What Russian is not familiar with horseback riding? Almost everyone at the genetic level knows the feeling that appears when observing the running horses. And the Oryol trotters and Don horses have long become the hallmark of Russia.
Novosibirsk Hippodrome: the history of creation
Since hippodromes were created in almost all large settlements, Novosibirsk was no exception. True, there is its own funny story of creation. Then the city was called Novo-Nikolaevsk. At the beginning of the 20th century, residents actively complained to the local authorities about a large number of horse owners who had no control over their animals. It was like this: the owners of the trotters wanted to find out whose pet is the most frisky, and they ran right on the streets of the city. It was risky, and the townspeople suffered from it. Wealthy merchants made the purchase of expensive horses their hobby. Pets were purchased in Central Russia and brought to Novo-Nikolaevsk. As a result, when the horse ran briskly along the street, passers-by were frightened or fell under the hooves.
Therefore, in 1903, the Tomsk Governor Polyakov proposed using the Ob River as a running circle. There was only one problem: it was ice bound only in winter. The rest of the year made it unusable. Therefore, in 1912, it was decided to build a hippodrome.
What did the hippodrome look like (Novosibirsk)?
Initially, the hippodrome was located in the city center in the Tatar settlement. The territory was fenced, they made one stable and a horse carriage, a barn for harnessing horses and a platform for spectators. At the initial stage, the horses were not kept at the hippodrome, they were only brought before the race. It was a beautiful sight. And the stakes in the sweepstakes given the wealthy merchants were high. So, the hippodrome (Novosibirsk) becomes a popular place among citizens and receives the status of a state institution in 1922.
Soviet power saw its advantages in developing a racetrack. They considered horses an excellent investment in the country's defense and in draft power for agricultural work. Later, with the massive introduction of tractors and other elements of mechanization, these ideas were abandoned. Therefore, it was decided to move the hippodrome of Novosibirsk to the city where it is located to this day.
And it played a role. The inaccessibility to visit made the racetrack an unattractive place for the urban population. Yes, and the tote does not bring such a profit.
Status for today
The hippodrome is located on Stantsionnaya street, 97a. The complex is served by different people, the territory runs an equestrian sports school. The running department includes riders of various categories. Over its nearly century-old history, the hippodrome has developed and improved. The Governor’s Cup, the Big Siberian Circle and other traditional competitions were established. In addition to racing, horse racing is often held. The Novosibirsk Hippodrome was no exception and introduced an innovation - pony racing. This allows you to attract new spectators to the competition. The collection of entry fees allowed to create a fund for the payment of prize money. The working staff is several master riders.
Today the Novosibirsk Hippodrome is one of the largest enterprises in Russia. Thanks to his participation in the Union of Russian Hippodromes, he got the opportunity to develop further and hold regular events.