Golden Buckle; the largest barrel race in European history will arrive in Malta this October at the Malta Fairs & Convention Centre, a state-of-the-art facility that will be transformed into a barrel racing arena

Over 200 horses and 100 European and American riders will be in Malta from the 13 to the 16 October. World Champions will participate in this four-day competition,  where winners can collect up to €150,000 in winning prizes.

Barrel racing–a fast-paced timed event–challenges the horse and rider to run a clover-leaf pattern around three barrels as fast as they can.  The sport’s top riders are so close in their timings that an electronic timing device calculates their timings to the thousandth of a second! The anticipation arises until they announce the time. 

The sport is particularly popular in the USA, especially Texas, but has gained attention in Europe, with Italy being the biggest market for the sport, followed by France, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The Malta event will feature a number of world champion riders as well as other participants from 10 countries, including one from Malta. The races will be complimented with a number of satellite events, where one can meet the riders and other equestrian enthusiasts from across the world. 

The arena will be transformed into an equestrian centre, which will also host a food court, a large VIP stand, and a chill-out area. Throughout the event, you will watch competitors of all ages competing in their specified categories–Junior, Youth, Ladies, and Open Barrel Racing as well as another timed-event called Pole Bending, just as a bonus to make your experience even more fun! 

Whether you are just learning about barrel racing or you are a professional in the equestrian industry, the Golden Buckle Barrel Race has sp much to offer. Enjoy the food, entertainment, beautiful horses, and talented riders! Sit back, relax, pick a few favourites and cheer them on! 

Golden Buckle Malta is being organised in collaboration with Visit Malta, the Malta Tourism Authority, the Ministry for Tourism, Equestri Malta, the Ministry for Education and Sports along with other supporting partners.