March 2020 CONTENTS
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www.racecourseassociation.co.uk March 2020 updatenewsletter CONTENTS Welcome 03 Junior Jumpers 05 06 Scottish Racing Academy 07 RCA Racing & Turf Conference 09 RCA Safety Group 10 Racecourse Groundstaff Couses 10 Badges & Pass 2020 11 Racegoers Club 12 Five Minutes of Fame 14 Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff 15 GBRI 16 Racing to School 17 Racing Welfare 18 ROA 19 HBLB 20 Britbet 20 TBA 21 PRA 22 Careers in Racing 23 Watt Fences 24 Duralock 25 Racing TV PJA ProAm 27 Fornells 28 Diary Dates / Contributors / Staff 29 Contact List 09 18 20 2 | RCA Update Newsletter 2020 Back to content page WELCOMEWords by Paul Swain Update due to the pace at which official successes to date. guidance changes, please be assured Appealing to a slightly older that the RCA and the sport’s steering demographic, Scottish Racing’s group are working at all hours to support Academy has recently launched to racecourses and all stakeholders. We are much excitement within the sport. conscious of the enormous challenges In a collaborative approach with local that lay ahead. The RCA will be at the schools and colleges, the Scottish service of our member racecourses to Racing Academy will use the power ensure they have the support they need of the sport to offer academic during this time. qualifications and career development To March’s Update, and we have some training which will benefit countless wonderful features to share from the people. Delly Innes and Eleanor Boden world of racecourses. Cheltenham’s The of Scottish Racing pick up the detail in Festival™ presented by Magners was the coming pages—congratulations to another rip-roaring occasion last week both on bringing this ambitious project and many of the Junior Jumpers will to life. have been in attendance to cheer home With all the regular features including their heroes. This programme engages Five Minutes of Fame, the latest from With circumstances as they are around youngsters in the sport in its purest the RCA’s exec departments and dates the world concerning the COVID-19 form and the strategic aim is to create for your diary, Update remains business outbreak, it would be remiss not to fandom through unique experiences. as usual. We hope that you enjoy and mention it in these pages. Whilst we Creator of the programme, Matthew most importantly for the weeks ahead won’t cover critical information in Foxton-Duffy, shares its origins and let’s keep talking! Fans for the future: Junior Jumpers brings the sport to youngsters from a young age 3 | RCA Update Newsletter 2020 Back to content page NEWS FROM THE RCA The latest from Junior Jumpers, RCA Safety Group, Racecourse Groundstaff Courses and the Racegoers Club. 4 | RCA Update Newsletter 2020 Back to content page TM THE ROAD TO THE FESTIVAL STARTS WITH JUNIOR JUMPERS Foxton-Duffy explains: “This scheme communicating with members about young age, they will have a childhood of will appeal to the younger children but Zara will be led by social media. “I memories that will see them returning will also give the older ones more focus always want to keep the essence of to the racecourse for a lifetime. and allow us to talk to them in a slightly Junior Jumpers with the stamping different way. of the book,” he says, “but at some “As for the Festival, any child is allowed stage we will have to go to a form of to attend, with a charge for those over “Children from the age of around 14 digitalisation, and, in fact, keeping five years old, but in the main they are all For thousands of racegoers and off- many miles you’d flown. Eventually you’d stands at around 3,500, and Junior to 17 want to have what adults have, members informed about the racing at school during the four days of racing, track fans the Road to the Cheltenham qualify for a much-coveted pin badge. Jumpers-only mornings, held before and that can start with the racing pony, pony wouldn’t be sustainable without and we don’t really want to encourage Festival begins as soon as one year’s racing, are over-subscribed. The target which is stepping up their involvement digital communication.” them to attend. extravaganza is over. For the racecourse “As a child I was just captivated by flying. is to reach 5,000 in a couple of years’ a gear. itself the journey starts even earlier, with So, if you take that same incredibly time, Foxton-Duffy says. Looking ahead, Foxton-Duffy is “But the point about taking children its Junior Jumpers venture. simple principle – you fly, you meet “The pony won’t necessarily be ridden planning to introduce a reduced-price through the racing journey, which now people, you get a stamp – and translate “The big challenge is in the 13-18 age- by a Junior Jumper, but they will learn opportunity for Junior Jumpers who includes the natural progression of pony Junior Jumpers, a free-to-enrol club, it into racing, you get the initiative we group,” he adds. “The product probably what pony racing is all about, and the move on to the 18-24 tier, as part of racing, is that it eventually ends at the was launched in October 2016 with the have introduced.” works best up to the age of 13, so now start it gives to people who dream the process to becoming fully paid-up Festival. By that time, if they have gone aim of engaging, enthusing and making we’re thinking what we can do when a of being a professional jockey. It’s all members of the racegoing public. through Junior Jumpers, they are not children up to the age of 14 feel valued, He adds: “I was never going to be a Junior Jumper gets beyond that age. about being associated with something frightened of attending the biggest while also reminding parents that the pilot, but I was always going to fly, and I tangible and provides a link with the “Young racegoers are our future days.” sport is a family-friendly pastime. still fondly remember the experience I “We have toyed with the idea of sport that doesn’t exist at the moment.” customers and members,” he says, “and had as a child that made me feel more creating Junior Jumpers-Plus, which will Foxton-Duffy believes that if they are engaged with the sport at a The key element of the scheme is a comfortable about flying. In the same potentially give members their own area membership pack, which includes a way, we want to make children feel on a raceday, where they get to meet collector’s book that is stamped on comfortable that going racing is an a jockey and talk about wellbeing of each visit to Jockey Club Racecourses’ enjoyable sport and that as a Junior horses and riders. We’ll probably do that four venues that make up its south west Jumper they get recognised with in the next six to ten months.” region. Regional head of marketing badges like their parents’. Matthew Foxton-Duffy reflects that the In the meantime, a fresh initiative has idea owes much to his own childhood. “The real benefits will be felt in five been introduced with 14-year-olds and years’ time when these children become upwards in mind. On behalf of Junior “I used to fly round the world with my members of the paying public but are Jumpers, Cheltenham has bought Nan and was part of the BOAC Club,” he already fully engaged with racing.” a pony, named Zara, who has been explains. “You went up to see the pilot donated to the Gloucester St James during the flight and he would stamp From a standing start Junior Jumpers City Farm & Riding School to be trained your membership book to show how has not stood still. Its membership and prepared for pony races. 5 | RCA Update Newsletter 2020 Back to content page 6 | RCA Update Newsletter 2020 Back to content page SCOTTISH RACING ACADEMY LAUNCHED Scottish Racing, the body which promotes the sport of horseracing in Scotland, has announced the creation of a new sister organisation, the Scottish Racing Academy The new Scottish Racing Academy has opportunities for current stable staff to experienced racing professionals who collaborated with schools and colleges gain recognition for their current skills have a passion for transferring their across Scotland and is now seeking or gain additional skills whilst continuing knowledge to the next generation to recruit anyone who wishes to gain to work. of racing staff, as well as progressing essential employability and academic current stable staff employees. We qualifications, develop riding skills and Delly Innes, Manager of Scottish Racing are confident of the positive impact Thinking about gain knowledge of the vast range of said: “We are delighted to announce that this will have on the sport in Scotland careers within the racing industry. The Scottish Racing’s sister organisation, as a whole and will give individuals the a career in Academy also offers opportunities for The Scottish Racing Academy (SRA), is fundamental skills required to enter into, those who already work in horseracing now recruiting for anyone who wants and progress their career within, the horse racing? to upskill their careers. to work in the exciting and thrilling wider racing community”. world of horseracing. Scotland is The qualifications are being delivered well-renowned for having some of Louise Bulmer, Programme Leader for The new Scottish as part of the National Curriculum the most hard-working and dedicated Horse Care and Equine Studies courses for Excellence at all 9 schools in the staff in horseracing, and we believe our at SRUC said “This is such an exciting Racing Academy is now Scottish Borders and encourage young collaboration with schools and colleges opportunity for aspiring racing staff recruiting students people to complete a racing specific, will make it easier for many more people to develop their skills for a successful horse care qualification whilst studying to train for a wide range of career career in horseracing, in a safe and wanting a career in in their senior phase at school.