Chariot, or cutter, racing in its modern form, has deep roots in Wyoming. Although chariot racing has probably been around since the early Olympics, circa 700 BC¹ (think Ben Hur), its current form springs from the small town of Thayne, Wyoming. The sport is an outgrowth of the speed competitions that gave rise to the Quarter Horse breed; the distinctly rural characteristic of creating excuses to gather with neighbors; and the long winters of the inter-mountain west.

The American Quarter Horse has been formally recognized as a distinct breed since the formation of its registry in 1940. American Quarter Horses are known for their speed in the 440 yard, or quarter mile, race. In fact, the minutes of the first meeting of the AQHA defined the breed as “… must be able to run a quarter of a mile in 23 seconds, or show that they are capable of Quarter Horse performance under ranch conditions.”²

While probably a common pastime in rural Wyoming and other northern Rocky Mountain states, cutter racing got an official definition when the All-American Cutter Racing Association was formed in Thayne, Wyoming in 1948. The modern sport of cutter racing, as recognized by the All-American Cutter Racing Association, consists of two Quarter Horses pulling a “chariot” over a quarter mile track. Chariots weigh less than 70 pounds and have bicycle type wheels. The “cutter” races were technically races with the horses pulling a sled with runners on packed snow. Today, you will often hear the terms used interchangeably. I am not sure if people even race with sleds these days. I was able to find photos HERE of cutter sleds being raced down the main street of Afton, Wyoming in what I guess to be the 1950s.

The tradition continues in placed like Star Valley Wyoming where races are run on the track just west of Afton. The next race will take place Feb 10-11, 2024 and the world finals will be held in Ogden, Utah in March 2024.

¹ American Natural History Museum. https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/horse/how-we-shaped-horses-how-horses-shaped-us/sport/the-chariot-race

² History of the Quarter Horse. https://www.aqha.com/history-of-aqha?redirect=%2Fhistory-of-the-quarter-horse