The International Gold Cup returns to The Plains in Virginia, on Oct. 22, and like last year, admission is only for those who buy packages and tailgates.
No individual tickets will be sold. Boxes and tents are available.
A rail spot that comes with 10 tickets, one reserved tailgate car pass and two general admission car passes is $895 along the racecourse fence. Tailgate spots one row back from the rail are $795. A limited number of Members Hill spaces are $795 and some smaller spaces for a vehicle and up to four people are $400.
The equine industry contributes handsomely to the Virginia economy. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reports the horse industry typically brings in more than $2 billion annually, though the pandemic did have a financial impact with the cancellation of races. Gold Cup is one of the largest steeplechase events in the U.S.
There was no in-person attendance for the fall International Gold Cup in 2020, though it was livestreamed. Space was limited for in-person attendance in 2021.
There are nearly 184,000 horses in Virginia, and the horse industry accounts for nearly 39,000 jobs.
“We are delighted to see a comeback for the horse industry in Virginia. So many jockeys, trainers and industry employees are dependent on those races and the purses they win from them,” said William Allison, chairman of the Virginia Gold Cup Association.
International Gold Cup, and its spring counterpart the Virginia Gold Cup, attract about 45,000 spectators annually, though those numbers were lower in 2021.
Gates open at 10 a.m. with the first race at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 22.
