Cartersville farm has success with first race day event
The Kentucky Derby is the big event this weekend but Cartersville had its horse event last weekend with the Horses, Hounds, Hunt event at the Old Mill Farm in Cartersville. The first-time event was small with eight and 10 tents set up for parties, plus tailgaters. However, those attending loved it as it was a spring social celebration that will likely grow with the success of the inaugural event.
Horses, Hounds, and Hunt is set to be the local replacement of the Atlanta Steeplechase which had been at Kingston Downs for 20 years, from 1997 until 2017, when the organization shut down due to a lack of ticket sales and declining sponsors. It was reborn as the Georgia Steeplechase which organizes several events throughout the year.
The event on April 27 at the Old Mill Farm had some of the elements that made the Atlanta Steeplechase successful including tent parties, tailgating, dogs, great horses, hats, catered food, and a beautiful location.
Some differences exist between the two but those serve to make the Horses, Hounds, and Hunt event distinctive. No one attending saw the small differences as a negative because the event had all the excitement and fun of the original Atlanta Steeplechase.
The track at Old Mill Farm is a dirt track instead of the grass track at Kingston Downs. There are no jumps like what is included in Steeplechase events. It’s straight-up racing and includes the Quarter Mile Stock Sprint, one-mile race, two-mile cross country, and the Heavy Horse Hustle. Purses for at least two of those races were $1,000.
Another difference is in the horses and riders. While the Steeplechase had racing thoroughbreds, those entering the Horses, Hounds, and Hunt aren’t necessarily thoroughbreds and include ponies. These were horses that needed practice for racing, work on a dirt track, or just needed to run.
Riders aren’t professional jockeys but do make their living training and riding horses for clients. Most ride for a variety of horse events and the horses are versatile as well, participating in short racing, cross country, hunts, polo, and other equestrian events.
The dogs at this event aren’t the Jack Russells may have grown used to at the Atlanta Steeplechase. Those were part of the event because Kingston Downs operated at base the of the Shamrock Hound Fox Hunting Club. The dogs featured at the Horse, Hounds, and Hunt event are greyhounds.
They came as part of the organization Second Chance Greyhounds, which collaborates with state prisoners to train the dogs to ready them for adoption and then find homes for them. The greyhounds were dressed in ballet outfits and boas for their parade around the track to start festivities.
Those who came to the event said they couldn’t wait to return for the next one. The farm is also open to host other events, including weddings. They are open for owners using the track for horse conditioning and training also.