Pompadour Horse Racing Association
Since 1937 the Pompadour Horse-racing Association has organized annual horse racing events during the summer, on the flat and over jumps. The racecourse at Pompadour, rated as 1st Class for jumps and 2nd class A on the flat is considered to be one of the most beautiful in France. The cross country events have been particularly popular with professionals as well as the public. Pompadour is also twined with the racecourse of Folkestone since 2007.
At present, Pompadour is one of the few racecourses in the South West of France that has seen a rise in its attendance both of participants and the public. The races here are of real quality. In fact, many horses pass through this Corrèzian town on their way to other events in Paris or Pau.
Recently we have seen in Pompadour Graal de Chalamont ( winner of the Presidents Prize at Auteuil in 2000); Magnus( winner of the Autumn Grand Prix at Auteuil in 2001); Empereur River having participated in the Grand National at Aintree, Liverpool in 2003; and Nériette ( winner of the Grand Prix at Pau in 2004). Renowned local horses were equally well represented. One has to mention Anatole, the winner of the Grand Cross of Pompadour for the third time.
The leading trainers of France such as Guillaume Macaire, Jaques Ortet, Jean-Pierre Totain, and even Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé have taken part in the meetings at Pompadour. Furthermore, the best of French jockeys, the multiple winner of the golden crop Chritophe Pieux; the recent crop winner for 2005 Jacques Ricou; Fabrice Barrao and Benoit Gicquel ride regularly on this Corrèzian racecourse which also sees the racing colours of the most prestigious stables such as those of Wildenstein, Baron Edouard de Rothschild, the brothers Werthheimer, the Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum and Robert Fougedoire ( owner of Al Capone II and El Paso III).
Technical Notes :
The whole racecourse site extends over some 30 hectares, with about
2 hectares of track.
The flat track is of sand, about 2000 metres long and about 12
metres wide, with a home straight of 300 metres. The general sense
is clockwise with rails to the right. There are seven starting
posts, at 1200, 1400, 1700, 2000, 2200, 2400, & 2600 metres,
Starts are governed with elastic wire.
The track for steeplechasing is on grass, and like the sand track
it is regularly well watered. The course includes three hurdle race
tracks (of 2700, 3000 and 3400 metres), two steeplechases (of 3600
and 4200 metres) and three crosscountry tracks ( two at 4500, and
one at 5000 metres).
Facilities and Services :
The Racecourse can accommodate up to 1500 spectators in the stand
with 1050 sitting down.
Parking is available at the entrance to the course, or in the
parking area for the Château. Other parking places are
available in the nearby vicinity.
There is a panoramic restaurant for spectators on the top floor of
the stand (Tel: 0555 73 33 64), and snack bars and other
refreshment facilities can be found nearby.
There are two betting outlets for the Pari Mutuel Hippodrome (PMU),
a service for unpaid tickets, a newspaper stand, and a Pompadour
souvenir shop.
Presidents of the Pompadour Horse-racing Association :
- M. Latreille was the first official president,
holding the post from 1887 to 1922
- M. Laporte : 1923 - 1933
- Dr G. Daude : 1934 - 1941
- René Parveau : 1942 - 1966
- Georges Mazeaud : 1967 - 1982
- Pierre Dumond-Saint-Priest : 1983 - 1997
- Bernard Lachaud : 1998 - 2003
- Francis Delord : 2004 - to date
