Equestrian events comprise different aspects of the sport. It includes horse dressage, show jumping, harness racing and simple racing. The one common factor about the different forms of equestrian events is that it all revolves and includes horses.
It seems that equestrian events and betting are like “salt and pepper”. It has become commonly accepted that there is a natural linkage between betting and horse racing. If you dig deeper and do your research right, you will also snag an appealing betting bonus in the process, whilst betting on your favorite equestrian event. No wonder that horses have always attracted special attention around the globe, in particular organized and regulated equestrian attractions. This is where and why bettors bet on horses, races and everything in between.
Although most of the equestrian events held around the world are aimed for entertainment purposes and to give the public the opportunity to bet and feel the excitement of horse racing and shows, some equestrian events trace their origin to traditions of particular countries and dating back many years in history. One particular event is the Ascot races held in the United Kingdom which always attract thousands of horse racing lovers and the public in general. The Ascot races are synonymous with the British Royal Family. In fact, the Ascot races have the privilege and honor to host members of the Royal Family, including Her Majesty the Queen (she is an ardent horse lover) at this annual event.
During the past two years, equestrian events, like any other sporting events or crowd pulling gigs have suffered drastically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the events had to be canceled/suspended or curtailed, leaving many people eager and looking forward to having their favorite sport back again in 2022.
The equestrian calendar scheduled for 2022 is fully packed with events, however its implementation totally depends on how countries around the world manage to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus and how safe it will be to the public and the people directly involved in the sport.
The Ascot races are approximately visited by over 600,000 people throughout the number of races spread over the year. Races are organized over a period of sixty-two days in a year. There are eighteen events held between April and October and a further eight events held between October and March. The events consist of flat and jumping meetings.
The Ascot races trace their inception to 300 years back in British history. At the heart of the organized events is the Royal Ascot which is a worldwide known event attracting thousands of people from around the world. The event, as its name implies, hosts the presence of members of the British Royal Family.
The Kentucky Derby is probably the most popular and followed equestrian event in the United States of America. It is a galloping event and has been held in Kentucky since 1875. The event is always held on the first Saturday in May and one will be very lucky to manage to procure a ticket to attend the race. Normally, tickets to enter the terraces of the event are sold out a year in advance. This event, which attracts about one hundred and fifty thousand spectators, is a 1.25 miles long race. Not getting a ticket to physically be present to watch the event does not necessarily mean you cannot bet on the race.
The CHIO has been traditionally held in the city of Aachen in Germany since 1924. This event is so popular around the world that most people refer to it as the Wimbledon (the tennis tournament held in the United Kingdom) of equestrian sports. The Aachen attraction comprises horses, horse breeding, animal exhibition, entertainment and individual and team competitions. However, the major attraction is the show jumping Grand Prix which is notably slated at the end of the tournament.
The Prix d’Amerique is held in Paris on the last Sunday in January. Always held in Paris, this event traces its origins to 100 years back in time. The Paris event is most likely one of the most followed and famous trotting- event in the world. Only horses who have won a certain amount of money in other tournaments are allowed to participate in the Prix d’Amerique, thus ensuring that the best of the best of horses take part in the prestigious event. The trotting distance is 1.67 miles long and the winning prize is one million US dollars.
In addition to the above-mentioned events, it is important to note that in Denmark, Herning has been chosen by the International Equestrian Federation to host the 2022 World Championships for jumping, dressage, para-dressage and vaulting. The 2022 World Championships for eventing and driving was awarded to Italy.
The International Equestrian Federation also gave the World Cup Finals for 2022 to the City of Leipzig in Germany which is scheduled for April 2022.
Other important equestrian events for 2022 include the following:
- The Saudi Cup slated for 26 February – one of the richest horse racing events with a winning prize of US$20 million.
- The Cheltenham Festival is scheduled for 15-18 March. This is one of the most rewarding jump-racing events in the world with a winning prize topping GBP 625,000.
- The Dubai World Cup Night to be held on 26 March. The winning prize tops US$30.5 million making it the most rewarding event in the equestrian calendar.
- The Melbourne Cup was held in the State of Victoria in Australia. One can easily deduce that this race is the king of kings of horse racing down under. It is the most rewarding and most awaited equestrian event in the Australian calendar and it practically brings the nation to a halt during the race. Winners of the Melbourne Cup are very well awarded in prize money.
All the above and other equestrian events depend heavily on the instructions issued by the health authorities around the world. It is imperative for health authorities to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus and pandemic if the equestrian calendar for 2022 is to be implemented. The recent surge in the virus pandemic around the world and new restrictions imposed in various countries including sporting events, do not augur well for the equestrian calendar. One can only hope that with the advent of new medicine and the strict obedience of guidelines issued by the Health Authorities, horse-racing supporters will once again have the opportunity to enjoy their favorite sport.
