Hallam Chase

Last updated

The Hallam Chase claims to be the oldest continuously-run fell race in the world and a part of Sheffield's sporting history, being open to South Yorkshire road and fell-running clubs only.

The race's origins lie in 1862, when Hallam F.C. promoted the start of their football season by organising a ten-mile steeplechase. The event was won by T. Moore of the rival Sheffield F.C. and generated great attention. Numerous similar events were launched in the region. The following year, a second run from Hallam F.C.'s Sandygate ground was organised. Described as the Great Hallamshire Steeplechase, runners went to Christ Church, Stannington, and back again, J. C. Shaw of Hallam winning on this occasion. [1]

During the 19th-century, the event remained highly popular, with a crowd of 20,000 spectators reported in 1883, and there was much betting on the results. [2] Runners spent a significant time preparing for the race, and it was known for some strong runners to enter in disguise, in the hope of deceiving the bookmakers' handicapper. [1] However, bookmakers were also known to employ "nobblers", who would obstruct the leading runners at gates and stiles along the route, to aid the runners on whom they would make a profit. [3]

In 1887, organisation of the event was taken over by the Hallamshire Cricket Club, and it was for the first time run under the rules of the Amateur Athletic Association. [4] However, crowds fell, and in 1894, it was decided to again permit professional athletes. This change was not considered a success, with only 3,000 spectators attending. [5] By 1900, the event was again being organised by the football club. [6] Over the years, all the other local steeplechases were abandoned, but the Hallam Chase continued, with breaks around World War I and World War II. [1]

The course, of about three-and-a-half miles, has long been regarded as extremely challenging due to its steep slopes. In the early 20th-century, it was nicknamed the "Race Across the Alps". [7] Sebastian Coe took part in the event as a club runner with the Hallamshire Harriers. He described the course as "bloody horrific. Down the rocks into a ravine, up the rocks on the other side. Down the rocks again and up the rocks scrabbling with hands and feet". [8]

The fell race is now always on the Tuesday evening after the second bank holiday in May, starting 20:00 from the Hallamshire Cricket Ground. It is open to male and female runners from South Yorkshire road and fell running clubs, under a handicap system. The handicap is set so the slower runners go off first and the quicker runners last- the idea being that all the runners return together. This may have the effect of discouraging stronger runners from taking part. [9] [3]

The course record of 19:42 was set by Trevor Wright in 1968, although given the handicap system Terry Allcock (Hallamshire Harriers) was the winner of that year's race. [9]

Related Research Articles

Hallamshire

Hallamshire is the historical name for an area of South Yorkshire, England, in the current city of Sheffield.

Hallam F.C. Association football club in England

Hallam Football Club is an English football club based in Crosspool, Sheffield, South Yorkshire. They play in the Northern Counties East League Division One, at level 10 of the English football league system. Founded in 1860, it is second only to local rivals Sheffield F.C. in the list of the oldest association football clubs in the world. Games between these two clubs are known as the Rules derby.

In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: hurdles and steeplechases. Alongside these there are "bumpers", which are National Hunt flat races. In a hurdles race, the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles; in a steeplechase the horses jump over a variety of obstacles that can include plain fences, water jump or an open ditch. In the UK the biggest National Hunt events of the year are generally considered to be the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeplechase horse race in Britain

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs, and during its running there are 22 fences to be jumped. The race takes place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Crosspool is a suburb of the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, located 2.5 miles (4 km) west of the city centre. The suburb falls within the Crookes ward of the City of Sheffield. It is a middle class residential area in an elevated position above the Porter and Rivelin valleys and stands at around 660 feet (200 m) above sea level. Crosspool is situated on the A57 road and is the last suburb on that road before the city boundary and open countryside is reached. In 2011 Crosspool had a population of 6,703.

Kiveton Park F.C. Association football club in England

Kiveton Park Football Club is a football club based in Kiveton Park, South Yorkshire, England. They are currently members of the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Division One and play at Wales High School.

The Clarence House Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong, and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in January.

Ernie Harper British athlete

Ernest Harper was an English athlete who competed for Great Britain in the 1924, 1928 and 1936 Summer Olympics.

1839 Grand National

The 1839 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first official annual running of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National.

The 1840 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the second official annual running of a steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap horse race, which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Thursday 5 March 1840 and attracted a then smallest ever field of 13 runners.

The 1841 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the third official annual running of a steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on 3 March 1841 and attracted a then smallest ever field of 11 runners.

The 1842 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the fourth official annual running of a steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase, a horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on 2 March 1842 and attracted 15 runners.

The 1846 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase, was the eighth official annual running of a handicap steeplechase. It took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on 4 March 1846 and attracted a then-record field of 22 entrants. It was won by the unconsidered outsider Pioneer.

The 1849 Grand National Steeplechase was the 11th official annual running of a handicap steeplechase horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Wednesday, 28 February. It attracted a field of twenty-four competitors for a prize valued at £825.

The 1851 Grand National was, at the time, the 14th renewal of a handicap steeplechase horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 26 February 1851. However, this was later retrospectively recorded as the 13th official running by the Steeplechase Calendar of 1864 when the race of 1838 was disregarded as official.

The 1850 Grand National was, at the time, the 15th annual running of a handicap steeplechase horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England on Wednesday, 27 February 1850. It was later retrospectively recorded as the twelfth official running in 1864. It attracted a then record field of thirty-two runners and was won by the unconsidered Irish entrant, Abd El Kader.

South Kirkby Colliery F.C. Association football club in England

South Kirkby Colliery Football Club is a football club based in South Kirkby, West Yorkshire, England. The team play in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division, the eleventh tier of the English football league system. Formed as South Kirkby the club were later adopted by the nearby colliery and eventually changed their name to South Kirkby Colliery.

2014 Grand National

The 2014 Grand National was the 167th annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase, which concluded a three-day meeting, took place on 5 April 2014. The maximum permitted field of 40 runners competed for a share of a record £1 million prize fund, which makes the National the most valuable jump race in Europe.

City of Sheffield & Dearne Athletic Club is an athletics club based in Sheffield, England. It is based at the Sheffield Hallam University City Athletics Stadium. The club competes in the British Athletics League Premiership and Northern Athletics League Division 1. The Young Athletes compete in the National Youth Development League. The Upper and Lower Age Group teams compete in the Northern East Premier Division.

Darnall Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in Darnall, east Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Piper, Glenn (2012). Peds of the Past. 1837-1920. pp. 186–187. ISBN   978-1447834816.
  2. ↑ "The Hallam Athletic Sports". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 17 May 1883.
  3. 1 2 Askwith, Richard (2004). Feet in the Clouds: A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession. Aurum Press. ISBN   978-1781310564.
  4. ↑ "Hallam Cricket Club Sports". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 2 June 1887.
  5. ↑ "Hallam Athletic Sports". Evening Telegraph and Star and Sheffield Daily Times. 28 May 1894.
  6. ↑ "The Great Hallam Steeplechase". Yorkshire Telegraph and Star. 5 June 1900.
  7. ↑ "Great Hallam Steeplechase". Yorkshire Telegraph and Star. 25 May 1904.
  8. ↑ Brasher, Christopher (21 January 1990). "Ruthless champion's last lap". The Observer.
  9. 1 2 "Home page". The Hallam Chase. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.