Editing Wimbledon, London (section)

==Sport==
===Horse riding===
Wimbledon Village Stables is the oldest recorded riding stables in England. The late Richard Milward MA, a local historian, researched the background of horses in Wimbledon over the years and found that the first recorded stables belonged to the Lord of the Manor, and are detailed in the Estate's accounts of 1236–37. Stables on the current site, behind the ''Dog & Fox'' pub in the High Street, were founded in 1915 by William Kirkpatrick and named Hilcote Stables; William's daughter Jean took over on his retirement and continued to visit the stables until her death in 2005. From 1969 Hilcote Stables were leased to Colin Crawford, and when they came up for sale in 1980 renamed Wimbledon Village Stables. It is now approved by the British Horse Society and the Association of British Riding Schools. It offers horse-riding lessons and hacks on Wimbledon Common and in Richmond Park.

===Horse racing===
In 1792 the Rev. [[Daniel Lysons (antiquarian)|Daniel Lysons]] published ''The Environs of London: being a historical account of the towns, villages, and hamlets, within twelve miles of that capital'' in which he wrote: "In the early part of the present century there were annual races upon this common, which had then a King's plate." However, he gives no further details and does not say how successful horse racing was or how long it lasted.

===Rifle shooting===
In the 1860s, the newly formed [[National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom|National Rifle Association]] held its first competition - the "[[Imperial Meeting]]" - on Wimbledon Common. The association and the annual competition grew rapidly and by the early 1870s, rifle ranges were established on the common. In 1878 the competitions were lasting two weeks and attracting nearly 2,500 competitors, housed in temporary camps set up across the common. By the 1880s, however, the power and range of rifles had advanced to the extent that shooting in an increasingly populated area was no longer considered safe. The last meeting was held in 1889 before the NRA moved to [[Bisley Camp|Bisley]] in Surrey.

[[Wimbledon, New Zealand|Wimbledon]], a small farming locality in New Zealand, was named after this district in the 1880s after a local resident shot a bullock from a considerable distance away. The shot was considered by onlookers to be worthy of the rifle-shooting championships held in Wimbledon at the time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wimbledon |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/wimbledon|website=nzhistory.govt.nz |publisher=NZHistory |access-date=14 July 2017}}</ref>

The [[Wimbledon Cup]] trophy, first awarded in Wimbledon for high-power rifles in 1866, was presented to the American rifle team in 1875 and a century and a half later continued to be awarded by the [[National Rifle Association of America]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NRA National Trophies|url=https://competitions.nra.org/competition-resources/nra-national-trophies/ |publisher=National Rifle Association of America|access-date=12 December 2021}}</ref>

===Football===
From a small, long-established [[Non-League football|non-League]] team, [[Wimbledon F.C.|Wimbledon Football Club]] had from 1977 climbed quickly through the ranks of the [[English Football League|Football League]] structure, reaching the highest national professional league in 1986 and winning the [[FA Cup]] against [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] in 1988.

Wimbledon moved into a [[Plough Lane (1912–98)|stadium at Plough Lane]] in 1912 and played there for 79 years until beginning a ground share with [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] at [[Selhurst Park]] near [[Croydon]], as their progress through the [[Football League]] meant that redeveloping Plough Lane to the required modern standards was impractical. The stadium stood dormant for 10 years until it was finally demolished in 2001. A housing development now occupies the site.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oldgrounds.co.uk/plough_lane_wimbledon.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724094806/http://www.oldgrounds.co.uk/plough_lane_wimbledon.htm |archive-date=24 July 2011 |title=Plough Lane – Wimbledon |publisher=Old Football Grounds}}</ref>

[[AFC Wimbledon]], the [[phoenix club (sports)|phoenix club]] founded to replace the departed team (see [[Milton Keynes Dons]]), played for a number of years in Kingston upon Thames; in 2020, however, they moved into a new stadium, again named [[Plough Lane]], on the site of the former greyhound track and a short distance from its namesake.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/|title=AFC Wimbledon|access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref>

===Cricket===
[[Wimbledon Cricket Club]] is based at The Wimbledon Club and also plays matches at Raynes Park Sports Ground.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.twccricket.co.uk/|title=The Wimbledon Cricket Club|access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref>

===Field hockey===
There are a number of [[field hockey]] clubs in the area. [[Wimbledon Hockey Club]] competes in the [[Men's England Hockey League]], the [[Women's England Hockey League]] and the [[Southern Counties Hockey Association|South East Hockey League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.twchockey.co.uk/|title=The Wimbledon Club - Hockey |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/wimbledon-hc|title=England Hockey - Wimbledon Hockey Club |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref> Berrylands Hockey Club, Merton Hockey Club and Mitcham Ladies Hockey Club are also nearby and compete in the South East Hockey League.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.berrylandshockeyclub.co.uk/?doing_wp_cron=1728646035.1902699470520019531250|title=Berrylands Hockey Club |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/berrylands-hc|title=England Hockey - Berrylands Hockey Club |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://mertonhockey.co.uk/|title=Merton Hockey Club |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/merton-hc|title=England Hockey - Merton Hockey Club |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://mitchamladieshc.com/|title=Mitcham Ladies Hockey Club |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/mitcham-ladies-hc|title=England Hockey - Mitcham Ladies Hockey Club |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref>

===Motorcycle speedway===
[[File:Wimbledon stadium.jpg|thumb|[[Stock car racing]] at [[Wimbledon Stadium]]]]
For many years [[Wimbledon Stadium]] hosted to [[Greyhound racing]], as well as [[Stock car racing]] and [[motorcycle speedway]]. Speedway began at [[Wimbledon Stadium]] in 1928. The local team, the ''"Dons"'', was successful over the decades. It started out in 1929 as a member of the Southern League and operated until the Second World War. The track re-opened in 1946 and the Dons operated in the top flight for many years. In the 1950s the track was home to two World Champions: Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs. In the Dons' last season, 2005, the team finished second in The National Conference League, but after the collapse of lease-renewal talks with the Greyhound Racing Association (owners of the stadium), the high increase in rent required meant the team was wound up. The stadium was demolished in 2017.

===Running===
There are two active running clubs in Wimbledon Park called Hercules Wimbledon and the Wimbledon Windmilers. Both clubs includes some top athletes as well as beginners. A [[Parkrun]] is held every Saturday morning. Prior to Parkrun, a similar event had been held as the Wimbledon Common Time Trial.