Riders preparing for another fine season of trotting
As summer draws nearer, thoughts move to the start of the trotting season. The first few meetings are held on the all weather track at Tair Gwaith near Ammanford before the sport moves to the traditional weekly grass meetings from the middle of May.
The relatively dry weather of the past few weeks will have helped in the horses’ preparations for the season. This and the facility of pre-season workouts ensure some cracking racing can be expected at the first meeting, the Llangadog meet held at Tair Gwaith on April 29.
There is always great excitement as the merits of newcomers, both equine and human, are discussed. Will they live up to their previous reputations or will the old favourites from the past couple of seasons hold on to their form – or maybe even surpass previous efforts and reward their fans for their support?
Conditions will be standard so there will be no excuses, but some horses take a week or two to settle in to the season while others storm out of the gate to claim early victory.
One thing is for sure, there will be plenty of enthusiasm for the start of the season, and the good prize money on offer will not have gone unnoticed, so all the hard track specialists will be certain to line up to stake their claims.
The trainers will have polished up the sulkies, possibly made some lastminute adjustments in order to save a fraction of a second, which is often the difference between winning and losing.
The drivers, kitted out in their sparkling colours, will be hoping to begin their 2017 campaign with a few good runs. It’s always good to have a couple of early wins on the board.
It is fitting that the first meeting of this traditional sport is carried out on the site of three disused collieries. Coal-mining, like trotting, is part of the history of south Wales, and the area provides an ideal site for the half-mile trotting track.
The huge investment of latter years has transformed it into a charming facility which allows horses to show their full potential.
When we look back to the first meeting last year, Oliver (OJ) Jones claimed four victories which proved to be the start of a fantastic season for this young farmer from Evenjobb, who was runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship in 2016.
This year he again has a full stable. Along with his partner’s stable (Perks Presteigne), they will be looking at starting the season with a bang.
But they won’t have it all their own way. The Weigel family from Haverfordwest enjoyed a good season, with three of their horses in the top 20 by the end of the season.
The Tromans stable from Newcastle Emlyn is another stable to follow, while last year’s winner of the first Grade A of the season, Lakeside Pan for the Elder family from Ceredigion, always has the crowd shouting their support.
The Pritchard stable from Rhosgoch, the Hardwick stable from Brecon, along with plenty of smaller establishments, will be there for the love of the sport. That really is what makes trotting still the equine entertainment with such a local enthusiastic following.