GALLERY: More than 500 school kids take part in 'open day' at Curragh Racecourse

Photos: Aishling Conway

A total of 526 pupils from Co Kildare yesterday took part in Horse Racing Ireland's ‘Go Racing Kids’ Club’ Day, ahead of the Newbridge Parishes Family Raceday on May 2nd.

The objective of the ‘Go Racing Kids’ Club’ initiative is to build ties between the racecourses and their local community, encouraging an affinity with racing which will hopefully produce future racegoers.

The activities educate school children about racing and show them what happens behind-the-scenes at the racecourse.

Children from nine local schools came to the event, which is the most highly-attended Go Racing Kids’ Club day every year.

Of the five different stations around the racecourse, the demonstrations from R.A.C.E. (Racing Academy & Centre of Education) with a mechanical racehorse simulator proved one of the most popular. Pupils also enjoyed hearing about what it takes to become a jockey from Jockey Coach, Warren O’Connor and Helen O’Sullivan from the Irish Jockeys Trust.

Trainer Dick Brabazon, spoke to the children about his day-to-day routines and life in racing and introduced them to his filly Placere.

Curragh Manager, Paul Hensey took the pupils onto the track and explained how the team at the Curragh Racecourse prepares for a raceday and local farrier, Donal Bennett from the Farrier School in Kildare Town gave an informative demonstration.

All the pupils received a ‘Go Racing Kids’ Club’ goodie bag at the end of the day which included complimentary tickets to go racing at the Curragh on Newbridge Parishes Family Raceday on May 2nd.

Each pupil has been asked to write 100 words about their experience at the Curragh, with an iPad to be won for the winning essay. The winner will be announced at the racecourse on May 2nd.

Evan Arkwright, Commercial Manager at the Curragh Racecourse, said: “We really enjoyed entertaining so many enthusiastic children from the locality this morning and we hope they will encourage their parents to bring them to the annual Newbridge Parishes Family Race day on bank holiday Monday, 2nd May.

“It is an important that we help develop a strong awareness among children who are living close to the racecourse so that they appreciate how much the Curragh racecourse and training grounds contribute to Ireland’s position as one of the world’s foremost horse racing nations.”

Helen O’Sullivan from the Irish Jockeys Trust said: “The interaction we had with the local school children was just brilliant. They really enjoyed touching the saddles and boots and loved having the chance to dress up as a jockey. They had a lot of fun trying out the racehorse simulator with RACE and Warren O’Connor spoke to them about what it takes to become a jockey. They got a real sense of what it’s like to actually be a jockey. It’s so important to expose children to the inside track of Irish racing.”

Schools that took part were: Newbridge Educate Together, St Brigid's Primary School (Kildare Town), Scoil Bhride Primary School (Athgarvan), Scoil Bhride Primary School (Milltown); St Patricks National School, Scoil Na Naomh Uilig, Scoil Mhuire, St Conleth & Mary's National School and Patrician Primary School.

Outline of the ‘Go Racing Kids’ Club’ Education Days:

Station 1: Parade Ring – Meet a Trainer A trainer talks to the pupils about how their yard prepares for a race day, how to train a racehorse, what a horse eats and how much exercise it must get. The trainer will bring a horse with him/her and will go through the anatomy of a horse and show the students how to tack up for racing.

Station 2: The Weigh Room – Meet a Jockey The students are brought into the jockey’s weigh room where they meet and speak to a jockey. The jockey explains how he/she became a jockey, what it takes to be a jockey, how he/she prepares for races and answers any questions the students may have.

Station 3: R.A.C.E – Racing Simulator Representatives from R.A.C.E (Racing Academy & Centre of Education) are present with their racehorse simulator to talk to the students about their jockey trainee course. An instructor demonstrates, using the racehorse simulator, how to ride a racehorse. Some of the students from each group have a go on it too.

Station 4: Farrier Station A farrier speaks to the pupils about how he cares for horses’ hooves and shows them how horseshoes are made. He also shows the pupils various tools including rasps, pincers and different types of horseshoes.

Station 5: Racecourse Station The students learn about how the team at the racecourse prepares the track/ground for a race day.