Velká pardubická
Velká pardubická is a famous cross-country steeplechase run in Pardubice, Czech Republic since 1874. It takes place every year on the second Sunday in October.
The length of the steeplechase is 6.9 km (4 miles 506 yards), with 31 obstacles. It usually takes 9–10 minutes to finish the course; the record is 8:56.01 set by Ribelino in 2015.
Horses starting in the race must be at least six years old (before 2009, the minimum age was seven years); Czech horses must qualify by finishing at least one of four qualifying races during the season.
History
The race was first run in 1874 in Pardubice, a town long known in the horse racing world, as some trainers and jockeys from England came there to work. The current steeplechase course was established in 1856, however the course first took its present-day form in the years just after the Second World War.[1]
The course of the race has been changed several times, most recently in 1998 when the direction of the final phase of the race was changed to accommodate the new grandstand. The surface of the racecourse is mainly grass, but one-quarter of the race is run through ploughed fields, which used to take almost half of the race in the past. Some obstacles have also been changed, mostly to improve safety, although the difficulty of the race is said to have suffered as a result.[1]
Obstacles
Horses must negotiate a total of 31 obstacles.[2] These are:
- 1 - Hedge (1.2m)
- 2 - Hedge with ditch (1.3m, with a 60 cm ditch on the other side)
- 3 - Small water jump (3m long)
- 4 - Taxis ditch. This is the most famous obstacle in the race, and it is jumped just once. 28 horses have died at this obstacle. In the past it consisted of a 2 m deep and 5 m long ditch hidden behind a 1.5 m high hedge. Nowadays, it is a 1 m deep and 4 m long ditch with a 1.5 m high hedge. This obstacle is used only for the Velká pardubická, and horses are not permitted to use it for training.
- 5 - Irish bank. This unusual obstacle requires the horses to shimmy up and down a steep artificial bank.
- 6 - Popkovic ditch. (1.3m hedge with a 2m long ditch on the other side)
- 7 - French jump. A pair of closely spaced hedges, 1.2m and 1.3m in height, which must be jumped as one.
- 8 & 9 - Small gardens. A pair of hedges, 1.25m and 1.3m in height, which are jumped in quick succession.
- 10 - English jump. (1.2m hedge with a ditch on the takeoff side)
- 10a - Extended taxis ditch. (Small hedge, about 1.1m tall, which joins with the main taxis ditch)
- 11 - Hedge with ditch. (1.3m, with a ditch on the landing side)
Curiosities
Historically, the most successful horse in the race was Železník. The horse won the race four times (from 1987 to 1989 and again in 1991).
Josef Váňa Sr. is the most successful jockey, having achieved eight victories, and he is also a very well known celebrity in the Czech Republic. There is a 2012 movie about him (Váňa, directed by Jakub Wagner). He has also trained 10 winners of the Velká Pardubická and six horses which have finished in second place.
The first (and only woman) to have won the race as of 2019 is Countess Lata Brandisová (1896-1981), who won in 1937 with her mare, Norma - seven lengths ahead of the professional jockey Willibald Schlagbaum in second place. Only 10 of the 15 runners finished. She was the first woman to enter the race in 1927 (falling five times and remounting to finish fifth). In later years she came in fourth, third and second on Norma.[3]
The 1937 Grand Pardubice was the last race held for nearly a decade. The 1938 race was called off following the Munich agreement and not run during World War II.
Winners
Year | Winning Horse | Age | Handicap (kg) | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Winning Time |
2019 | 9 | 70 | Dostihový klub iSport-Váňa | 9m 28.76s | |||
2018 | 7 | 70 | Dr. Charvát | 9m 05.56s | |||
2017 | 8 | 70 | DS Paragan | 9m 39.98s | |||
2016 | 9 | 70 | Orling | 9m 42.86s | |||
2015 | 7 | 68 | Lokotrans | 8m 56.01s | |||
2014 | 12 | 66 | DS Pegas | 9m 08.25s | |||
2013 | 11 | 66 | DS Pegas | 9m 33.22s | |||
2012 | 10 | 66 | DS Pegas | 9m 13.39s | |||
2011 | 10 | 68.5 | Köi Dent | 9m 15.29s | |||
2010 | 9 | 68 | Köi Dent | 9m 03.73s | |||
2009 | 8 | 68 | Köi Dent | 9m 19.56s | |||
2008 | 8 | 66 | Jaroslav Bouček Buc-Film | 8m 58.99s | |||
2007 | 7 | 66 | Jaroslav Bouček Buc-Film | 9m 18.66s | |||
2006 | 11 | 67 | Dr. Charvát | 9m 20.60s | |||
2005 | 11 | 67 | Nýznerov | 9m 11.25s | |||
2004 | 8 | 65 | Wrbna Racing | 9m 15.48s | |||
2003 | 7 | 65 | Wrbna Racing | 9m 30.14s | |||
2002 | 8 | 67 | Nýznerov | 10m 22.07s | |||
2001 | 9 | 67 | Viktor Komárek | 10m 04.52s | |||
2000 | 12 | 67 | DC Zámrsk - MUDr. Bruna | 9m 29.00s | |||
1999 | 11 | 67 | DC Zámrsk - MUDr. Bruna | 9m 16.00s | |||
1998 | 10 | 67 | DC Zámrsk - MUDr. Bruna | 10m 10.01s | |||
1997 | 9 | 67 | Viktor Komárek | 10m 33.30s | |||
1996 | 8 | 64.5 | Stáj Luka | 9m 35.10s | |||
1995 | 10 | 67 | The Icy Fire Partnership | 10m 03.43s | |||
1994 | 8 | 65.5 | Pěník Vlachovice | 10m 06.07s | |||
1993 | 9 | 70.5 | Valstav-Paschal | 10m 29.0s | |||
1992 | 10 | Pôdohospodárske družstvo Senica | 10m 09.1s | ||||
1991 | 13 | 83 | Státní statek Bruntál - Světlá Hora | 10m 01.0s | |||
1990 | 7 | ŠPP Motěšice | 9m 49.4s | ||||
1989 | 11 | 81 | Státní statek Bruntál - Světlá Hora | 10m 16.3s | |||
1988 | 10 | 80 | Státní statek Bruntál - Světlá Hora | 10m 59.8s | |||
1987 | 9 | 80 | Státní statek Bruntál - Světlá Hora | 9m 56.13s | |||
1986 | 9 | JZD Velké Karlovice | 10m 39.4s | ||||
1985 | Festival | 11 | PP Kladruby | 10m 36.4s | |||
1984 | Erot | 9 | Hřebčín Voschod | 10m 48.9s | |||
1983 | 8 | PP Kladruby | 10m 28.0s | ||||
1982 | 7 | PP Kladruby | 10m 12.04s | ||||
1981 | 6 | PP Kladruby | 12m 46.37s | ||||
1980 | Simon | 9 | JZD Pokrok Otice | 11m 47.53s | |||
1979 | Legenda | 6 | JZD Čebín | 11m 07.10s | |||
1978 | Lancaster | 6 | PP Šamorín | 11m 30.60s | |||
1977 | Václav | 9 | Státní statek Židlochovice | 12m 15.20s | |||
1976 | Limit | 8 | PP Albertovec | 10m 59.40s | |||
1975 | 11 | PP Albertovec | 11m 01.70s | ||||
1974 | 10 | PP Albertovec | 10m 42.70s | ||||
1973 | 7 | Christopher Collins | 10m 04.90s | ||||
1972 | 13 | Státní statek Židlochovice | 10m 55.20s | ||||
1971 | 12 | Státní statek Židlochovice | 11m 02.80s | ||||
1970 | Vezna II | 6 | DZS St. Karadža | 11m 41.20s | |||
1969 | 10 | Státní statek Židlochovice | 11m 01.20s | ||||
1968 | cancelled[lower-alpha 2] | ||||||
1967 | 8 | JO Avangard Lvov | 11m 34.70s | ||||
1966 | Nestor | 7 | ŠPU Prešov | 12m 22.60s | |||
1965 | 7 | Státní statek Benešov | 10m 39.60s | ||||
1964 | 7 | DSO Urožaj | 11m 33.60s | ||||
1963 | 12 | SPÚ Tlumačov | 10m 47.20s | ||||
1962 | 6 | DSO Urožaj | 10m 05.10s | ||||
1961 | 8 | Hřebčín č. 158 | 10m 21.30s | ||||
1960 | 7 | Hřebčín č. 158 | 12m 32.00s | ||||
1959 | 10 | CKSK MO | 12m 05.20s | ||||
1958 | 9 | CKSK MO | 13m 11.00s | ||||
1957 | 8 | CKSK MO | 11m 27.90s | ||||
1956 | 11 | Státní statek Xaverov | 13m 14.80s | ||||
1955 | 7 | ŠŽ Topoľčianky | 11m 32.10s | ||||
1954 | 14 | Jiskra Moravský Beroun | 13m 08.00s | ||||
1953 | 10 | DSO Slavoj Opava | 11m 13.50s | ||||
1952 | 13 | Družstvo Kalich | 11m 25.30s | ||||
1951 | 10 | Sokol KP Opava | 10m 58.00s | ||||
1950 | 11 | Sokol Borek | 11m 17.20s | ||||
1949 | 11 | VSJ Pardubice | 10m 55.30s | ||||
1948 | 9 | Vojenský útvar 2108 | 11m 03.30s | ||||
1947 | 12 | Centre Nat. d. Sports Equesters | 10m 30.30s | ||||
1946 | 9 | Vojenský útvar 2228 | 11m 56.40s | ||||
1938–1945 | cancelled[lower-alpha 3] | ||||||
1937 | 10 | Karel Šmejda | Zdenko Radslav Kinský | 10m 47.00s | |||
1936 | 11 | Kerpen | Oskar Lengnik | 10m 47.00s | |||
1935 | 10 | Oskar Lengnik | 10m 41.40s | ||||
1934 | 11 | H. Wiese | H. Wiese | 12m 44.00s | |||
1933 | 8 | Dr. Alfred Tonelles | 11m 24.60s | ||||
1932 | 7 | Dr. Alfred Tonelles | 12m 48.80s | ||||
1931 | 5 | Karel Šmejda | Zdenko Radslav Kinský | 14m 47.80s | |||
1930 | 8 | Rudolf Popler | Cpt. Rudolf Popler | 12m 00.00s | |||
1929 | 7 | Gustav Schwandt | Gustav Schwandt | 12m 37.00s | |||
1928 | 8 | Hans Schmidt | Feldwebel H. Nünninghoff | 12m 03.90s | |||
1927 | Cpt. J. Charous | 14m 00.00s | |||||
1926 | All Right II | 7 | Lufta | Stáj P.F. | 17m 44.60s | ||
1925 | 7 | Stáj Max | 19m 19.20s | ||||
1924 | Herero | Eduard Stärz | Eduard Stärz | Stáj Sankt Georg | 13m 10.00s | ||
1923 | 5 | Martinkovich | Stáj Max | 13m 29.00s | |||
1922 | Baldur | Buřival | Lady Huntingghost | 15m 27.00s | |||
1921 | Periwig | 7 | Oldřich Rosák | A. Vaněk | 15m 32.00s | ||
1920 | Jonathan | 5 | Jan Pálffy | 20m 15.00s | |||
1914–1919 | cancelled[lower-alpha 4] | ||||||
1913[lower-alpha 5] | Hurain | W. Reimer | |||||
Dick Turpin | 10 | F. Janek | Lt. B. Rosenthal | 11m 11.50s | |||
1912[lower-alpha 5] | Hurain | W. Reimer | |||||
Jamagata | 6 | František Bartosch | 11m 39.40s | ||||
1911 | 6 | Count Frankenberg | 10m 22.00s | ||||
1910 | 5 | Max Seiffert | K.A. Wuthenau | 14m 26.50s | |||
1909 | race void[lower-alpha 6] | ||||||
1908 | cancelled[lower-alpha 7] | ||||||
1907 | 6 | J. Birghan | Rottman | P. Mecklenburg | 11m 24.60s | ||
1906 | Tigra | 4 | Wheeler | Anton Dreher | 12m 10.60s | ||
1905 | 10 | Max Seiffert | Feldwebel Knesebeck | ||||
1904 | Dennis | 6 | Walter Earl | Prince Karel Kinský | |||
1903 | Jour Fix | 7 | Oldřich Rosák | Ness Van | Emil von David jr. | 12m 04.00s | |
1902 | Jour Fix | 6 | Oldřich Rosák | Hough | Emil von David jr. | ||
1901 | Chorazy | 6 | 1st Lt. E. Koller | ||||
1900 | Magyarád | 8 | Ralph Heath | Hřebčín Obora | |||
1899 | Sláva | Ralph Heath | Count Zdenko Kinský | ||||
1898 | R. Jekyll | H.Brown Jr. | Gustav Beit | ||||
1897 | Magyarád | 5 | Ralph Heath | Count Zdenko Kinský | |||
1896 | 10 | George Herbert | Jacques Schawell | ||||
1895 | 4 | John Pache | Robert Lebaudy | ||||
1894 | 8 | George Herbert | Jacques Schawell | ||||
1893 | Hadnagy | 7 | Hansi Fries | General Count H. Lamberg | |||
1892 | Alphabet | 7 | John Westlake | Count Rudolf Ferdinand Kinský | |||
1891 | 5 | George Herbert | Jacques Schawell | ||||
1890 | Alphabet | 5 | Count Rudolf Ferdinand Kinský | ||||
1889 | Parisis | 6 | 1st Lt. Alex Kutchenbach | ||||
1888 | 4 | M. Phillips | Count Nicolo Esterházy | ||||
1887 | Woodman | 9 | Hector Baltazzi | ||||
1886 | 4 | Ferdinand Schosberger | |||||
1885 | Abracadabra | 6 | Hansi Fries | Hansi Fries | Count Nicolo Esterházy | ||
1884 | 6 | Oscar Oehlschläger | |||||
1883 | Victoria | 10 | George Herbert | Jacques Schawell | |||
1882 | 5 | T. Harraway | Baron E. Falkenhausen | ||||
1881 | Victoria | 8 | George Herbert | Jacques Schawell | |||
1880 | Good Morning | 4 | M. Phillips | Ralph Heath | G.F.J. Smith (Zd. Kinský) | ||
1879 | Rudi | 5 | I. Hanreich | John Beeson | Count Nicolo Esterházy | ||
1878 | Brigand | 8 | John Reeves | Count Tassilo Festetics | |||
1877 | Brigand | 7 | John Reeves | Count Tassilo Festetics | |||
1876 | cancelled[lower-alpha 8] | ||||||
1875 | Brigand | 5 | John Reeves | Count Tassilo Festetics | |||
1874 | 6 | Baron von Cramm | |||||
- In 2008, Amant Gris finished first but was disqualified for taking the wrong course.
- The 1968 race was cancelled due to the Soviet Union occupation of the Czechoslovakia Prague Spring.
- The race was not run in 1938–1945 due to Nazi occupation and the Second World War.
- The race was not run in 1914–1919 due to the First World War.
- The 1912 and 1913 race were dead heats.
- The 1909 race was declared void as none of the three horses that ran finished.
- The 1908 race was cancelled due to snow.
- The 1876 race was cancelled due to frost.
References
- http://www.vpcp.cz/en/history.html History of the Velká Pardubická České pojišťovny
- Obstacles
- Richard Askwith (2019). Unbreakable: The Woman Who Defied the Nazis in the World's Most Dangerous Horse Race. Yellow Jersey Press.