Why Attend the Queen’s Cup?
Why the Queen’s Cup is the Spring Time Place to Be the Last Saturday in April
Beautiful ladies in their spring attire enjoy the steeplechase races
The Queen’s Cup is held on the grounds of Brooklandwood Racecourse which prides itself on providing first class racing in a unique and inspiring setting. Sponsors and racegoers alike over the years have enjoyed not only fantastic hospitality and scenery but horseracing of the highest order
Attending the Queen’s Cup is a wonderful way to ring in spring! The Queen’s Cup is Always the last Saturday in April, when the weather in Charlotte is typically warm, and the flowers are in bloom, fragrantly scenting the air. The smell of freshly cut green grass, the warm sun, and a sense of peace and renewal fills the atmosphere
- Since 1995, families and friends enjoy reconnecting and socializing at the Queen’s Cup, which has long been known for bringing people together
- Children love seeing the majestic and athletic horses up close – adults do too! Kids can even ride ponies themselves!
- Horses aren’t the only animals that will impress you at the Queen’s Cup. The Carolina Raptor Center is on site with some spectacular birds of prey.
- Tailgating contests, live music and delicious food offerings create high-energy – a fun atmosphere that makes you appreciate life and glad you came out to see for yourself what the Queen’s Cup is all about
- You get to experience at least five live thoroughbred races, all featuring beautiful and athletic horses, galloping over two miles at 30 mph, thundering full speed to be the first place winner. This is professional horse racing in the highest order
- The Queen’s Cup is charitable; since 1995, the Charlotte Steeplechase Association, the organizing sponsor of the event, has donated over $470,000 to local and regional charities. Your attendance means the Association has that much more to donate to those in the community who need it most
- Unlike some sporting event, everyone walks away happy looking forward to next year’s Queen’s Cup
- Want to experience a Taste of the ‘Chase before hand? Then you must watch The Last Saturday in April, a short photo montage made from the eyes of photo journalist, Jamey Price. Better watched in HD mode
- Want to watch horses fly? Then watch the presentation Fly Baby Fly, better watched in HD mode
- We would like to welcome back everyone to celebrate our 16th annual running in 2011 in the anticipation that we will witness yet more competitive racing and a high level of socializing
- And for those who have not yet experienced a day’s racing at the Queen’s Cup discover what a gloriously uplifting experience it is. We encourage you to Experience the Thrill of the ‘Chase!®
Daily Morsels from the Green Goddess . . .
APRIL 30, 2011 – For those of you Yanks whose invitations got lost in the post or don’t want to celebrate the wedding by the “tele”on Friday morning, let me humbly suggest a post wedding Saturday celebration: invite your wittiest and most dapper friends, (especially those who are prone to dress for the occasion) to the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase this Saturday, April 30 located in historic Mineral Springs . . .
What to Wear: Large brimmed and floral filled hats, seer-sucker shorts and suits, tails are fine and anything pink – yes, for men too. Your formal Scottish kilt will do, but please ignore the freeing tradition as it gets a little breezy as the horses race past.
What to Drink: Start the day off with prosecco and grapefruit juice or maybe a spicy Bloody Mary. Transition to mint juleps or a pimms cocktail and end the day with an Old Specked Hen. Bring a cooler of ice with lots of water.
What to Serve: Tea sandwiches, tea cakes, strawberries, English Cheeses with walnuts, dried fruits, cured Scottish salmon, open-face roast beef and ham sandwiches with horseradish and gerkins or maybe duck confit sammies with ploughman’s mustard and arugula.
What to Bring: Sunscreen, card table and linen for your spread, bouquet of English roses or peonies in a silver vase, several blankets for prone lounging (Burberry plaid is nice) or fancy lawn chairs (you have appearances to keep up.) Don’t forget the cricket set and badmitten racquets!
There are still general admission tickets available as well as a few spots left for the exclusive Elkridge Club: the large VIP tent where you can watch the races in style from the Hill with the best view on the course.
Enjoy an open bar and feast on Raspberry Lamb Salad with Rocket Lettuces, Wild Mushrooms Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette and Fox Hunt Wild Rice Salad . . . not to mention the formal cheese tasting and high tea served all day long. There will even be Fish and Chips for the commoners to go along with a pint (ours will be chilled). Bands appear throughout the day, Jack Russell Terriers begin at 10:45 and be on your toes for the hat and tailgate contest.
You may have been invited as a guest on Members’ Hill or the Chase Tents where we will be serving Chef Blake Hartwick’s New Castle Braised Beef Brisket with Blue Cheese & Bacon Slaw, Whole Poached Salmons Dressed to the Gill, Lamb Sliders with Curry Mayonnaise and Tudor Turkey BLTs with Myer Lemon Aioli. …don’t miss the petite decorated Wedding Cupcakes.
Regardless of your location at The Queen’s Cup Steeplechase, this is a wonderful day of gentile festivities and the perfect way to celebrate the royal wedding weekend and feel rather royal yourself. The horses are absolutely majestic as they sprint around the grass course, jumping obstacles and water. The jockeys in their bright colors urge the thoroughbreds forward to win the purse . . . they are so close, you can feel their regal power.
APRIL 24, 2010 – It was 5:00 am when I woke the security guard up at the gate . . . I was the first to arrive at the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase last Saturday morning to start brewing the coffee. The stars were out and shining in the sky, not having to compete with the city lights.
"The calm before the parade of the day" (Jamey Price photo)
It was still cool outside and I was all alone on acres of pristine green grass, groomed all year just for this one single day of horseracing. The creepers played their blissful song and kept me company while the coffee brewed nearby. I made my way down to the stables where a few thoroughbreds were stirring. I got lost in their beauty . . . these horses are amazing, majestic animals. I want to open up the gates and let them run free. Alas, thousands of volunteers and guests will soon descend upon these grounds sipping mint juleps and donning fancy hats and seersucker suits. Only the horses and myself will understand the calm before the parade of the day.
