Earliest meeting: Tuesday 27th March 1821
Final meeting: Saturday 6th April 1935
The Brocklesby Hunt Group was formed in about 1700 and when the reign of Charles Pelham as Master came to an end In 1763 Lord Yarborough took over the running of the Brocklesby Hunt, loved racing and enjoyed the thrill of watching a number of his horses perform in the Grand National. His heirs not only inherited his title but also his love of hunting and racing. Prior to the start of the 19th century the hunt staged some unofficial race meetings, but the Sporting Magazine of 1821 recorded a meeting took place at the Brocklesby Hunt course in Lincolnshire on Tuesday 27th March 1821. The course was from North Thoresby to Aylesby and to mark the opening of the course a match was arranged between Mr T Brooks and Mr F Nicholson. The 10 mile race was won by Mr Brooks and contained an amazing 70 fences. In 1835, exactly a century before meetings were brought to a close, the Brocklesby Union Hunt Club was formed and administered their race meetings. A famous meeting was staged on Tuesday 28th February 1837, billed as a steeplechase open to All England, with 50 sovereigns added from the Fund of the Brocklesby Hunt Union Club. The start was a field near Grainsby House and the finish near the mill at Hatcliffe, close to the Barton and Louth roads. A large field went to post, including Captain Skipworth’s Bumpkin, but it was Sir T Whichcote’s Longwaist who triumphed in 13 minutes. Meetings were held intermittently for the next 100 years, although there were many lapses, including a two year period in 1875 and 1876 when the third Lord Yarborough died at the young age of 40. The final meeting under rules took place on Saturday 6th April 1935, although bona fide meetings continued until Thursday 30th March 1939.
Brocklesby Steeplechase over a 4 mile round course in the Wolds of Lincolnshire.
Tuesday 28th February 1837
Brocklesby Hunt Union Club All England Steeplechase
1. Longwaist, bay horse owned by Sir T Whichcote
2. Thornton, chestnut horse owned by Mr Charles Soulby
3. Fiddler, bay horse owned by Mr James Kay
4. Aswarby, brown horse owned by Mr R Hunter
5. Red Mantle, bay horse owned by Mr W Loft
Brocklesby Steeplechase over 4 miles
1. Ormsby owned by Mr Richardson
2. Peter Simple owned by Mr W Marris
3. Grasshopper owned by Mr C Patchett
4. Prickbelt owned by Mr Lamplugh
The scan shows a booklet from the 1929-30 season and predominantly mentions foxhunting despite racing continuing to take place.
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727
