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Racing
These are very short sprint races for American Quarter Horses, famous for their explosive starts. The classic quarter-mile race lasts only about 20 to 21 seconds.
| Group | Racing |
|---|---|
| Also called | Quarter horse racing, QH racing |
| Olympic | no |
| Governing body | American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) |
| Where it is popular | This racing is most widespread in the United States, especially in the West. It is also held in Mexico and Canada. |
There are eleven official distances from 220 to 870 yards (201 to 796 m), and the classic is 440 yards, a quarter of a mile. Races up to 550 yards are run on a straight course. Horses break from a starting gate, and times are measured to a hundredth of a second. Many races are decided by a photo finish.
American Quarter Horses compete: muscular, compact horses with powerful hindquarters, built for an explosive start and a short burst of speed. There are also races for Paints and Appaloosas.
As in other racing: a light racing saddle, and the jockey wears a safety helmet, body protector, goggles and silks in the owner's colours.
The most famous race is the All American Futurity for two-year-olds at Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico, run every Labor Day (early September) since 1959. The Rainbow Futurity and the Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos are also well known.
Jockeys are adults with special training. Children should start with riding lessons and western riding on calm Quarter Horses at a club.
The breed and the sport are named after the quarter mile, the most common race distance in colonial America, where races were often run down a village's main street.
Sources: aqha.com, britannica.com, aqha.com, stallionesearch.com