The equestrian sport is characterized by many technical terms, the gallop sport ABC should facilitate your insight into the fascinating world of gallop racing.
Weighing:
A rider is tested for the weight to be carried by his horse in the race. The weight includes the rider, his clothing, the saddle including girths and stirrups. After the race, the rider's weight is checked again.
Age Weight Race:
A race in which the weight to be carried by the horse depends on its age, sex, performances and wins.
Gallop:
The horse gallops to the starting point. This is part of the preparation for the upcoming race.
Compensation race:
A race in which horses are assigned a weight (GAG: General Equalization) by the handicapper based on their past performance. This is to ensure equality of opportunity. The scale of the GAG ranges from 44 kg for poor horses to 110 kg for the top gallopers. The handicaps are divided into the following equalizations: I, II, III and IV
Outside bets:
Outside bets are bets placed before the race outside the track in betting shops and on the Internet.
Lanfranco Dettori at the weighing in Iffezheim
BBAG:
Baden-Baden Auction Company, which holds auctions during the three meetings where racehorses are auctioned off.
Bookmaker:
Trader who accepts bets at his own risk.
Canter:
Calm and steady canter.
Derby:
The Derby is a classic race in which only 3-year-old horses are allowed to start. All horses carry the same weight in this race, with mares having a permit of 2 kg in Germany (see Mare Permit). It is the most important race in the life of a thoroughbred (see classic races).
German Gallop:
The German Gallop brand forms the major umbrella brand under which exciting horse races take place. It functions as the generic term for gallop racing in Germany.
EBF:
European breeders' fund that supports a program of particularly worthy races through payments made by thinking stallion owners in affiliated countries.
English thoroughbred:
The English Thoroughbred refers to a breed of horse from the Thoroughbred group bred specifically for gallop racing (see Thoroughbreds).
Permission:
Permit riders may carry less than the prescribed weight. Riders are permission riders until they have achieved 50 victories. The weight allowance is staggered from 5kg - 1kg depending on the number of victories already achieved.
Contingency Rate:
The odds that will be paid out if the respective horse wins with a bet of 1€. The contingency odds are constantly changing and depend on the amount of bets placed on the respective horse.
Swegentri:
The Fegentri is an association of European amateur race riding federations (Fédération Internationale des Gentleman-Riders). In amateur races run as Fegentri races, riders from at least three different nations must participate in order for the race to be scored for the European Championships.
Airman:
Horse best suited for sprint distances of 1000 - 1400 meters (see Meiler and Steher).
Shapes:
The shown performance of a horse in its last starts.
Furlong (Engl.):
220 yards = approx. 200 meters (see mile)
Guide ring:
Area where the eligible horses of the respective race are presented to the audience. The riders sit there on.
Popular with the public: the driving ring
Gallop:
The canter is the fastest natural gait of the horse.
Country of birth:
An imported horse and a foreign guest horse always have the abbreviation for their country of birth (e.g. (GB), (FR) or (USA*)) added to their name. The birth abbreviation with * means that the horse has a nationality. Horses that do not have a birth abbreviation after their name are born in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Terrain:
The track is called the turf. Races can be run on grass or sand. The condition of the ground is measured before race day and categorized accordingly - into "firm", "good", "soft" or "heavy". "Ground good" is the target, as this suits most horses.
General Equalization (GAG):
The handicap listing of all gallopers and thus a kind of ranking list about the performance of the horse. The GAG is important in the compensation races to determine the weight to be carried.
Weight:
One of the most important parameters in galloping that determines what load the horse has to carry in the respective race due to the announcement or its handicap. The weight is made up of the rider, his clothing, the saddlery and possibly additional lead weights.
Weight Permit:
Weight permit means a reduction of the original weight to be carried by a horse. A permit is available for riders who have not yet won 50 victories. Depending on the number of victories, it is graded between 5 kg and 1 kg. A permit of 2 kg applies in age-weight races for mares. Three-year-old horses also have a weight permit over older horses.
Group racing:
Group races are particularly valuable from a sporting and breeding point of view. They allow an international comparison of their value. Group races are divided into three categories I, II, III. Group I races have the highest value. There are seven Group I races in Germany, one of which is the Longines Grand Prix of Baden.
Jockey:
A jockey is a professional race rider who has won at least 50 races. Until then, he is called a race rider.
Jockey statue in the driving ring
Classic races:
In classic races, only 3-year-old horses are eligible to start, with the exception of the St. Leger, which has been open to older horses for several years. Two classic races are reserved for mares, the other three are open to stallions and mares. Geldings are not eligible to start in classic races.
In Germany, the following races are classic: German 1,000 Guineas, run in Düsseldorf (mares); Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen / German 2000 Guineas, run in Cologne (stallions and mares); Preis der Diana, run in Düsseldorf (mares); Deutsches Derby, run in Hamburg (stallions and mares) and Deutsches St. Leger, run in Dortmund (stallions and mares).
Maiden race:
Race in which only horses that have never won a race are eligible to compete. Maiden races are announced for two-year-old, three-year-old or four-year-old and older winless horses.
Mile:
Race over 1600 m
Piles:
Horse that is best suited for middle distances from 1600 to 2000 meters,. (see flyer and stayer)
Earplugs:
Earplugs are designed to protect sensitive horses from general noise so they can concentrate on racing. In the racing program, earplugs are noted with the abbreviation "O".
Pedigree:
This is the name given to the pedigree, i.e. the genealogical table of a thoroughbred. All thoroughbreds can be traced back to three Arabian stallions imported to England in the 18th century.
Whip:
The use of the whip in the race is strictly regulated. It may only be used a maximum of three times; in the event of a violation, the rider faces a minimum 14-day riding ban and loses part of their winnings. Only so-called shock absorbing (coated) whips may be used.
Horse length:
The distance between two horses is expressed in the judge's decision in horse lengths. A horse length is defined by race rules as 2.50 m.
Horse passport:
All visible features of a horse are recorded so that the thoroughbred can be precisely identified at any time.
Race color:
Each racing stable owner has his own racing color. It is a combination of colors and pattern for the rider's dress registered with Deutscher Galopp.
Race management:
The referee team on the race track. It checks the correct course of the race.
Judge's ruling:
The judge's decision documents the outcome of a race. It contains the following information:
The order in which the horses came in, the distances between the horses, the time of the race and how the winner won.
Blinkers:
Restrict the horse's field of vision to improve attention. In the racing program, blinkers are noted with the abbreviation "Skl.
Sports World:
Germany's oldest sports publication. It contains all the information that is important for the weather.
Standers:
Horse best suited for long racing distances, above the 2200 meters. (see flyer and miler)
Mare Permit:
To compensate for the gender-specific disadvantages, mares in age-weight races receive a weight advantage of 2 kg. From the calculated weight according to the tender 2 kg will be deducted.
The trade newspaper Sport-Welt is an important source of information
Totalizer:
institution of the betting business at the racetrack. The bettors bet against each other in the tote. The organizer retains about 25 percent of the stakes to finance the races. About 75 percent is distributed to the bettors. By comparison, only about half of the stakes are distributed in the Lotto
Dead heat:
A race in which two or more horses cross the finish line together and cannot be separated even by technology. Bets are then paid for both horses, but at half the odds.
Tripple Crown:
One horse wins all three major classic races. The 2,000 Guineas, the Derby and the St. Leger (see classic races).
Thoroughbreds:
Horses whose ancestry goes back to Arabian horses. Today, these officially include Thoroughbred Arabians, the English Thoroughbred and the Anglo-Arabian. (see English Thoroughbred)
Gelding:
A gelding is a male, castrated horse.
Gamblers:
Weather playing with high risk and high stakes.