Steeplechase

Steeplechase, a horserace run not on a course of smooth, flat turf, but across the open country, over hedges, ditches, walls, and whatever other obstacles lie in the way. This variety of sport seems to have had its origin (traditionally) in the frolic of a merry party of foxhunters, who agreed to race in a straight line towards a steeple visible in the distance, an event which is recorded to have happened in Ireland in 1803; further particulars of it, however, are not known. Nevertheless this was not the earliest race of the kind. One took place in Ireland in 1752 from the church of Buttevant (Cork county) to the church of St Leger, a distance of 4½ miles. In the year 1816 a ride in England of 20 miles across country against time (under one hour and nine minutes) was regarded as something extraordinary, although about that time steeplechase matches were coming into fashion with the young foxhunters of the day. The sport began to assume its existing shape about the year 1831. In 1866 the Grand National Hunt Committee was formed for the purpose of laying down rules and regulations for the proper conducting of steeplechase meetings. The principal race in this class of sport in the United Kingdom is the Grand National, which was instituted at Liverpool, the headquarters of steeplechasing, in 1839; it is now run on different courses in different years. Among the more important steeplechase meetings are those of Liverpool, Newport Pagnell, St Albans, Aylesbury, Lincoln, Brocklesby, and Leamington. Steeplechase races have always been greatly in favour in Ireland. See A. Coventry and A. E. T. Wilson in the volume on Horseracing and Steeplechasing (1889) in the 'Badminton' series, and Blew's History of Steeplechasing (1900).