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Discover the Heart of Horse Racing
The north bank of the River Wharfe has a long history of racing horses and it is there that the Wetherby story begins.
Where it all began
Wetherby has a deep connection to horses, dating back to the Bronze age when the area was first settled.
The Romans, who had a nearby camp are believed to have raced horses at Netherby which lies a few miles west of the town.
Wetherby became an important staging post, positioned mid-way between London and Edinburgh with the Great North Road running through, and with a bridge across the somewhat turbulent River Wharfe. By the 18th Century the town boasted 26 inns with accommodation and stabling for over 1,000 horses.
In 1842 regular horse-races began at Linton, now the site of Wetherby Golf Club. These events funded by members of the local farming, hunting and military, were informal, however, by 1878 as their popularity rose, it became clear that a more organised approach was required.
The Rise Of The Steeplechase
In the late 18th Century, Steeplechases, originating in Ireland, became popular across the UK.
These races were the ultimate test of horse and rider, as they raced over fields, jumping hedges, walls and ditches, with church steeples used as navigation points due to their visibility. A well-known local steeplechase ran between Kirk Deighton and Walton Churches, about 3 miles apart; today both spires can be seen from Wetherby Racecourse.
Modern steeplechases, or ‘chases’, cover distances between 2 and 4.5 miles, with horses jumping obstacles such as fences, ditches and water jumps. Fences are at least 4.5 feet high, and at Wetherby, they’re made of birch. We have a section of a Steeplechase Fence in the Paddock, please take a look at the workmanship that goes into making and maintaining them on your next visit.
Unlike Flat Racess, chases do not use starting stalls; instead, horses line up behind elasticated tapes, which are released when the starter gives the signal.
Chasers – horses that run in steeplechases, tend to be typically older and may have run previously in hurdle races to gain experience and refine their jumping skills.
When it all began...
In 1878, a racing committee was established by local sports enthusiasts and businessmen, led by Mr. Henry Crossley, a well-known stationer, printer, and founder of The Wetherby News.
The committee quickly realised that to fund the development of racing, they needed to make the meetings more commercially viable. In 1884, they introduced a sixpence entry for the popular side, a decision that nearly led to riot, as admission had previously been free!
After an unsuccesful attempt to purchase land at the Ings, the committee began searching for a new location for Wetherby Races. They found a new site on land once farmed by Henry Crossley and owned by Capt Montagu of Ingmanthorpe Hall, a landmark still visible from the Racecourse today.
The final meeting at the Ings took place on April 8, 1890 with the main race won by Mr Lycett Green’s Riston ridden by Mr. Wilmot-Smith. The trio would repeat this success at the first meeting at the new course on Easter Monday, 1891.
While initially basic, the race meetings thrived, and development began soon after, with a Grandstand (Bramham) and Weighing Room in place by 1906. However progress stalled during World War I. Between 1919 & 1920 it was decided to refresh the organising committee, leading to the formation of the Wetherby Steeplechase Committee Ltd. The original committee members-Messrs Crossley, Atkinson & Long-were joined by Captain Montagu and Mr Wilmot-Smith. Mr Rowland Francis Meyrick was appointed Clerk of the Course, a position he would retain until 1947.
The new Committee focused on expanding the facilities, and Henry Crossley played a key role in securing the construction of a railway station, behind the course which was a major advantage! The station opened in 1924 and the Committee even covered travel expenses to bring horses in by train. Special trains ‘Racecourse Specials’ transported thousands of racegoers from Leeds., leading to a boom in attendance with over 40,000 reported attendees to some meetings. Unfortunately, the station closed in 1959.
In 1953 the Committee secured the freehold of the Racecourse and continued to invest in development, including construction of a new stable block on the site, as previously horses were stabled near the town. The first Grandstand was completed in 1967.
Over the years, the Wetherby Steeplechase Committee has continued to enhance the Racecourse facilities, adding the Weighing Room and Parade Ring redevelopment, the Wetherby Millennium Grandstand, The Bramham Hall redevelopment, and the Millennium West development, which replaced the 1967 Grandstand.
The latest development was the construction of the new turnstile entrance, which included changes to the ingress roadways and construction of a lit footpath to the coachpark, this was completed in 2021. In 2025-2026, work will start on upgrades and additions to the Weighing Room facilities.
Have you sorted your mother`s day gifts out yet? 🎁 Don`t forget....it`s just one week away!
Why not treat mum to a day out at the races 🐎 Whether it is with the family at our Family Day or without the kids for Ladies Evening, or maybe you could treat her to a dining experience?
Tickets and Gift Vouchers available on our website - link in bio 🔗
#mothersday #mum #happymothersday
Mar 23
For Wear A Hat Day, we’re looking for the biggest, boldest, and downright wackiest hats 🎩👒
If your fabulous creation catches our eye, you could snag one of our special spot prizes!
From funky feathered fascinators to outrageous homemade headgear, the sky’s the limit - so get creative. Remember, every outlandish hat helps support two amazing charities @yorkshirebtc and @brain_tumour_research
Join us for a fantastic day of racing, raffle fun, and head-turning hats galore!
SWIPE through to take a look at some of last year`s photos! ➡️👀👏
Book in advance to get our best prices - link in bio
Mar 22
Our groundstaff find all manner of wildlife when working at the racecourse...🥚🥚
We are currently watching and waiting patiently for these duck eggs to hatch after a family of ducks decided outside the Millennium Stand was a great place to nest! 🦆🦆🐣🐣
@wearetheGMA #groundsweek2025 #groundstaff #teamwork #wetherbyraces #racing #horseracing #eventvenue #yorkshire #yorkshireracing
Mar 21
While we race through the winter months, our groundstaff are still kept busy in the summer months as we have plenty of grass they have to keep on top of.
Can you guess how many acres of grass they are responsible for? Pop your guesses in the comments below 👇
@wearetheGMA #groundsweek2025 #groundstaff #teamwork #wetherbyraces #racing #horseracing #eventvenue #yorkshire #yorkshireracing
Mar 20
This #groundsweek we are celebrating the hard work of our groundstaff who work tirelessly to ensure our track and grounds are well maintained and in tip-top condition! 🌱
📸 Ian Foster is one of our longest serving groundstaff. Here he can be seen rebuilding one of our Steeple Chase fences, filling it with birch before trimming it down to the correct height.
Thank you for all your hard work Neal, Ian, Marcus, Matt, Jack, Phil and Les 👏
@wearetheGMA #groundsweek2025 #groundstaff #teamwork #wetherbyraces #racing #horseracing #eventvenue #yorkshire #yorkshireracing
Mar 19
Today`s weekday racing features a six-race card 🏇🌞
⏰ Gates Open: 11.30am
🏇 First Race: 2.00pm
General Admission Tickets are available to purchase online until 10:00am - 🎟️ Ticket link in bio
Mar 18
Our advance booking discounts for tomorrow`s meeting have now closed. However, you can still guarantee your ticket by booking online before 10:00am on the morning of racing.
Don`t forget if you book in advance into either the Premier or Paddock Enclosure, you may collect a complimentary racecard on your way into the course.
Click the link in our bio to purchase your last-minute tickets.
Mar 17
📷 Kicking off #groundsweek by introducing the newest (although not so new anymore!) member of our groundstaff team...Matt.
Matt joined in September last year and has quickly become an integral part of the team. Matt says his favourite part of the job is working in the great outdoors in beautiful Yorkshire and of course the great team he gets to work with!
@wearetheGMA #groundsweek #racing #groundstaff #hardwork #teamwork #wetherbyraces #horseracing #yorkshireracing
Mar 17
🏆 It`s Gold Cup Day 🏆
We will be cheering on our @bet365 Charlie Hall Steeplechase winner, The Real Whacker, who runs in the Gold Cup today!
Who will you be cheering on?
📷 Photo Credit - https://www.officialphotographersuk.com/
#GoldCup #GoldCup2025 #CheltenhamFestival #Horseracing
Mar 14
Have you seen our new website? 👀
💻Our new look website launched at the start of March and we would love to hear what you think! Visit www.wetherbyracing.co.uk to see all the latest news, fixtures and events happening at the Racecourse. 🔗 Link in bio.
Mar 13
SPRING ☀️🌱🌷
It`s so nice to see the first signs of Spring coming through! Hopefully the sun will stick around for a glorious day of racing next Tuesday 🤞🏼
For our best prices make sure you book in advance. All advance bookings receive a complimentary racecard too! Booking link in bio 🔗
#racing #horseracing #wetherbyraces #wetherby #yorkshire #thingstodoyorkshire #daysoutyorkshire
Mar 11
As part of our support towards Brain Tumour Awareness month, we will be hosting our annual Flat Cap Course Walk, on Friday 21st March 2025.
This provides the opportunity to walk our hallowed turf with our Clerk of the Course and Head Groundsman to find out what goes into preparing the ground and fences before a raceday!
Volunteers from @yorkshirebtc will be here joining in and will be available for a chat over a cuppa when we go into the weighing room for a Behind the Scenes look! 👀
There is no charge to attend, but we will be requesting donations on the day to the Charity.
🐶 Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome
To find out more about the course walk and how to join in, please visit the website or call the office on 01937 582035.
Mar 10
