Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders Association

The breeding of thoroughbred race horses in Barbados dates back to the middle of the eighteenth century. It was not however until 1971 that a history of thoroughbred breeding as it is today was first compiled and recorded.

In 1985 a group of thoroughbred breeders interested in the development and advancement of breeding came together and formed an association by constitution called the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

The objectives of this Association are to build and maintain through its members an effective, secure and a complete organization of thoroughbred breeding and to obtain such stakes and conditions that would ensure the welfare of breeding and horse racing in Barbados.

As a consequence of these objectives a series of races for locally bred horses referred to as Creoles, was implemented in 1985. This continuing series has resulted in a marked improvement in the standard of both horses and races.

The enthusiasm and interest for these races began to grow with the result that locally bred horses did not only win races in Barbados, but were also successful in other Caribbean territories and Canada.

The year 1997 emerged as the most historic and memorable for our horse breeding and racing. The occasion was the running of the most prestigious race in the English speaking Caribbean, The Barbados Gold Cup.

This race not only included horses from the Caribbean but also from Great Britain, Ireland and the United States of America. The race was won by a locally bred horse for the first time which then went on to win at Woodbine Racetrack in Canada.

As these memories still lingered history repeated itself in 1998 as the Barbados Gold Cup was again won by a different horse bred in Barbados.

The breeding of thoroughbred race horses has blossomed into an industry providing employment for nearly two thousand persons. The government of Barbados has recognized the important contribution of horse racing to job creation and the earning of foreign exchange through being a sports component of our tourism product.

Official recognition can be measured by the role played by the Barbados Tourism Authority financially and otherwise in facilitating live coverage by the International Media for racing in Barbados.

The direct prosperity of the breeding industry and thoroughbred horse racing which now forms part of our culture continues to rest solely in the hands of all Barbadians to which the Association is eternally grateful.