Our 2019 series of Go Racing Kids Club
Education Days are now in full swing, they get children out and about at their
local racecourse and for HRI, it gives us a few hours to immerse children into an
industry and sport in which Ireland is a world leader.
The education day is often the child’s
first taste of racing and we set out to create an experience that captures their
attention and imagination, leaving them with a desire to learn more.
This year we have seven partner
racecourses; Cork, Fairyhouse, Galway, Leopardstown, Navan, Tipperary and The
Curragh.
The days are targeted at 5th
and 6th class pupils and their teachers. We set about organising days that are
engaging, exciting and full of new experiences that allow children to step
away from the normality of school life and into the world of racing.
Typically, children move between
twenty-minute stations, with each station giving them a new insight into the
world of racing. For those few hours, children that might have never considered racing are living and
breathing racing; meeting horses, meeting jockeys, trying on their silks and
even having a go on the RACE simulator, where we have witnessed them riding
finishes, punching the air in excitement as they ride ‘Tiger Roll’ to victory
over and over again.
The stars of our sport have been generous by giving their time to our education days, they are inviting
the future generation into their racing world. The children hang on every word they
say, and the questions come in thick and fast; the children’s imaginations are often in
overdrive and this can be reflected in the questions that they ask!
Meeting a jockey, trainer or indeed famous
racehorse is a memory that some children will continue to cherish long after
the education day; it connects them to a sport that is new to them. They later
see the success of this sport that they immersed themselves in and they can
feel like a small part of it.
While we set out to create an interactive learning
environment, we ultimately hope that these children leave the racecourse,
informed for life and enthused at the prospect of someday returning to the
racetrack with their parents, family, friends and maybe even as a jockey, owner
or trainer.
For more information on some of our initiatives
for children, visit www.goracing.ie/kids