Tryon’s Historic Block House Steeplechase Set to Run April 15
More than Just Horse Races. Fun, Food and Fashion for the Entire Family!
March 21, Tryon, NC – It’s time once again for the biggest outdoor celebration of
spring when horses and riders from across the Southeast race to Tryon for the
annual Block House Steeplechase Races.
The 75 th running of Tryon’s Block House Steeplechase, sponsored by the Tryon
Riding & Hunt Club and the Tryon International Equestrian Center, will be held
Saturday, April 15, 2023, once again at the Green Creek Racetrack, located at 6881
Highway 9, Columbus, NC.
Tickets for the annual rite of spring horse race event are available at:
tryonsteeplechase.com.
This year’s event promises to invoke fond memories of historic races with the
tailgate competition, fancy hat contest, hounds’ exhibition, and pony rides. But some
additional plans for this year will ensure new memories for all ages.
Activities in the infield this year include a Kids Zone featuring a chance for kids to
get up close and explore big trucks like firetrucks, big trailers and ambulances, and
more. There will be live music, face painting, a magician, a caricature artist and a
“gold rush” for prizes.
Hailing another gala prior to this year’s race, TR&HC is hosting an evening to
celebrate the Steeplechase with entertainment, dinner and drinks at Tryon Fine Arts
Center Friday, April 14. A limited number of tickets for this event are available by
calling (828) 351-9709.
Tryon’s Block House Races are one of the oldest horse races in the United States,
running since 1946. Now in its 75 th year, the Tryon races were cancelled twice- in
2019 for poor track conditions and in 2020 due to Covid.
“The Block House Steeplechase is a decades-long tradition for the Tryon Riding &
Hunt Club,” says Club President Angie Millon. “It’s an amazing community event that
offers something for every member of the family. It’s a great time to get together
outdoors and enjoy the festivities.”
Block House Steeplechase Races – The History
Tryon Riding & Hunt Club | 6986 S. NC Hwy. 9 | Columbus, NC 28722 | tryonridingandhuntclub.org
From Ireland, “steeplechasing” became popular when foxhunters would race to the
nearest church steeple, chasing other horses and riders through natural terrain,
over ditches and fences, galloping hard to be the first to reach the reach the ‘finish
line.’
Locally, the Block House races were started by Carter P. Brown in 1946 at Harmon
Field. Known as the first steeplechase in western North Carolina, it was a single race
with a tin cup as the winning prize.
Eventually Brown built a racecourse around what had been an old tavern called the
Block House, which gives the Tryon race its name. The course crossed into North
Carolina and South Carolina several times and included a daring ride up Heartbreak
Hill. Officials used flags to let the jockeys know how many times they had been
around the track.
Since then, the Block House Steeplechase has moved—first to Foothills Equestrian
Nature Center (FENCE) and, most recently, to TIEC’s Green Creek Racetrack, where
it’s held today. This move was necessary to insure better footing and improved
safety for horses and riders.
Sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association, Tryon’s Block House races are
an enduring and much-loved tradition in western North Carolina. Come join the fun,
food, festivities and fast horses at the largest outdoor springtime event in the
Carolina Foothills.
For more information about the Block House races, the pre-race gala or TR&HC,
please call (828) 351-9709 or email
