The Pennsylvania Hunt Cup was last weekend, and all the horses who ran in it were over ten. Only 5 or six started, but all finished. Is timber racing in trouble, or is this the way it’s always been (the age, not the finishing)?
Totally normal.
Just look up the stats of the past timber stars
Saluter
Buck Jakes
Von Csadek
Bug River
Bon Caddo
Guts For Garters
Em
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One at my farm just retired at fourteen, and was still on the top of his game
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The timber races are longer and the fences are bigger, so in order to be successful a horse needs to have stamina and the ability to jump big jumps. Since the pace is slower, they don’t sustain the wear and tear the flat horses and hurdle horses develop hence the longevity. They also need a good bit of training and experience to jump these type of courses so you don’t see young horses in timber racing.
For most horses this is a second career begun after they finish their flat career.
I don’t know if OP’s comment was more about the small field and older population of horses at the jump races. Check out Joe Clancy’s editorial “Big hurdles on the horizon for jump racing” in the October 2017 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred (can be found online at MidAtlanticTB.com)
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I look at the timber races like hunter paces or eventing but a race. Very normal to see older horses out there, especially as they are the more experienced kind. I would love to train and do the timber races but they don’t have them in our area. What a neat thing that many areas could accommodate though and it would be a great avenue for a lot of thoroughbreds who have the talent to jump!
As others have said, totally normal. Depending on when they start and how things go you’re looking at a retirement between ages 10 and 15. Some flunk out of flat racing quickly and get an early start, but others don’t even get going until they’re 7 or so.
