Calling all budding young artists
Exeter Racecourse has launched its fabulous annual art competition for children aged 11 and under with the overall winner featured on the front page of its racecard on Finlake Holiday Park Family Day, Tuesday, March 31.
Exeter want children to come up with vibrant designs which depict the colour and vibrancy of a day at the races, from the brightly coloured silks worn by jockeys, to smiling faces in the crowds.
There are prizes to third place in each category – seven and under and eight to 11 - including vouchers from Leonard Coombe Master Saddlers and Country Life, family tickets to the races as well as the winning design appearing in the Western Morning News.
The competition, which closes on March 16 with winners notified by March 20, coincides with racecourse’s annual family day, when children are given the opportunity to go behind the scenes at the races and discover for themselves the excitement of jump racing. Leading the tour will be former jump jockey Ollie McPhail, BHEST’s Lead Education Officer for the British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust (BHEST) Racing to School initiative.
There are also book vouchers from Forelock Books for every child taking part in the children’s running races down the home straight. Tractor Ted will be making an appearance along with miniature Shetland ponies to pet and groom and there will be a host of other activities to enjoy. The competition closes on March 16 and the winners will be notified by March 20.
A spokesman from the course said: “We had dozens of entries last year, with nine-year-old Oliver Capps the overall winner. Racing is such an exciting sport, full of colour and vibrancy, and it offers children a wonderful opportunity to draw something really imaginative.
“Family Day is educational and fun and a great way for children to learn about the sport, and if they fall in love with it, they can take it a step further with the Racing To School free initiative which gets children out of the classroom and on to their local racetrack. It offers a lively, practical approach that enriches a range of National Curriculum subjects from the geometry in the construction of fences, to the art and symmetry used in jockeys silks, to the science of jockey nutrition.”
More details and a downloadable form for the pictures can be found here.
Family Day is free to children aged 17 and under and a special two for one offer is available on pre-booked Grandstand and Paddock tickets. The first race is off at 2pm. A free bus to the racecourse leaves Exeter St Davids at 12.20pm and Exeter Bus and Coach Station at 12.35pm, returning 30 minutes after the last race.
To pre-book tickets quote FAMILY15 and call the ticket hotline 0844 5793005 or visit www.exeter.thejockeyclub.co.uk
