Spectacular speed, huge cheering crowds and the waft of smoke from metal sparks made for an unforgettable atmosphere at the All-Ireland Road Trotting Championships yesterday.
Organised road horseracing can only be found on the boreens and byways of west Cork. Every Sunday afternoon hundreds of equine lovers gather on a closed road in a picturesque corner of Cork to watch the ancient sport.
Thousands of racegoers travelled to Old Chapel near Bandon yesterday for the stunning six-race event. Although road trotting is only practiced locally, many spectators travelled from further a field. Many jetted into Cork from the valleys of Wales and the high roads of Scotland to enjoy an exclusive day out.
No multi-million euro course or stadium is required - just a one-mile long length of road and a licence to close the route.
At each end of the road, bails of hay stand mark the turning point. The only protection and source of traction for the horse and its rider is a smattering of sand and two small metal studs on the trotting shoes.
The race is normally a two- to three-lap affair raced at a speed which, for the untrained eye, seems to be just one hoofmark away from collision and catastrophe.
As many as eight horses and their jockeys blister a stamped out path around the course. As the group of panting animals and their whistling, yelping riders pass, a sweet smell of smoke follows as sparks fly from the horseshoes.
Spokeswoman Jackie Cowan said that horses as well as humans enjoy the sport. "They love to hear the rat-a-tat of their hooves on the ground and from the moment they are born as foals they want to trot. The best horses will automatically hug the bails as they turn - they know when to slow and they know they have to take the most direct route," she said.
Participants cross the spectrum of society, from gardaí, to doctors, solicitors, publicans and professional horse breeders.
"Children become addicted to the sport rather than to drugs and other temptations - they dedicate their time and energies to caring for the animal - it is a love affair," she said.
Jockey John Sheehy is a detective garda in Wexford and travels a 400-mile round trip to West Cork every weekend to race. "I get an absolutely great buzz out of it. I started riding when I was ten-years-old and 20 years later I'm still at it - I love it."