Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) held a ‘Go Racing Kids’ Club’ Day at Fairyhouse Racecourse yesterday (Tuesday 29th November). There were 143 pupils (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class) from local schools in attendance who took part in demonstrations from RACE (Racing Academy & Centre of Education) and heard talks from Jockey Nina Carberry and local Trainer Robbie Hennessy. Robbie was kind enough to bring along one of his horses called Donegal for the benefit of the children.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 on the racecourse.
All the children received a ‘Go Racing Kids’ Club’ goodie bag at the end of the day which included complimentary tickets for racing at Fairyhouse this Sunday for their parents (as children go free). There was also a competition element built into the day, as the children were invited to draw a picture of ‘Horse racing – what it means me’. Following their day at the track, as homework the children were asked to write an essay about their morning at Fairyhouse Racecourse.
Peter Roe, Manager, Fairyhouse Racecourse, commented: “We were delighted to have over 140 children at Fairyhouse today who got firsthand experience of what happens on a raceday and the role of Fairyhouse in the community at large. The children and their teachers were all enlightened by the talks from Nina Carberry, Robbie Hennessy and Annmarie Cullen and loved trying out the RACE simulator. It was a very successful morning and we look forward to seeing most of them and their parents back here on Sunday for the Premier Jump Racing Weekend”.
