"What? You've never been to horseracing? Never?"
That's my best friend, Gena, being her usual 'drama-queen' self. Honestly, I don't get it. What's the big deal? According to her, one cannot live in Barbados and not go to horseracing at the Garrison Savannah. So, I asked around and guess what? Everyone agrees. Apparently, horseracing is as Barbadian as Flying Fish. So, to keep my sanity, and my friends, I decided to do it.

Talk about a great experience. We sat upstairs which offered a great view of the track and the entire Garrison area. The atmosphere was charged with excitement. There were hundreds of people in all manner of dress, from very casual to semi-formal. Local music and the aromas from food vendors made it even more festive.

Crowds lined the savannah, sitting under trees or leaning on cars. Children played in parks on the compound and everyone waited expectantly for the parade of horses before each race started. For a sport which began in the 1840s it's really vibrant and a lot of fun. I hated to admit it but after ten minutes I promised myself to do it again. In fact, I suspect I'd probably be there more frequently than Gena herself.

Thoroughbred horse racing is managed by the Barbados Turf Club, established in 1905, and attracts huge local and international crowds for three seasons of racing and over twenty race meetings each year. The more I learn about the sport, the more fascinated I become. I'm really kind of upset, actually, because Gena took so long to force me to go. I missed the Sandy Lane Gold Cup, which is the highlight of the season held on the first Saturday in March. March! It's gone! I missed it, and next March is so far away.