Tennessee’s Arabian Horse Racing Heritage

Historically Tennessee’s horse breeding industry has received recognition for producing prized Thoroughbred racehorses, smooth-gaited Tennessee Walking horses, and sturdy work mules. Historical accounts, however, largely overlook the contributions of Tennessee horse breeders to the sport of Arabian horse racing. One hundred years have passed since anti-gambling legislation ended Tennessee’s reign over the sport of kings, Thoroughbred horse racing. However, the state has figured prominently in the development of Arabian horse racing. Leading up to the inaugural race event in 1959, and in more recent years as the amateur recreation became a bona fide sport, Tennesseans have had a calculable effect on the creation and advancement of Arabian horse racing in the United States.