WALES AND BORDER COUNTIES HARNESS RACING ASSOCIATION

Independent, incorporating:

Wales and Border Counties Trotting ( Horse owners) Association

Chairman: Hefin Evans, Talgarreg, Ceredigion Vice-Chairman: Derek Parry, Tredegar Treasurer: Charlie Bounds, Kington  Secretary: Mrs.Val Jones

Wales and Border Counties Racing Association is the original independent harness racing organization in Great Britain. It was founded in 1976. Its area covers the southern half of Wales and the bordering counties of England, extending from the West coast of Wales as far as the English county of Herefordshire, and from Caersws in Mid Wales to Ammanford in South Wales.

As an amateur sport organization it remains committed to represent the "grass-roots" of harness racing where meetings are run more like a friendly family event. Prize money is not huge in order to keep participation costs low and make it easier for newcomers to join in this exciting sport.

The Association consists of two organizations. The Racing Association organizes the Racing fixtures and the Trotting Association, otherwise known as the Horseman's Association looks after the horse owners and their horses.

The Wales and Border Counties Association earliest known records of Harness Racing in Britain indicate that annual Trotting races were held in Llangadog, Carmarthenshire at least as far back as 1894 and beyond . Meetings at Penybont, the largest and most prestigious, began in 1927 and have taken place ever since except for a break during the second world war. Later, Llandidrod began to have their own race meetings.

During the days of what used to be the August Bank Holiday, fixtures were organized throughout the whole week period. Races were held at Llandovery Saturday, at Llandidrod on Monday, Penybont on Wednesday and another meeting took place on the following Saturday at Tregaron. Participants from as far afield as Manchester, the Potteries and London traveled with their horses to Wales for the week's events.

Wales & Border Counties harness racing, known locally as “trotting”, is a truly amateur sport. A new horse begins its racing career by running in the Nursery races; these non-betting races introduce the horse to the sport. Racing horses are divided into four grades, depending on their experience. The first grade is the Baby Novice class where after three wins they progress to the Novice class. After another three wins they may enter into open racing or Grade B class. The cream of the horses may go on to qualify for the Grade A class. Horses are handicapped on distance in their grade races. These handicaps are "off the gate", ten yards or twenty yards from the gate as for the Baby Novice, Novice and Grade B races whereas a Grade A horse can be handicapped to a distance of sixty yards behind the starting gate.

The season traditionally begins on Easter Monday with the oldest meeting in the calendar at Llangadog in Carmarthenshire, South Wales. Race meetings are held every weekend until the end of September, while mid-week evening meetings are held regularly during July and August. The last race meeting of the season is a charity meeting with the venue changing yearly where the horse-owners hold a low prize-money meeting to raise money for local charities.

Credit: Maureen Lloyd