France Galop
Horse racing governing body in France
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
France Galop is the governing body of flat and steeplechase horse racing in France.[1][2] It was founded the 3rd May 1995, as the result of the amalgamation of the Société d'Encouragement et des Steeple-Chases de France, the Société de Sport de France and the Société Sportive d'Encouragement.[2][3] Prominent owner/breeder Jean-Luc Lagardère was elected the organization's first president.[3]
France Galop is a non-profit association responsible for organising and regulating thoroughbred racing in France.[1][2] The organization is run by a 12-member board of directors, while its committee represents owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys and other participants in French racing.[4][2] It establishes the racing programme and calendar, distributes prize money and premiums, issues licences to owners and racing professionals, and defines and applies the French Rules of Racing.[4][2]
Each year, France Galop organises more than 6,800 flat and jump races at more than 130 racecourses throughout France.[1] It directly manages five major racecourses: ParisLongchamp, Auteuil, Chantilly, Saint-Cloud and Deauville-La Touques, as well as training centres at Chantilly, Maisons-Laffitte and Deauville.[1][2] Among the major races organised by France Galop are the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Prix du Jockey Club, Prix de Diane and Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.[1]
France Galop also focuses on promoting the improvement of French racehorse breeding. It supports breeding and training through prize money and premiums paid to owners and breeders, while the racing programme is also used to select horses for breeding.[1][2] The organization is responsible for racing integrity and anti-doping controls, with more than 12,000 samples taken from horses each year to test for prohibited substances.[1][5]
Along with the harness racing organization LeTROT, formerly known as the Société du Cheval Français, France Galop co-owns the PMU, which operates betting on horse racing in France.[1][6]
Guillaume de Saint-Seine is the current president of France Galop. He was elected on 12th December 2023, to a four-year term.[7][8]