glimpses of racing in Jamaica's past

getting started

It is always strange to read of the early ancestors of the horse evolving in the Americas millions of years ago, and eventually spreading from there into Eurasia and Africa. The indigenous horses of the Americas apparently went extinct some 12,000 years ago. It was the arrival of the Spaniards which brought horses back to the Americas, and to Jamaica for the first time.

Although there seem no references to the Spaniards racing horses in Jamaica, it would be hard to believe that, with the large numbers of horses recorded as being in the island, there were no match races, or similar events. The English brought in horses when they captured the island in 1655, and, presumably after the end of Cromwell's Puritan regime, they began to race them, following the growing fashion for racing back in England.

Early references to horses and racing in Jamaica:

Jamaica in 1687: the Taylor Manuscript at the National Library of Jamaica

John Taylor, David Buisseret

Twice a yeare doe the horsmen of this port [Old Harbour] runn with the horsemen of Carlisle for a peice of plate, which this last year was twice wonn by the Carlisle cavaliers, they being estemed to have the best horses found on Jamaica.

(on the map below 'Carlisle' is near the coast towards the bottom left-hand corner)

Hans Sloane writing in 1707:

The Horses here are very fine, small,
and for the most part well turn'd and swift, though very weak; they are of the Spanish breed, but very much degenerated, the English taking no care of them, but letting them breed in the Savannas, in the mean while destroying their best and strongest Horses in their Mills for grinding their Canes. They are very smooth Skin'd, and by that easily distinguish'd from New England or other Horses, which have rough Coats or Skins. A great many are wild in the Woods, who are taken with Cords, and tam'd by Horse-Catchers.

Edward Long wrote about Jamaica's horses in 1774:

   The horses here are of various breeds; Morocco, Spanish, British, and North American. They degenerate in bulk, but improve in beauty of shape. The natives are, for the most part, well-made, clean-limbed, hardy, of great speed and strength, and fit either for draught or saddle. Though their bones are slender, their sinews are exceedingly firm, so that they are capable of drawing very heavy coaches with a surprizing activity, and of undergoing very long journies with great expedition, and indifferent fare. They are subject to fewer distempers than the imported horses, and their hoofs are naturally so tough and compact, that shoes are seldom found necessary for them, even in rocky roads.
   The wild breed, descended from the Spanish gennets, observed here in D'oyley's time, and very numerous in the woody parts of the low-lands, are diminutive and worthless. The wild cattle on the contrary are remarkably large and beautiful; a difference not easy to be accounted for, as the latter seem to require a richer pasturage for enlarging their bulk, than what they are able to meet with in those places where they are most abundant; perhaps it may be owing to the vicious propensity of the stallions, who begin to cover when they are not more than half- grown; and, by thus early consuming their vigour, become incapable of begetting any other than a puny offspring.
   The general standard of the Creole horses is from thirteen and an half to fourteen hands. In order to mend the breed, some persons have thought, that a very high tax should be imposed, by act of assembly, upon all stone-horses, three years old, under fourteen hands. Perhaps a tax of 10 or 15l. per head per annum, and a penalty of the like amount, payable by the owner, besides forfeiture of the horse, upon conviction of any such, omitted to be regularly given in at the vestries, might answer the purpose so well as to put a stop, in a few years, to this diminutive breed; encouragement being given, at the same time, to import large stallions and mares from Europe and North America. By an act passed in 1759, all stone-horses, under fourteen hands, three years old, and running on the commons, are ordered to be castrated; but this act extends not to horses breaking out of any stable or inclosed pasture. A premium of 10l. is granted upon every stone-horse, or mare, fifteen hands high, and not exceeding five years old, imported from England. Horses imported from Ireland, or North America, are not included. This act, with some amendments, could not fail of producing a very good effect.

# stone-horse = stallion

An incident in the late 1680s showed the

importance of horse racing in Jamaica, from

early in the English period.

In February 1687/8, John Towers, member of the Jamaican Assembly for Clarendon, asked for leave of absence from the Assembly, since there was no business that day, in order to run a horse in a race against a horse belonging to the Duke of Albemarle, the Governor, appointed by the Catholic James II. Some of his friends suggested, perhaps humorously, that the business of the Assembly should come before horse racing; Towers replied that certainly 'salus populi est suprema lex' (the health of the people is the supreme law). This was interpreted by a Colonel Needham/Nedham as 'populus est suprema lex' or that the people are the supreme law, which could be interpreted as treason against the king. The case eventually went to court, with Needham one of the judges; at the fourth attempt the jury brought in a guilty verdict, fining Towers £600. The verdict was reversed and the fine revoked on appeal to the King, William III, who had replaced James II.

Racing in Jamaica was reported in the

Sporting Calendar from 1771 (possibly from

1769) and in the Racing Calendar from 1773, however these pages from the Racing Calendar, 1777 , published in London, are

the earliest records in these publications that I

have so far located.

The General Stud Book in the UK recorded some of the horses shipped to Jamaica in the late 18th century:

Ratoon

Ceres and Ceylon

Sylph

Parnassus