Location

Located conveniently between major interstates — I-20, I-77 and I-95 — which provide access to major race tracks and National Steeplechase Association meets along the eastern seaboard, the Springdale Training Center is tucked away in relative seclusion, allowing both young and horses the opportunity to be brought along at their own pace while providing their trainers with more than enough space and freedom to work on a daily basis.

Located in the Midlands region of South Carolina, Camden is the oldest inland city in South Carolina and is the county seat of Kershaw County and it’s more than 66,000 residents. Camden, which now numbers some 8,000 residents, has a long and storied equine tradition. The first race track in Camden was built in the 1800s and two races were held there before the Civil War. In 1866, the Camden Jockey Club was reformed and elected new officers.

Along with the Carolina Cup races, held each March, Camden is also home to the 40-acre South Carolina Equine Park that hosts horse shows in a variety of different disciplines throughout the year. Also included at the Equine Park facility is a pair of partially enclosed/covered competition rings.

Camden is also home to a vibrant downtown area dotted with restaurants, shops and antique stores. The Fine Arts Center is the cultural hub of the town as the facility hosts numerous plays, a wide-range of concerts and art exhibits throughout the year. The town also has several hotels along with nationally-recognized Bed & Breakfast options.

For those seeking other outdoor activities, the Camden area has numerous golf courses and Hermitage Farm Shooting Sports — owned and operated by Camden native and retired Thoroughbred trainer Joe Cantey, who conditioned 1980 Belmont Stakes winner Temperence Hill — is an outdoor target shooting range for rifle and pistol enthusiasts. Nearby Lake Wateree provides year-round fishing and boating opportunities while N.R. Goodale State Park is a quiet haven for fishermen and paddlers alike. A new addition to the local outdoors scene is the Wateree River Veterans Park that includes a walking trail and floating kayak launch.

Camden is also home to the county-owned, public-use Woodward Field Airport that features a 5,000-foot lighted runway and a nearly 3,000 foot crosswind runway. The airport, named in memory of the late co-owner of the Springdale Training Center and co-founder of the Carolina Cup Races, is located 4 miles from the training center.

Centrally located, Camden is just a half-hour drive from the state capital of Columbia and 40 miles from the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Camden is situated 80 miles from the metro center of Charlotte, N.C., and easily accessible from Charlotte Douglas International Airport.