It is narrated from Hazrat Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) that the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to compete in horse riding and walking.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept his horse hungry for a race, then he made those horses which had been kept hungry race from Hafyaa to Thaniyyat al-Wada', and those horses which had not been kept hungry, he made them race from Thaniyyat al-Wada' to the mosque of Banu Zuraiq.

Hazrat Abu Lubaid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a horse was sent to me while Hazrat Hakam bin Ayyub was the governor of Basra. We went out to see it. We said, "It would be good if we went to Hazrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)." Then we went to him; he was in the corner of the palace. We said to him, "O Abu Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him)! Did the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to compete in horse races during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?" He said, "Yes, by Allah, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to race his horse, whose name was Subhah. Once, it won the race, and then leaves were broken for it."

It is narrated from Hazrat Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) that two persons saw a deer while both of them were in the state of ihram. Both of them competed with each other, struck it with sticks, and broke them. Then both of them presented themselves before Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (may Allah be pleased with him) was also present with him. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked Hazrat Ibn Auf (may Allah be pleased with him), "What is your opinion?" Hazrat Ibn Auf (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "This is gambling, even though it was a competition."

Hazrat Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from his father that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) organized a horse race and set a prize of a few uqiyah of silver for it, and he organized a camel race but did not set any prize for it.