If you've ever sat down to watch the horses race and heard someone mention "a bumper," you might be thinking that it is some kind of car accident. Don't worry, it's not. A bumper horse race is one of the more unusual, interesting things in National Hunt racing. It looks like a flat race, it feels like a flat race, but it is technically a jump racing world. Confused? Yeah, most people are when they first hear the term. But once you get it, bumpers completely make sense.
Bumper races are essentially practice school for young or inexperienced horses. Like sending your child to kindergarten before sending them to college algebra. The bumper allows horses to race in real conditions without the intimidating obstacles of hurdles and fences. They can take their degrees further towards jumping into a more relaxed format, like dipping a toe into the deep end before diving in. Essentially, this is the thought of trainers when they use bumpers to build endurance, test their nerves and see if a horse has the potential to become a star in steeplechases and hurdles.
In the early years of bumper races, the competitors were amateur jockeys who simply didn’t “sit” in the saddle very well, and they looked like they were “bumping” around while they rode, which must have appealed to the powers that be. Decades later, we are still calling them bumpers.
Bumper races may seem simple, but they have their rules and regulations:
Most horses do not race in more than a handful of bumpers. Trainers may use one or two bumpers as a stepping stone, and then the horse moves on from bumpers and 'does real jumping'.
Not all bumpers are created equal. Some have become occasions in their rights:
Sure, none of these races have obstacles, but each of them will show us the next jumping superstar.
Because it is like a trailer for a movie, bumpers allow fans and bettors to see raw talent before the world picks it up. The horse that just strolled around the track today could be the same horse flying over the fences at Cheltenham in two years. If you are a fan of horse racing, then bumpers are where the stories are born.
In short, a bumper horse race may appear on the surface as simple flat racing; however, it is an essential part of the preparation for future jumping professionals. Bumper races offer a safe and competitive environment for raw ability to learn before advancing to jumping hurdles or steeplechase. The bumper race is a great introduction for racing fans to see who might become the champions of the future.
In basic terms, a bumper horse race is a flat race that takes place in National Hunt racing that is specifically designed for young or inexperienced horses and is going to be used to provide them with experience before racing over jumps, for either hurdles or steeplechase.
Bumper races are important, as they give trainers a chance to assess a horse's stamina, temperament, and potential without the complication of jumps. As such, bumpers are in that important transition between flat racing and the next step in a horse's racing career, jump racing.
Most bumper horse races will be between 1.5 to 2 miles long. This allows a horse the chance to build up their stamina level, while still being friendly to a beginner.
Some of the most popular bumper races include the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, Aintree Bumper, and the Punchestown Bumper in Ireland, all of which will provide racing fans the opportunity to see the stars of future National Hunt Racing.
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