The 2001 festival was cancelled do to the foot and mouth outbreak that was going on at the time, so there is no data to show on this page.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects livestock such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats. The 2001 outbreak began in February and rapidly spread across the country, causing widespread concern among farmers, the government, and the public.
It was genuinely devastating for the agriculture industry. Farmers were left with no choice but to destroy their livestock, causing untold emotional and financial distress.
The effects were felt by many other industries as well though, not least the horse racing industry.
Originally, the festival was only rescheduled, with April 17th, 18th and 19th chosen as the new dates. The hope was that the spread of the disease would have been contained by then, and the mass movement of people and animals to the Cheltenham area would no longer be a risk.
However, an outbreak of foot and mouth was found within 5 miles of Prestbury Park, in a place called Woolstone, so the British Horseracing Board ruled that the rescheduling would have to become a cancellation.