Tir Prince Raceway, Towyn Road, Towyn, Abergele, North Wales LL22 9NW

Tel: 01745 345123

Website: www.tirprince.co.uk

Information on results, history, directions, races.

Email: ray@brenigins.freeserve.co.uk

Website: www.tregarontrotting.com

Wales is the hub of harness racing in Britain with more race meetings held in or near its borders than any other part of the UK. Wales can also boast the oldest race meeting still in existence with Llangadog in Carmarthenshire running their first event in 1882, and they still continue to open the season on Easter Monday when they run a meeting at the all weather track at Tairgwaith near Ammanford.

There are two associations running “trotting” as it is more commonly called, British Harness Racing Club is the national organisation, while Wales & Borders is the independent club which runs racing every weekend from Easter until the end of September, the majority of meetings within Wales along with one or two in Herefordshire and Shropshire. There are also some mid week evening meetings during mid summer.

Wales & Borders are family based, most of the horses are owned and trained at home by various members of the family and often the drivers are also family members, this makes it a really ‘hands on’ experience where the horses become friends, and even opponents enjoy the wonderful camaraderie within this equine sport. There are more than thirty different venues for the racing and each meeting generates its own atmosphere, but the friendliness is evident throughout, it is a bit like a family party or picnic, of course often dependent upon the weather.

This does nothing to reduce the competitiveness in the sport, there is plenty of adrenaline as horses and drivers jockey for position, and with so many different venues no two races are the same, as week by week the punters try to overhaul the bookies, but at the end of the day most go home happy, enjoying a traditional afternoon’s entertainment.

The Wales & Borders website contains much information on the sport with fixtures, results and other interesting items, it covers many aspects of all harness racing in Britain it has a message board with contributions from all over the world. So for more information on where to see this exhilarating sport log on to our website: www.welsh-trotting.co.uk

Website: www.bhrc.org.uk