Kiplingcotes Derby
Kiplingcotes Finishing Post
StatusActive
GenreSteeplechase
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Kiplingcotes, East Riding of Yorkshire
Coordinates53°55′08″N 0°38′24″W / 53.919°N 0.640°W / 53.919; -0.640
CountryEngland
Inaugurated1519
Most recent16 March 2023 (2023-03-16)
Previous event17 March 2022
Next event21 March 2024

Kiplingcotes Derby (also spelt Kipling Cotes), run at Kiplingcotes in the East Riding of Yorkshire, is widely accepted to be the oldest annual horse race in the English sporting calendar. It reputedly began in 1519 and takes place on the third Thursday in March, often in exceptionally adverse weather conditions. The 500th race took place on 21 March 2019.[1]

One quirk of the ancient rules means that the second place rider often receives more in prize money than the winner. It is run, not over a typical modern racecourse, but partly along the wide verge of a roadside. A clerk is paid 5 shillings (25p) annually for maintaining it.

History

Kiplingcotes is a small hamlet close to Market Weighton, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The Derby starts near to the former Kiplingcotes railway station and runs for 4.5 miles (7.2 km), finishing at Londesborough Wold Farm.[2][3][4]

The race was started by the Earl of Burlington in 1519,[5] and the first prize is the accrued interest of an original investment of 16 Guineas by the organisers, who stipulated the rules as laid down in 1618;

A horse race to be observed and ridd yearly on the third Thursday in March open to horses of all ages to carry horseman's weight, 10 stones, exclusive of saddle, to enter at ye post before eleven o'clock on the morning of ye race. The race to be run before two.[6]

Women were finally allowed to compete from 1933 onwards,[7] however, the history of the Derby states that a 60-year old woman jockey competed in 1926 riding side-saddle, being in the lead almost all the way until the last 40 yards (37 m).[8]

In 1930, the racers had to deal with 3-foot (0.91 m) snowdrifts, and as The Times stated in case of no racers turning up to run the Derby, "..there is always some country youth keeping a watchful eye in case no entry is made by 11 o'clock. If such a thing happened, the youth would put in his entry on some old dobbin released from plough[ing] a field...."[9] During the harsh winter of 1947, no one was daring enough to take part, and so one local farmer took it upon himself to lead a lone horse around the course, ensuring that the historic race would survive.[10] The race normally takes 10 minutes to complete, but the farmer was contending with 4 feet (1.2 m) snowdrifts, and so had to often dismount and clear a path, before taking his horse through. It took an hour and 20 minutes for him to complete the course.[11] During the 2001 UK foot-and-mouth crisis the race was once again reduced to one horse and rider.[12] In 2018 the race was cancelled after the course was waterlogged, and again a single horse was led round the course.[13] The 2020 event was kept going by just two riders and their horses (Ferkin and Harry) because of the COVID-19 pandemic to preserve the race.[14]

The race is held to be the oldest Derby held in England, having started in 1519, and using the same course since 1664.[15] The Grand National was inaugurated in 1844, and the Epsom Derby was first run in 1779.[16]

Races

Number Year Date Ref
490th 2009 19 March [17]
491st 2010 18 March [18]
492nd 2011 17 March [19]
493rd 2012 15 March [20]
494th 2013 21 March [21]
495th 2014 20 March [22]
496th 2015 19 March [23]
497th 2016 17 March [24]
498th 2017 16 March [25]
499th 2018 15 March [Note 1][13]
500th 2019 21 March [1]
501st 2020 19 March [Note 2][14]
502nd 2021 18 March [Note 2][26]
503rd 2022 17 March [27]
504th 2023 16 March [2]

Rules

  • The course takes in 4 miles (6.4 km) of arduous farm track and field.
  • Riders must weigh in at 10 stone (140 lb; 64 kg) (excluding saddle).[28]
  • Horses of any age can be ridden.
  • All those wishing to enter must gather by the starting post by 11 a.m. on the morning of the Derby.
  • The winner receives the sum of almost £100 (2023 total), but the rider finishing second receives the remainder of the total of the entry fees.[2]
  • The rules also state that if the race is not run one year, then it must never be run again.[29]

Notes

  1. ↑ Race was cancelled due to dangerous conditions (a waterlogged course with deep water-filled wheel ruts). A horse was walked round the course to preserve the race.
  2. 1 2 Race was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. A horse was walked round the course to preserve the race.

References

  1. 1 2 "Kiplingcotes Derby: Oldest horse race celebrates 500th anniversary". BBC News. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Finnan, Victoria (17 March 2023). "Hooves thud again in world's oldest horse race". The Yorkshire Post. p. 3. ISSN 0963-1496.
  3. ↑ Fairfax-Blakeborough, J (1951). Yorkshire East Riding. London: Robert Hale. p. 59. OCLC 1333136.
  4. ↑ Culley, Jon (21 March 1997). "As the Flat racing season got under way yesterday, Britain's oldest horse race took place 40 miles away. Sadly, it ended with the winner's untimely death". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "The Kiplingcotes Race". The Times. No. 46395. 17 March 1933. p. 6. ISSN 0140-0460.
  6. ↑ Fairfax-Blakeborough, J (1951). Yorkshire East Riding. London: Robert Hale. p. 58. OCLC 1333136.
  7. ↑ Peach, Howard (2001). Curious tales of old East Yorkshire. Wilmslow, England: Sigma Leisure. p. 85. ISBN 1850587493.
  8. ↑ Montgomery, Tom (12 March 2004). "485 years - and they're still running". Farmer's Weekly. Vol. 140, no. 11. Sutton: Mark Allen Group Ltd. p. 112. ISSN 0014-8474.
  9. ↑ "Kiplingcote Stakes". The Times. No. 46394. 16 March 1933. p. 17. ISSN 0140-0460.
  10. ↑ Ellerington, Alison (1989). The Kiplingcotes Derby. Hyperion Books. ISBN 978-0-948929-32-8.
  11. ↑ Ward, Andrew (1990). Horse racing's strangest races. London: Robson. p. 122. ISBN 0860516776.
  12. ↑ Ross, Alex (20 March 2015). "Double joy for Kiplingcoates Derby couple". Gazette & Herald. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  13. 1 2 "Famous Kiplingcotes Derby is abandoned due to waterlogged course". Pocklington News. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  14. 1 2 "Coronavirus: Kiplingcotes Derby horse race cancelled". BBC News. BBC. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  15. ↑ Brockwell, Maurice (19 March 1936). "Yorkshire Horse Races". The Times. No. 47327. p. 10. ISSN 0140-0460.
  16. ↑ Wood, Greg (12 March 1994). "A racing certainty: Carthorses and thoroughbreds compete up hill and down dale. Greg Wood previews the real Derby". The Independent. p. 34. ISSN 1741-9743.
  17. ↑ "Maisey triumphs at Kiplingcotes Derby - England's oldest horse race". Beverley Guardian. Johnston Press Digital Publishing. 19 March 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
  18. ↑ "The 'Local' Race - The Kiplingcotes Derby. The 491st Race, 18th March 2010". Wicstun. 24 March 2010. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  19. ↑ "The 'Local' Race - The Kiplingcotes Derby. The 492nd Race, 17th March 2011". Wicstun. 20 March 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  20. ↑ "The 'Local' Race - The Kiplingcotes Derby. The 493rd Race, 15th March 2012". Wicstun. 19 March 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  21. ↑ "The 'Local' Race - The Kiplingcotes Derby. The 494th Race, 21st March 2013". Wicstun. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  22. ↑ "The 'Local' Race - The Kiplingcotes Derby. The 495th Race, 20th March 2014". Wicstun. 27 March 2014. Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  23. ↑ "England's oldest horse race gallops through Yorkshire". Country Life. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  24. ↑ "Kiplingcotes Derby winner 'never been so scared'". BBC News. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  25. ↑ "Under starter's orders... for UK's oldest horse race". ITV News. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  26. ↑ "Kiplingcotes race off due to Covid-19". Pocklington Post. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  27. ↑ "Sally sets new course record as Paddy powers to Kiplingcotes Derby victory". Driffield & Wolds Weekly. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  28. ↑ Collins, Tony; Martin, John; Vamplew, Ray, eds. (2005). Encyclopedia of traditional British rural sports. London: Routledge. p. 175. ISBN 9780415352246.
  29. ↑ "Kiplingcotes Derby winner 'never been so scared'". BBC News. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
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