Many of the world’s greatest equestrian events thrive in part because they’ve established special, unique venues. Of course, the main attraction remains the racing itself, and the spectacle of the best racehorses in the world tops anything a given venue has to offer. Even so however, there are little touches of design, entertainment, and culture that make these events what they are.
At the Cheltenham Festival, for instance, many fans flock to the designated Guinness Village to entertain themselves before or in between races. At the Kentucky Derby, the traditional drink (Mint Julep) is so popular as to be part of the occasion for many if not most attendees. And at the Grand National, even more than most other races, style is such a big part of the proceedings that spectators wind up putting on a veritable fashion show on certain days of the event.
These are just a few examples, but they show how anything from a signature drink to a themed portion of the grounds can enhance an equestrian venue. And just for fun, I wanted to do a bit of thinking about what similar ideas and traditions could still be implemented to make equestrian venues even more inviting than they already are.
1. An Actual Fashion Runway
We noted above that fashion can be a big part of the proceedings at major equestrian races and festivals — not just at the Grand National, but at numerous events around the world. From Aintree, to the Kentucky Derby, to the Melbourne Cup, equestrian fans have developed a habit — if not an obsession — with dressing for the occasion. What’s more, as you’re likely well aware, they do so in a unique fashion. Horse race attire is stylish, in its own way, but also festive and intentionally over-the-top in a way that would make it almost too bold anywhere else.
So my proposal is that a few major equestrian venues actually look to play this up even more by building actual fashion runways to accompany races. We already see areas set aside for photography, and in some cases there are more or less informal fashion contests. Providing an actual space where race goers could walk the runway for photographers and other fans would just make for a nice bit of side entertainment. Plus, the websites and magazines that already cover race fashion quite a bit would have a field day getting in on the runway action!
2. A Cocktail Bar Above the Track
I’m not exactly suggesting something entirely new by saying there should be a cocktail bar above the track at one venue or another. Plenty of these venues already have cocktail or champagne bars located where patrons can view the grounds. What I’m suggesting though is slightly different: a detached, solo venue elevated above the track but detached from grandstands and other venues. It could essentially serve as an on-site bar and restaurant where guests could go for a small bite and a cocktail or two without missing out on the action. And don’t correctly, it might even help them feel closer to the track than they would in the typical grandstand eateries.
3. A Poker Room with a View
There has long been a connection between sport and poker. For one thing, the placement of major poker tournaments on ESPN and similar networks effectively turned it into a sport itself. Additionally, we often see professional athletes in poker — from tennis champion Boris Becker to soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo — either unwinding from their main sports or pursuing it as a competitive hobby in retirement. For these reasons alone, including poker at sporting venues has a certain logic to it. Even beyond these factors though, there’s also a sort of unspoken connection between equestrian sports and casino activity specifically. This is primarily due to the fact that horse racing is so prominent in sports betting, but it provides another link to poker as well.
Given all of this, I simply love the idea of a major equestrian venue building in a high-end poker lounge — perhaps on a grandstand top floor with big windows overlooking the tracks. Spectators would have one more fun thing to do in between races, and poker would be a great fit for the culture of sport, racing, and betting at these events.
4. Finish-Line Fan Photo Op
What better way to enhance your on-site horse racing experience than a staged instagram-worthy finish line photo op? One year the Breeders’ Cup World Championships had a real-life “mini winners’ circle” photo booth for fans to get their photos taken with a real-life miniature horse, branded saddle towel, stadium backdrop, flower garland, mini trophy, purple carpet-style and all! It was a great activity for all fans, including the wee-ones. With a relatively low-cost build, the event could stage a space where traffic flows freely for fans to be able to take photos and share instantly to social media for great brand awareness and content hash tagged throughout the event. It’s a great way for a sponsor to get involved, too!
5. Hat Printing Shops
Within the general fashion scene discussed above, hats are everything at major equestrian events. The history of derby hats in the United States dates back more than a century. In the UK too, some of the race-day hats essentially amount to works of art (albeit eccentric art). And many race goers will spend months, as well as hundreds of dollars, choosing and buying the right hat for the occasion.
So why hasn’t a venue thought to custom design them on site? I’ll confess, I don’t know the intricacies of 3D printing well enough to get into how much could really be accomplished here. But the technology is certainly advanced enough, and the idea is tantalizing. A shop on the grounds of a given racing venue that could allow fans to customize hat designs and see them printed in short time would be a huge hit!
Ultimately, I’ll contend that major equestrian events are about as much fun as anything you can do in the sporting world. They’re just about perfect as things stand. But venues and events can always improve, and the changes I’ve suggested here might just make some of the racing festivals even more enjoyable.
