1st June 2006
Perth Racecourse will be celebrating their ‘Gold Cup Day’ meeting in June by hosting a Hobby Horse Grand National to raise money for the Brooke, Britain’s largest overseas equine welfare charity, which helps hundreds of thousands of working horses in the developing world.
On Sunday 11th June, children in the local area are invited to take part in a sponsored Hobby Horse Grand National on the racecourse – one of the first of many Hobby Horse Grand Nationals that are taking place across the UK as part of the Brooke’s highly successful Courses for Horses campaign - a national fundraising initiative to help horses that suffer most in the world. The idea of the Hobby Horse Grand National is that children make their own hobby horse, raise sponsorship and take part in a ‘Hobby Horse Race’ over miniature jumps.*
Perth was one of the first racecourses in the UK to sign up for the Brooke’s Courses for Horses Racecourse Club, whereby all 59 UK racecourses have been invited to raise money to help end the suffering of millions of horses worldwide. To date, over three-quarters of the UK’s racecourses have signed up.
Furthermore in a new partnership deal the Brooke’s headline Courses for Horses sponsor, Betfair – the UK’s leading online sports betting exchange - has generously pledged to match every pound generated by each of the racecourses for the Brooke campaign, including Perth’s Hobby Horse Grand National.
“We’re delighted to once again support the Brooke at our ‘Gold Cup Day’, in their bid to raise money for such a worthwhile cause,” says Sam Morshead, Perth Racecourse General Manager. “We hope the Hobby Horse Grand National is a resounding success, and the event at Perth raises valuable funds for the Brooke”.
The Brooke runs a network of mobile veterinary teams and veterinary field clinics in developing countries reaching 500,000 equine animals in need every year - animals that support the livelihoods of over three million people. Money raised by Courses for Horses will help the Brooke extend its reach from half a million to five million equine animals that desperately need help in the developing world, in so doing, protecting the livelihoods of many millions of vulnerable people worldwide.
Editors Notes
*A ‘Hobby Horse Grand National’ involves building little jumps and inviting local children to participate. The children can make hobby horses from broom handles (or purchase them) and the idea is simply to race up past the winning post at Perth over a special course built by the Perth Groundstaff to win a small prize. Children are each being asked to raise a minimum sponsorship of £15 to take part (in advance of the day). The event is set to take place on the racecourse at Perth on Sunday 11 June at 1pm (children can turn up on the day to take part in the Hobby Horse Grand National and give a donation to participate).
Courses for Horses month is July where members of the public are invited to have their ‘course’ for a horse, with events ranging from cake bakes to hosting their very own Hobby Horse Grand National to sponsored rides and walks. Courses for Horses fundraising packs are available – full of simple, fun ideas including posters, stickers, Hobby Horse Grand National packs and cake bake decorations.
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