Activities
Each year, High Hope Steeplechase spectators enjoy the thrills of jump and flat racing from a variety of vantage points. The preferred tailgate area where cars are parked trackside is highly sought after, with large picnics and lavish spreads displayed to entertain guests. Close to the finish line are tents where corporations gather to host parties for their clients. This area is also home to the Members’ Pavilion, Woodford Reserve VIP Lounge, and the Lawn Boxes.
The day begins at 10:00am in the infield with the opening of the Mercantile Village and the Dog Lure Course, and follows with multiple children's activities beginning at noon. It continues with several exciting races and equestrian entertainment. Offering something for everyone – from the most experienced equestrian to the novice who has never touched a horse – the High Hope Steeplechase celebrates the beauty of the Bluegrass in all its forms – its rolling hills, its Southern hospitality, its delicious food, and of course, its stunning horses.
The day begins at 10:00am in the infield with the opening of the Mercantile Village and the Dog Lure Course, and follows with multiple children's activities beginning at noon. It continues with several exciting races and equestrian entertainment. Offering something for everyone – from the most experienced equestrian to the novice who has never touched a horse – the High Hope Steeplechase celebrates the beauty of the Bluegrass in all its forms – its rolling hills, its Southern hospitality, its delicious food, and of course, its stunning horses.
Dog Lure Chasing & Lure Course
Does your dog instinctively want to run and chase bunnies or squirrels or leaves or birds or.....? Then it is probably a good candidate for Lure Coursing, a great way for your dog to run and play safely at a game it loves!
Lure Coursing uses an artificial lure attached to a line, going at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour across an open field following a pattern that is meant to simulate live prey. Lucky Dogs Lure Coursing takes this concept and we have modified it to utilize a closed-loop continuous system and developed our own line of Lure Coursing Equipment. With our variable speed control and reversible direction we can accommodate all levels of athleticism on the 100' x 100' closed course.
True, the Sighthounds are a natural for this event but Lucky Dogs believes ALL dogs deserve a chance to experience this wonderfully fun activity and we are OPEN TO ALL BREEDS. A well-exercised dog is healthier, better-behaved and just makes life easier for everyone. Lure Coursing is a great way for your dog to get the exercise it needs and have a blast doing it. This is a fully interactive event and your furry friend becomes the center of the show!
https://www.facebook.com/LuckyDogsAdventures/
https://luckydogsadventures.com/
Does your dog instinctively want to run and chase bunnies or squirrels or leaves or birds or.....? Then it is probably a good candidate for Lure Coursing, a great way for your dog to run and play safely at a game it loves!
Lure Coursing uses an artificial lure attached to a line, going at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour across an open field following a pattern that is meant to simulate live prey. Lucky Dogs Lure Coursing takes this concept and we have modified it to utilize a closed-loop continuous system and developed our own line of Lure Coursing Equipment. With our variable speed control and reversible direction we can accommodate all levels of athleticism on the 100' x 100' closed course.
True, the Sighthounds are a natural for this event but Lucky Dogs believes ALL dogs deserve a chance to experience this wonderfully fun activity and we are OPEN TO ALL BREEDS. A well-exercised dog is healthier, better-behaved and just makes life easier for everyone. Lure Coursing is a great way for your dog to get the exercise it needs and have a blast doing it. This is a fully interactive event and your furry friend becomes the center of the show!
https://www.facebook.com/LuckyDogsAdventures/
https://luckydogsadventures.com/
Children's Area
12 Animal Petting Zoo
Stick Horse Races Face Painting Pony Rides Bounce Castle Stick Horse Races - Registration opens at 10 am! Registration table is located in the Activities Area. Advanced signup required. Entries taken until the start of the 3rd sanctioned race. Preliminary races will take place in the Activities Area. Final races will take place on the steeplechase course. Children will ride in four age-divided heats: 4 year olds; 5-6 year olds; 7-8 year olds; and 9-10 year olds Adult Stick Horse Races will run after the children’s final races are concluded. Prizes will be awarded to the final heat winners for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. |
Parade of the Hounds
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking of a fox by trained foxhounds and a group of unarmed followers lead by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback. Many Greek and Roman influence countries have long traditions of hunting with hounds, but hunting with hounds was popular in Celtic Britain, even before the Romans arrived. The earliest known attempt to hunt a fox with hounds was in Norfolk, England in 1534, where farmers began chasing foxes down with their dogs for the purpose of pest control. The first use of packs trained to hunt foxes was in the lat 1600’s in Yorkshire, England.
According to the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America, Englishman Robert Brooke was the first man to import hunting hounds to America, bringing his pack of foxhounds to Maryland in 1650 along with his horses. The first organized hunt for the benefit of a group was started by Thomas, sixth Lord of Fairfax in 1747. In the United States, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both kept packs of fox hounds. In 2013, the Masters of Foxhounds Association listed 163 registered packs in the U.S. and Canada. |