Birdsville Races facts for kids
The Birdsville Races are exciting horse races held every September in a small town called Birdsville in Queensland, Australia. This event helps raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, which provides medical help to people in remote areas.
Usually, only about 100 people live in Birdsville. But during the two-day races, the town becomes super busy with about 7,000 visitors! Because Birdsville is so far away from other towns, many people fly there. Hundreds of planes fill the town's airport during the races. The town of Quilpie also celebrates by welcoming people driving to Birdsville.
In 2009, the Birdsville Races were named one of the "Q150 Icons" of Queensland. This was part of the Q150 celebrations, recognizing the races as an important event and festival for the state.
History of the Races
The very first horse races in Birdsville happened way back in 1882. The group that organized these races was first called the Birdsville Amateur Turf Club. Later, its name changed to the Diamantina Amateur Race Club because they also organized races in another town called Betoota.
In 1990, the Birdsville races became separate from Betoota. The club then became known as the Birdsville Race Club Incorporated.
Race Cancellations
Sometimes, the races have had to be cancelled or changed.
- In 2007, the races were affected by a sickness called horse flu that spread among horses across Australia.
- In 2009, about 7,000 people came to the event. This meant 20 extra police officers had to be sent to the small town to help out.
- The 2010 races were cancelled because of big floods. This was the first time in 128 years that the event had been called off!
- The races were also cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.
- In 2021, the races were again called off and moved to April 2022. The vice-president of the Birdsville Race Club, Gary Brook, explained that many ticket holders could not travel to Queensland because of lockdowns or government advice.
How the Races Work
Over the years, the Birdsville Races have had some interesting rules and traditions:
- Rider Penalties: In the past, professional riders had to carry an extra seven pounds (about 3 kg) as a handicap. This was to make the races fairer for all riders.
- Special Races: There used to be special races just for horses born within 250 miles of Birdsville. There were even separate races for horses that ate corn and those that ate only grass!
- Prize Money: The prize money for the main race, called the Cup, has changed a lot. It was 500 pounds in the 1880s, then 50 pounds in the 1940s. By 1982, it was A$5,000, and in 2002, it was $25,000.
- Race Distance: The main Cup race has always been 1 mile (about 1,600 metres) long since 1882. In 1949 and 1950, a race called the 'Hospital Handicap' was run instead of the Cup. These races helped raise money to build the Birdsville Hospital. Today, the annual race meeting still raises money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Birdsville Clinic.
- Starting the Race: Races used to start when someone dropped a hat! Later, they used "strand barriers," which were like ropes. Now, races start with modern "barrier stalls," which are special gates that open all at once.
- Old Race Course: The original race course was three miles west of the town. It even had steeplechase races, where horses had to jump over obstacles. However, this course was often flooded, so it was eventually moved.
Images for kids
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Horses flying past on the Birdsville Racetrack, circa 1926
See also
- Sport in Queensland
