Hippodrome ... What kind of place or entertainment place? Now we’ll try to understand this issue in detail. What is the meaning of the word “racetrack”? This is a special complex of facilities for testing racing, heavy and trotting horses. Equestrian competitions and exhibitions of stallions are also held here.
Complex
For most citizens, a hippodrome is a place for entertainment where you can bet on your favorite horse. Although in fact the tote appeared much later than just racing without bets. The very first racetrack appeared in ancient Greece.
About two thousand years ago, such a complex was built in Nemea for equestrian competitions, including for races on such structures as chariots. The name of such an institution has not changed since. It consists of two words: "hippos" - means a horse, "dromos" - is a run. If you literally translate the word "racetrack", then this is a place for running stallions.
What is going on at the racetrack?
Here they conduct trainings and tests of horses that come from stud farms, as well as from private owners, so that one or another breed can develop not only externally, but also physically. At racetracks, horse breeds are tested, which are bred for speed, it does not matter, galloping or trotting.
You wondered how they differ? Now we will tell. Riders are riding stallions, so they are tested at a gallop, and trotters are horses that have been bred to be effective in harnessing (trotting), that is, with greater smoothness and draft power. All tests are carried out on a racing or running circles.
Tracks
Trotters are tested on a treadmill with a width of at least fifteen meters and a length of at least 800 with a finish line of 250 meters or more. Riding stallions are tested on a race wheel, the width of which should not be less than 15 meters, and the length - 1600 or more, with a finish line of more than 400 meters. To reduce the impact of centrifugal force in the corners of the treadmill, make turns with an inclination of 12 degrees inward.
Pillars that indicate starting points at different distances or mark sections are set on the inner edge of the track.
At large hippodromes inside the circle make a route for steeplechase with obstacles (permanent). In the same place, sites are usually made where various equestrian competitions and games are held.
Track coverage
As a rule, circles are located between the podium and the stables. Since racetrack and racetrack coatings must be different, many racetracks specialize in only one type of test. Although in our time there are universal ones, for example, the Central Moscow Hippodrome (CMI). There is a running circle inside the race wheel.
Back to the cover. It can be either ground or grass. Note that the composition of the soil can be different in the number of layers and uniformity. Most often at the racetrack you can see the sand cover. By the way, this is the most frisky path, but only if it is properly arranged and has a drainage system. In states where a lot of prizes are played for middle and sprint distances, most racetracks are with sand tracks.
Now let's talk about the most famous such place. Yes, you thought correctly, it will be about the CMI.
Central Moscow Hippodrome
This is one of the largest hippodromes of the Russian Federation. It is slightly inferior to Kazan, Rostov and Krasnodar. It is located on 22 Beregovaya Street, near the Begovaya metro station. Moscow Hippodrome is a state testing and scientific training ground. At this place they teach horseback riding.
History
The history of the hippodrome began in 1834 (August 1), when the first trotting race took place on the Khodynsky field. In the same year, only 2 running days were spent on the territory of this complex, only twelve horses ran.
In the late eighties, improvement began at all distances. In order to attract more visitors and increase the entertainment of the races, the “fields” (that is, the number of goals of the starting stallions) of the participants were expanded.
At this time, in addition to trotting runs and smooth racing, show jumping hippies and steeple cheeses became popular. There was a special track for them at the TsMP, which crossed the circle in a diagonal direction.
According to the project of architects Kulagin and Baryutin, from 1889 to 1894 a running arbor was built - the main building of this hippodrome. After 46 years, it was reconstructed by Zholtovsky (academician).
Since 1918, the complex did not work. Military training sessions were held on its territory, and rallies were held in the stands, at one of which V.I. Lenin with his speech. In honor of such a significant event, a memorial wall was erected on the territory of the hippodrome.
Regular tests resumed in the twenties. At the beginning of 1921, trial runs and races were held at this hippodrome. After that, the Main Directorate of Horse Breeding decided that it was necessary to organize a test of stallions, starting from the autumn season of the same year. In September, trotting races resumed. This year, more than 160 trotters were tested. Every year their number increased. Already in 1929, more than a thousand trotters were tested in 101 days. At the same time, a tote was opened.
Until 1930, race and trotting hippodromes in the capital of Russia were separate. They were not far from each other, but belonged to different societies. Soon the question arose about the reorganization of the racing hippodrome due to the fact that it was necessary to reconstruct and expand the railway junction of the Belorussky railway station. The project of merging into one of two racecourses was carried out in 1930.
In the period from 1970 to 1983 at the Moscow Hippodrome trotters set more than fifty all-Union records and 1 absolute.
In 1997, a sports school for children and youth was opened, which was located in the arena and a two-story stable.
In 2011, the “Central Hippodrome”, the photo of which you see in our article, was transformed into an OJSC.
Beginning in July 2012, the tote legally started working again, the profit from which goes to its functioning, as well as support and development of horse breeding (since without additional financing nothing will come of it, because good purebred horses are more expensive than Mercedes).
Hippodrome today
Now at this racecourse five stallions are tested on weekends. Trotters (Oryol, American, Russian and French) are tested annually, about a thousand a year. The most expensive prizes in the country for trotters are raffled at this racetrack. For example, the prize of the "Elite", "Peony", "Derby" and others.
Every year, from May to September, there are competitions of racehorse stallions that were raised at Russian stud farms or bought abroad.
Equestrian events ( equestrian polo competitions, show jumping, dressage, ring broods) are also held at the Moscow Hippodrome in a competitive field located in the center of this complex.
In order to entertain the audience between stallion competitions, sometimes they run dog races, camel races, pony competitions, the performance of trained horses, masters of horseback riding and dog sledding.
Conclusion
Now you know what a racetrack is. Horse racing, exhibitions - all this is held in such a complex. Hippodromes are becoming more popular every year. After all, horse racing is a magnificent sight.