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Level 2 – Pre-intermediateSteeplechasing – a British tradition
Horseracing is one of the most popular sports in Britain and Ireland. The races are broadcast all over the world and millions of people watch them on TV.
One of the most popular races is the Grand National. It is a steeplechase – a race with fences that horses have to jump. The Grand National is the hardest race of the steeplechasing season. More than forty horses and their jockeys run over four miles and jump thirty enormous fences to complete the course.
The first Grand National took place in 1839, when 17 horses and gentlemen jockeys ran across country. It was an immediate success, with 40,000 spectators present for the first event.
Unfortunately, the Grand National is also a dangerous race. Eighteen horses have died during the event since 1979. Every year animal-rights groups protest and ask the government to ban the race, because they say it is cruel to the horses. However, a ban seems unlikely because of the race's enormous popularity and also because it attracts a lot of money to the horseracing industry.