Earliest Meeting:-Friday 23rd September 1836
Final Meeting:-Thursday 12th September 1839
The town of Falkirk, at the junction of the Forth and Clyde and Union Canals, lies in the Central Lowlands area of Scotland in the county of Stirling. Today it boasts a population in excess of 32,000, but in the late 18th century it was best known for the Falkirk Tryst, which boosted its population at certain times of the year. From 1785 it hosted one of the largest gatherings of livestock farmers in Scotland, holding monthly cattle markets on the second Tuesday in August, September and October. It gained even more popularity when similar trysts at Crieff declined. The trysts continued to be popular until the late 19th century. The Trysts Ground was located on the northern edge of Stenhousemuir, some 2 miles from Falkirk, on what is now Falkirk Tryst Gold Club (founded in 1885). However, in the middle years of the 19th century, Falkirk staged its own race meetings on the Tryst, launching an inaugural meeting on Friday 23rd September 1836. At the time, and by way of additional publicity, the races were advertised with the slogan, ’What the St Leger is to Doncaster, The Cup race is to Falkirk’.
Falkirk Tryst Races
Friday 23rd September 1836
15 Sovereigns Purse (horses to carry 12st)
Once round and the distance
- Sonter Johnny, bay gelding owned by Mr I Johnston
- Bessy Bell owned by Mr Wilson
- Jingling Johnny owned by Mr R Gardner
10 Sovereigns Purse (horses to carry 12st)
Once round and the distance
- Bessy Bell owned by Mr Wilson
- Fair Jane owned by Mr Pennycook
- Wandering Steiny owned by Mr Paterson
- Brutus owned by Mr R Robertson
- Anna owned by Mr A Robertson
5 Sovereigns Purse (Once round and the distance)
- Silver Tail owned by Mr Hay
- Fair Jane owned by Mr Pennycook
- Wandering Steiny owned by Mr Paterson
Pony Race (under 14 hands)
Stuff-flapped saddle and double bridle
- Fitz owned by Mr Edwards
- Queen of Sheba owned by Mr Herriot
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the 1856 map shown below.
The final record of a meeting was on Thursday 12th September 1839 and, some 46 years later, Falkirk Tryst Golf Club was founded.
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
