Steeplechase, an annual horse race that became one of the Triad's premier entertainment events, is coming back after being canceled in 1999.
Steeplechase will return to Tanglewood Park on Oct. 5, thanks to organizers at WSJS (600/1200 AM) and WMFR (1230 AM) and the event's title sponsor, Lowes Foods.``We decided to bring it back because it should never have left,' says Tom Hamilton, vice president and general manager for WSJS/WMFR. ``That was about as rich a tradition as there is in the Triad.'
Steeplechase had run for 31 consecutive years at Tanglewood but was canceled after the 1998 event, due in part to poor attendance.
The event will return with some of its old traditions, including a day of tailgating and socializing that rivals any event in the region. One new wrinkle this year: no alcohol can be brought to Tanglewood, but beer and wine can be bought on site.
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Of course, Steeplechase is more a social event than a sporting event. North Carolina doesn't allow gambling.
The gates will open at 9 a.m. People can buy a ticket then tailgate and catch the horse races, which will start at 12:30 p.m. The last horse race will probably be between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
The horses come from the National Steeplechase Association, which travels throughout the country to more than 40 similar annual events.
Tickets can be bought at Lowes Foods in August and September. Tickets cost $22 per person the day of the event; $15 in advance; and $100-$200 per tailgate space (which includes six general admission tickets).
For more information, call 766-2410 or (800) 983-JUMP.\
