RUSHBURY RACECOURSE

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Earliest meeting: Monday 1st July 1844
Final meeting: Tuesday 4th July 1848
The Shropshire village of Rushbury lies less than 5 miles from the beautiful rural town of Church Stretton, and approximately 8 miles from Much Wenlock. The Shrewsbury News and Cambrian Reporter reported on a number of minor Flat Race meetings which took place in Shropshire, one of which was at Rushbury. The first meeting was held on Monday 1st July 1844 over farmland on the outskirts of the village. The meeting was the brainchild of Mr W G Webster who acted as Steward. In the opening Hurdle race over 6 leaps it was Mr Home’s aged mare who got the better of a field of four. After a Galloway race the main race of the day was a 50 Sovereigns Match over 3 heats. It took the full 3 heats for Peter to defeat Prince Albert. After racing 40 gentlemen sat down to an Ordinary presided over by Mr W G Webster. A further meeting took place on Tuesday 4th July 1848, although there is no further evidence of races being held in the village.
This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.
Local Patrons Mr W G Webster (Steward)
Principal Races Rushbury 50 Sovereigns Match, Rushbury Hurdle

Monday 1st July 1844
Rushbury 50 Sovereigns Match
1. Peter, aged horse owned by Mr Black
2. Prince Albert, aged horse owned by Mr Webster
The final meeting took place on Tuesday 4th July 1848.
Course today On farmland on the outskirts of the village.
If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com

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

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses
Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent.
ORDER FORM
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  Quantity Cost
Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage    
Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage    
Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage    
Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage    
Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage    
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