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out we’d like to broaden our sponsorship to cover all of Northern Virginia.”
More sponsors and larger purses have attracted many hew participants to ’chasing. With the added money the quality of horses contesting the races has also improved, making races more competitive and, attracting additional fans, which iflfturn brings bigger sponsorships.
“You used to be able to win one of these things with a cheap flat track reject, but you can’t do that now,” comments Mr. Rouse, who has campaigned several successful jumpers himself, including Virginia Point-to-Point Horse of the Year Cinzano.
“To win a steeplechase race today you need a solid flat track horse,” adds the local horseman. “The ones that win over jumps now can win a pretty good race on the flat tracks too.”
With more steeplechase races being offered, plus larger purses, trainers can now look to the sport as a means of making a living without having to rely on flat track racing for a supplementary income.
“Steeplechasing is in a growth period at the moment and could become profitable for trainers,” says Tennessean Frank Raquet, currently the season’s leading trainer. “You’re finding a lot of younger trainers in the business now' with new ideas who aren’t so set in their ways and are willing to accept new ideas and technology. That’s important. Stables are improving all across the country.”
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