Bath Racecourse was announced as winner of Best Event at the Racecourse Association Showcase Awards last night. The award was received for the ‘Kids Takeover Racing’ initiative that took place during the family raceday in May. The prestigious awards ceremony, which took place at Aintree Racecourse, also saw winners by Arena Racing Company courses Royal Windsor and Uttoxeter.
A range of fantastic events from Beverley, Carlisle, Chelmsford City and Royal Windsor were all shortlisted as finalists for the award, but it was Bath’s Kids Takeover Racing that claimed the accolade. The winning event took place earlier in the year and saw a whole day of racing and family fun, and provided a lucky few children with an unprecedented level of access to enjoy a behind the scenes experience in racing. Children of all ages shadowed key racecourse personnel, taking part in everything from being an At The Races TV Presenter to commentary, photography and even managing the racecourse social media accounts. The day also saw Bath’s largest-ever field size, when hundreds of children made a dash down the final straight in the day’s running race.
Educational charity, Racing To School, supported the racecourse in delivering workshops to local primary schools in the lead up to the event, as well as helping to provide participants on the day with an extra level of insight into the world of racing. Programme Manager, Ollie McPhail said;
“Bath’s take over event was a fantastic opportunity for the young people involved to discover the many different roles at a racecourse.
“The careful organisation of the day meant the children had different opportunities and experiences which covered a wide range of roles and certainly had a special day. One member of the group has since gone onto enroll at the British Racing School.
After collecting the award, Bath Racecourse Executive Director, Jo Hall said; “We are immensely proud to have been recognised by our industry peers for this event.
“To receive the best event award is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved after all the hard work that went into putting on the event. We are pleased to have been able to deliver a fantastic experience to all the participants and look forward to welcoming more families up to the racecourse on next year’s family events.”
Bath was also a finalist for a food and beverage award on the night, which was won by Cheltenham Racecourse.
Pictured: Members of the Bath Racecourse team accept the award from former jockey, Katie Walsh and Olympic Gold Medalist, Samantha Quek MBE.
