in 1941, a privately owned facility took a hit in September of 2015 when one of their biggest clients, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AlMaktom, ruler of Dubais, and owner of Darley Stables, pulled out and will no longer be sending an average of 75 yearlings for training every year. Darley Stables was in operation in Aiken since 2008, and entered many of their horses every year in The Aiken Horse Trials that started in 1941. he Aiken Trials is a friendly competition that gives the exercise riders that worked so hard all winter in all types of weather the opportunity to jockey their mounts in a competition. The trainers get a chance to see their results in a competitive setting in front of a crowd. The event attracts an average of 10,000 spectators every year, and became the first leg of the Aiken Triple Crown in 1971. It was questionable whether the event would be able to take place in 2016. The city of Aiken has stepped up to the plate by assisting the Training Track financially, donating $10,000 from the city’s Economic Reinvestment Fund, a one-time allocation that will be used to attract horses and trainers outside of the area. Out of town trainers will be offered assistance with shipping costs for their
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Photo Credit: Nancy Bruen Smith
horses, meals and lodging for themselves, grooms and riders, with hopes of luring new trainers to call this special place home. iken Steeplechase Association was founded in 1930, by several influential horsemen, including Thomas Hitchcock, who was known as “The dean of American Steeplechasing” among many other titles. The first race was run in the Hitchcock Woods, along the Aiken Hounds draglines, to benefit the newly organized Aiken Steeplechase Association. Today, the Aiken Steeplechase Association organizes the Spring Imperial Cup and the Fall Holiday Cup. As the Golden Age (1866-1932) came to an end, and the Great Depression set in, civic duty and the war took precedence over lavish parties. Steeplechase in Aiken dwindled for 25 years. In 1967, a new generation of sporting men by the names of Charles S Bird III, G.H.Bostwick, Mackenzie Miller, Willard Thompson, Ford Conger and Paul Mellon continued to carry on the tradition of Steeplechasing, carrying on the legacy, that is enjoyed by so many today. he USCA Polo and Pacers polo match that benefits the USC Aiken’s baseball team, is organized by the Aiken Polo Club.
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Continued Aiken Equestrian Resource 2016 | 15