The Jockey Club Pledges To Provide 100,000 Opportunities For Young People

Racing Together and Racing to School are pleased to support The Jockey Club in their pledge to provide 100,000 opportunities for young people to experience racing over the next decade. This is part of its long-term strategy to inspire the next generation of racing fans by creating repeated engagement with young people who might not otherwise have had a chance to experience the joy of horseracing. 

The work at Cheltenham began yesterday with Festival Monday, which saw local schools having unprecedented access to the 2024 Festival ahead of many famous faces, both human and equine – https://www.racingtoschool.co.uk/local-pupils-meet-cheltenham-festival-legends-in-second-edition-of-festival-monday/.

The Jockey Club, the largest racecourse group in Britain, is celebrating 100 years of the world-famous Cheltenham Gold Cup with a collection of compelling portraits that capture some of the unsung heroes connected to the iconic race. The heartwarming photography features both those who have been instrumental in making the iconic Cheltenham Festival race what it is today and those that will be defining the next 100 years.  

Speaking of the commitment, Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of the Jockey Club, commented, “The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup represents one of the pinnacles of our sport, and its centenary is a milestone moment that we feel honoured to be able to celebrate. These unique portraits, coupled with our commitment to provide 100,000 opportunities for young people over the next ten years not only reflects the extent of the Gold Cup’s power to inspire, but also allows us to look forward and show how we can help power the next 100 years of this historic contest, and continue to grow the appeal of racing as a whole.”

From seasoned racing veterans to long standing local business owners, the wide range of stories that accompany the unique portraits showcase just how many communities have been inspired by the Cheltenham Gold Cup over the last century, as well as those who could be inspired to be part of its next 100 years.  

Freedom Zamapaladus, Founder of The Urban Equestrian Academy, which aims to open doors in the equestrian world for a younger, more diverse generation and whose students were photographed, commented, “It has always been our mission to inspire the younger generation and open doors that have not been visibly present into the world of equestrianism. For some of our students to be part of the 100-year celebration of the Gold Cup will have been hugely inspiring and who knows, perhaps we could have given a future Gold Cup winner their first taste of Cheltenham.” 

For more information about the 100th year of the Gold Cup, visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk