Epsom Trainers Open Day 08
The 2008 Annual Epsom Racehorse Trainers’ Open Day was a great success and thank you to all who helped arrange this and also everyone who attended.
Following the monsoon conditions that were seen during the 2007 event, everyone was braced for a repeat of the same but the day dawned dry if not bright and stayed a comfortable temperature throughout.
The 9am gallops and the 9.45am stalls test were very well attended, and a real credit to all the trainers and staff who supplied horses for both of these events. These took place on the Downs behind the racecourse and provide a unique opportunity to see racehorses at work.
From 10am – 1pm there were 8 yards open to the public:
John Akehurst
Michael Attwater
Jim Boyle
Simon Dow
Roger Ingram
Laura Mongan
Pat Phelan
Roger Teal
The opportunity to see round the yards is always popular and this year many of the yards also had attractions taking place including a long-reining demo (Michael Attwater’s), an equine spa demo (Jim Boyle’s) and a breaking-in demo (Roger Teal’s) which increased the interest considerably. As in previous years, Epsom Coaches generously provided a complimentary bus service between the yards, which left at regular intervals from Derby Stables Road.
From 12.30pm the attractions taking place on the racecourse commenced and again proved to be a great crowd puller.
The events were:
-a hot shoeing demonstration by Steve Bates and his colleagues (horse kindly supplied by the Metropolitan Police) – sponsored by Connolly’s Red Mills
-pony rides and ‘dress up as a jockey’ (horses kindly supplied by Epsom RDA) - – sponsored by Connolly’s Red Mills
-Terry Derby – sponsored by Omni Productions Ltd – which, as always, provided a raucous spectacle for all!
-Scurry Driving display – sponsored by Ermyn Lodge Stud
-Horse-drawn fire engine display
-Falconry display – sponsored by Ermyn Lodge Stud, Ede’s (UK) Ltd & The Sutton Business Centre
-Epsom Racing Yards Upsan Downs Derby Tournament - sponsored by Ermyn Lodge Stud, Ede’s (UK) Ltd & The Sutton Business Centre. This was entertainment at its most hilarious, requiring teams from the local yards to compete against each other in a relay race on ‘space hopper horses’ – the winning team was from Laura Mongan’s yard
-Parade of Retired Racehorses (horses supplied by HEROS, Moorcroft and the Ex-Racers Club – sponsored by the ROA
-The ever popular Shetland Pony Derby – sponsored by Sunderlands Bookmakers. Phoebe Carter, aged 9 won the race riding REEVE OF BRAEMOOR, sponsored by Mrs Alicia Aldis. Chris Lane, of Lane Bros kindly acted as the day’s official bookmaker, taking bets on the race.
As well as all these events there were also a huge variety of tradestands housed in and around the Queen’s Stand providing something of interest to everyone, a children’s funfair, bouncy castle, bucking bronco, and a mysterious bronze jockey statue that if you watched long enough you might have seen move……
To finish off the day, the prize presentation and raffle draw took place in the Winner’s Enclosure and saw the winners of the Omni Terrier Derby, Sunderlands Shetland Pony Derby, Ermyn Lodge Scurry Driving Display and the Ermyn Lodge Stud, Ede’s (UK) Ltd & The Sutton Business Centre Upsan Downs Derby Tournament presented with their prizes by local celebrity Helen Chamberlain (Soccer AM presenter).
Whilst following a similar format to previous years’ events, the 2008 Open Day included many more attractions than at others and made a record sum for the charity, enabling more investment to be made into the welfare of racing stable staff in Epsom. Work has already started on the 2009 event so watch this space…….!
