ALEXANDRIA, VA – Enjoy watching horse races or going to the track? There’s good news. You will be able to see the International Gold Cup when it streams live online Oct. 24. There will be a limited number of people on-site at Great Meadow, mainly personnel who work with the horses.
The race – one of the largest in the country – is being held to support the equine industry, which has encountered financial hardship during the coronavirus pandemic.
Horse racing is important to Virginia’s economy. According to a report by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the industry brings in $2 billion a year for economic development and provides more than 38,000 jobs. This past spring, the steeplechase community came together as races were cancelled to devise a solution so that jockeys and caretakers could maintain employment.
“We wanted to provide a venue for the steeplechase/racing industry to be able to get horses out and receive some financial support in the form of purse money,” explained Dr. William Allison, a co-chair of the Virginia Gold Cup Association, the organization that oversees the Virginia Gold Cup and the International Gold Cup. “Thanks to the [National Steeplechase Association], jockeys and trainers have been able to continue training their horses and have some livestreaming venues where they can compete.”
The race starts at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. Click HERE to watch. For more information, visit vagoldcup.com.Tailgate recipes and hat photos, in honor of the annual Hat and Tailgate Contests, can be shared on the VGCA facebook, Instagram, and twitter.
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