 points of sales in France, PMU gives its 6 million customers the opportunity to place their bets via the Internet or by phone. Since 2010, PMU.fr has also been accepting bets on sporting events and poker. PMU is one of the leading actors in the sector, exporting its activities to 46 countries via 66 partners that commercialize gambling on French races. Furthermore, PMU is also a direct operator abroad with 3 subsidiaries: Eurotiercé in Belgium, a majority stake in German Tote in Germany and PMU Brasil in Brazil.entreprise.pmu.fr

About EQUIDIA:

EQUIDIA is the top horse racing media in Europe with close to 3-million TV viewers every month, and two channels:

• EQUIDIA Live, the channel devoted to punters, with 1.7-million TV viewers enjoying live races in HD mode.
• EQUIDIA Life, a channel devoted to horse racing, adventure and escapism, provides novel programmes dedicated to the 37-million French people interested in horses.

This TV offer comes with a digital offer:

• Equidia.fr, EQUIDIA Play, mobile applications
• EQUIDIA and EQUIDIA Live + and major presence on social networks.

About the Fédération Nationale des Courses Hippiques:

The Fédération Nationale des Courses Hippiques is an association under the French law of 1901 in charge of coordinating the common policy of Horse Racing Institution members, representing the Horse Racing Institution, and defending its general interests, with the public authorities in particular. It submits for approval to the Ministry of Agriculture a fixture list passed on by the racing associations and regional federations, manages the Common Racing Fund and unclaimed winnings, defines trends in terms of social policy and implements the anti-doping policy. www.fnch.fr

EPIQE Press contacts:

Image 7

When Was The First Documented Horse Race In France Right Now

Grégoire Lucas: +33153707494 – glucas@image7.fr

Delphine Peyrat-Stricker: +33153707414 – dpeyratstricker@image7.fr