A trotting racecourse, also called the Thiérache racecourse located in La Capelle in the Aisne, first held its official meeting on August 1, 1874, as its “test” racecourse. It is the only racecourse in Europe to have the appellations of Pôle d’Excellence Rurale and Pôle Européen of the Trot. Frequented by more than 60,000 people each year and ranked 5th racecourse in France, the International Racecourse of La Capelle nurtures the ambition to become a true “city of the horse”.

On August 10, 1924, the inauguration of the new stands took place during the fiftieth anniversary of the racecourse. In 1933 a new track was even created for trotters. In 1990, a one-mile speed ring unique in Europe was created, and the first PMU meetings took place in 1996. On September 14, 2008, after two years of work, the enclosure was given a new look with new installations designed to delight professionals and the public. In 2017, the racecourse opened the 1st pony trotting school with the hope of making it “a future breeding ground for champions”, becoming one of the first of its kind.