The Aiken Trials will be celebrating 81 years of running this year with a theme of “81 Years of Champions.”
There will be five races for 2-year-olds and maidens, which will cover distances from a .25 mile to 4.5 furlongs. There will also be a race for older horses that have secured previous victories. A showcase of a ladies’ side saddle race and the popular lead line pony race will also be at this year’s event.
Local exercise riders will serve as the jockeys for this year’s event with the occasional participation by licensed jockeys who have been brought in by trainers.
Attendees can participate in both the Best Hat Contest and the Tailgate Contest, which are both free-to-enter. There will be a $5 donation per entry, and the proceeds will be donated to Friends of the Animal Shelter. Entries will be collected until 11:30 a.m. on March 16. The prizes will be provided by Unique Expressions.
The gates will open at 10 a.m. and the open ceremonies will commence at 11:30 a.m. The first race will start at noon.
Tickets are available at www.AikenTrainingTrack.com, or by calling 803-648-4631. They can also be purchased in-person at the Aiken Training Track Office, Aiken Saddlery, Unique Expressions, Odell Weeks, the Aiken Visitors Center, and the Aiken Train Museum.
Attendees ages six and older require a ticket for entry into the event, and vehicles must have a parking pass.
The Aiken Trials will be held on Saturday, March 16 at the Aiken Training Track.
For more information, please visit www.AikenTrainingTrack.com.
