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Blog – 29th March

Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.

Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):

  • Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
  • Accounts Manager, Nicola,
  • Admin manager, Carol,
  • Marketing exec, Alexia, who is writing today’s blog, and
  • Chief Operating Officer, Richard.

Its Good Friday, the Bank Holiday Easter Weekend has arrived, and we hope you are enjoying plenty of Easter Eggs!

The Easter Weekend also means the start of the new season is right around the corner, the last couple of days have been rather hectic to say least. Final preparations to the weighing room are well underway and we have been busy settling in and organising our brand new raceday office. It is looking very smart!

I even managed to build some flat pack furniture to go in the Weighing Room and impressed myself!

It’s not just the new office and weighing room though we have to get set up, the whole Racecourse needs to be to be primed to welcome race goers back on the 2nd April. The ground staff have been hard at work getting the track ready and ensuring the Course is looking in tip top shape.

On Tuesday we have plenty of Easter treats in store, the Easter Racehorse will be on hand to dish out some chocolate goodies, we are stocked up on crème eggs. In the Picnic Enclosure we have a selection of funfair rides as well as an Easter Egg Hunt. There are images of eight eggs located around the Enclosure, you need to collect all the words to complete the sentence, once you think you have the right sentence check at the transfer gate and there may be a tasty prize in store. *Hint* download the Raceday Ready App for clues on locating the eggs! 

We have a free drop in art workshop taking place with James Owen Thomas, an award-winning environmental artist between 1pm and 4pm taking place just next to the Grandstand and Paddock Turnstiles. James has created a piece of artwork for us previously as part of our sustainability campaign, the artwork is made from recycled materials including previous raceday leaflets and tickets. James has also worked for Great British Racing, having created a piece of art for the King’s Coronation that was unveiled here at Ponte. 

This is an art workshop designed for all abilities, it’s a chance to get creative in a relaxed, sociable atmosphere, learning how to make your own environmentally-friendly collage!

Tuesday is also World Autism Acceptance Day, a rather fitting day to start our Autism Friendly Racedays. There is still time to register for tickets on Tuesday, please email autisminracing@gmail.com

There is plenty taking place throughout the Course and we are very much looking forward to welcoming race goers back for another year! 

Out on the track we have the first leg of the stayers championship, The Jamaican Flight Handicap Stakes. The Stayers Championship is for all races run over two miles, there are nine races in total. The winner of the each race receives 9 points, 6 points for second, 4 points for third and 3 points for fourth. The owner, trainer and stable of the Championship winner each win £1500. 

Enjoy your weekend and hopefully we will see you Tuesday!

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Blog – 15th March

Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.

Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):

  • Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
  • Accounts Manager, Nicola,
  • Admin manager, Carol,
  • Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
  • Chief Operating Officer, Richard, who is writing today’s blog.

Well, it’s nearly here….the 2024 racing season gets underway on Easter Tuesday 2nd April. And, if it ever stops raining, we’ve got some fantastic things lined up for 2024 and we kick off with our Easter Extravaganza. You can expect plenty of Easter treats instore, including an Easter Egg Hunt in the Picnic Enclosure and some fairground rides.

Not only does our first race meeting fall on Easter Tuesday, it is also World Autism Awareness Day which is a really fitting way to start our Autism Friendly racedays for 2024. If you’d like to learn more, click here – or register to attend by completing this questionnaire.

As people up and down the country continue to struggle with rising costs, we have decided that we will be holding our prices for many of the race meetings in 2024 meaning that tickets for the 10 midweek meetings purchased at the early bird rate are the same price as they were in 2010! We are so grateful to the local communities for their support and wanted to do our bit to ease the costs for those who attend. 

In keeping with our Yorkshire values, we have also continued our most popular cost effective True Yorkshireman package.

There are some proper savings so that even the most careful of Yorkshire folk can see some real value. For all our racedays (other than the Music Nights and Ladies Day) ‘The True Yorkshireman’ package will be available. Racegoers will be able to get entry to the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure, a pint of lager/bitter or a glass of wine and a pie – all for £16. The package is only available up to one month before each race meeting but offers a discount of almost 50% on ‘on the day’ prices.

As part of the 2024 Raceday entertainment, we will once again have two Friday Night music nights. The critically acclaimed Björn Again will perform at the Music Night race meeting on Friday Eve 24th May while longstanding Oasis tribute, Definitely Mightbe will be on stage on the 19th July when there’ll also be a local beer festival. The other evening race meeting (Monday 10th June) sees the return of the award winning ‘Racing For Everyone’ race night where we extend a warm welcome to those thinking of trying racing for the first time. There’ll be an orientation tour before the gates open so those with specific accessibility needs can check out the courses’ facilities before the general public arrive. There’ll also be an autism friendly, sensory space as well as BSL interpreters who will be signing the race commentaries to support the Deaf Community.

The popular Family Sundays return with the Yorkshire Heritage Family Day on the 23rd June. There’s more music for Tribute Bands family day on 28th July and the Sky Bet Sunday Series concludes at Pontefract on 18th August – our Premier Fixture in 2024.

Not forgetting Ladies Day (on 7th August) when, once again, RIU Hotels and Resorts will be providing a long haul flight and all inclusive break to the best dressed lady. This year, the lucky winner will be heading to Mauritius. 

There’s a lot to look forward to and we can’t wait to get started.

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Blog – 1st March

Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.

Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):

  • Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
  • Accounts Manager, Nicola,
  • Admin manager, Carol,
  • Marketing exec, Alexia, who is writing today’s blog, and,
  • Chief Operating Officer, Richard.

With the 2024 season fast approaching and our first fixture less than 5 weeks away, we have had a busy couple of days at the Racecourse this week.

On Wednesday we invited raceday staff in for a training day and on Thursday we hosted our annual ‘Welcome Lunch’.

Wednesday started with coffee and catch ups as we welcomed our raceday members of staff back for a morning of training. The day started with a talk and presentation from Mr Gundill, followed by Richard, who gave an overview of this years upcoming racedays. Richard also spoke about the improvements we have made on the course to the accessible facilities and following his training with the National Autistc Society, Richard trained our staff on how they can best help and assist autistic racegoers.

As a dementia friendly racecourse, Carol recently attended a Dementia Awareness course and was able to train our raceday staff. Carol explained how best to communicate with a person who has been diagnosed with dementia, how to avoid jumping to conclusions about someone’s actions, and managing a conversation as well as the importance of using body language in the correct way. 

We then welcomed Sarah from Racing Welfare, a charity who support the workforce within British Racing offering professional guidance as well as practical help with all sorts including housing, medical assistance and mental health. The services are available to all those who work within the sport, from stud staff to racecourse staff. Sarah talked to us all about the different services available.

The morning was finished with a fantastic lunch from the team at Huggamug, the brownies went down a treat! It was great to welcome back our raceday staff and we look forward to seeing them all on the 2nd April and I’m sure they are looking forward to welcoming you all back to the Racecourse!

On Thursday we welcomed around 50 people including members of the press, sponsors, and local trainers for lunch to look ahead to the new season and celebrate what a year 2023 was!

The afternoon started with some good old networking before we all took our seats for lunch. Lunch was catered for by the amazing team at Huggamug, a big thank you to Jo, Andy and all their staff for a delicious lunch, there hospitality was wonderful and thank you to CGC Events for also helping and manning the bar! On the menu was Beef Sunday Lunch or chicken and leek pie, followed by very generous portions of either brownie or crumble for pudding and a cheese board!

Following lunch Richard and Mr Gundill gave an updates on the new developments with the Weighing Room and the work being done over at the stables. Richard also spoke about becoming the first Racecourse to host Autism friendly racedays across every fixture with Autism in Racing (please find on X @autisminracing) and our upcoming work New Beginnings as part of our 12 months of giving.

As we looked back on last years season we were able to dish out some awards. The first award went to our 2023 Stayers Champion, Yorkindness! Trained by Charlie and Mark Johnston, she held top position on the leaderboard for most of the season with a very impressive total of 3 wins from just 3 starts at Pontefract.

Training performance of the season went to Ruth Carr and her horse Reigning Profit. To our knowledge, Reigning Profit is the first horse to ever win consecutive races at Pontefract! On the 24th April he won the last race on the card and then went onto win the first race on the card at the very following meeting!

Ride of the season went in the way of Callum Rodriguez for his ride aboard Emily Post, trained by Micheal Dods. From sitting at the back of the field for the majority of the race, coming up to the final few furlongs the pair picked off the rest of the runners to take first place!

Carrigillihy, received a well-deserved Special Recognition Award for his efforts around the track at Ponte. Trained by Tim Easterby, Carrigillihy has racked up a remarkable 5 wins at Pontefract and counting! We hope to see him back here for another season.

The final award was presented to Yorkindness, winner of the Ponte Horse of the Year 2023 Award! This was an award voted for by the public at the end of last year on twitter and I’m sure we can all agree it was very well deserving!

It was a wonderful afternoon and always signifies that the start of the season is imminent, we look forward to opening the gates to you all on the 2nd April.

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Blog – 16th February

Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.

Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):

  • Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
  • Accounts Manager, Nicola,
  • Admin manager, Carol,
  • Marketing exec, Alexia, who is writing today’s blog, and,
  • Chief Operating Officer, Richard.

Ladies Day is one of my personal highlights of the year. I love seeing the fashion and getting involved in making this such a great day out for everyone.

Wednesday 7th August sees the return of our annual Ladies Day Fixture, a highlight of the racing calendar. It is a fabulous day full of glitz and glamour, and there always promises to be a showcase of style both on and off the track as the Ladies of Yorkshire truly do ‘dress to impress’.

The atmosphere of Ladies Day is like no other, it’s a great day out to enjoy with friends and loved ones, it’s a day when action-packed racing meets fabulous fashion! Over the years we have seen some amazing outfits, all worthy of a chance at winning the Best Dressed Competition.

 
Pictured above is last year’s winner Charlotte! Photo: Hannah Ali

It is the news you have all been waiting to hear! We can now reveal where the lucky winner of this year’s coveted Best Dressed Ladies Competition will be jetting off to.

So this year, we will be sending one very lucky Lady away to,

*drumroll please* …

*insert dramatic pause*…

MAURITIUS courtesy of the fantastic RIU Hotels & Resorts.

RIU have sponsored the competition now for many years and we are very grateful for their continued support and generosity. Previous winners of the competition have holidayed in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamica to name just a few of the fantastic destinations!

The winner will be off on a week long, all-inclusive stay for two with flights included! Does it get much better than a free holiday to a stunning island located in the Indian Ocean? I’m not sure it does!

We can’t thank RIU enough for their sponsorship. This year not only have the provided an incredible prize for our winning Lady but there is also a spectacular prize for the runner up. This year’s runner up will win a four-night stay for two people at the RIU Hotel in Dubai! (Flights are not included)

The format of the competition while differ slightly from past years. Those wishing to enter the competition can do so throughout the early afternoon by making their way to a designated area to be snapped up for a photo! The photo then acts as your submission into the competition which will be judged by an independent panel. The winner will then later be announced by Heart Radio presenters Dixie and Emma.

Gents, we haven’t forgotten about you! There is also the Best Dressed Gents Competition with cash prizes up for grabs.

So be sure to don your best outfits for a shot at the top prize. We look forward to welcoming you all on Ladies Day.

Ladies Day Hospitality is now very limited. There are still spaces available in the Ladies Day Marquee, however the Park Suite is fully booked. Find out more about tickets here.

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Twelve Months of Giving with New Beginnings

January sees the launch of Pontefract Racecourse’s ‘Twelve Months of Giving’ for New Beginnings Horses – a charity who provide a safe and secure environment for former racehorses, where they can adjust and be re-trained for their second career following racing.

The Pontefract team at New Beginnings Horses
The Pontefract team at New Beginnings Horses

In 2023, Pontefract Racecourse announced that former racehorse and New Beginnings resident, Nearly Caught (affectionately known as Nico), was to become their first Racehorse Ambassador. Earning just under £350,000 in prize money, Nearly Caught was a strong stayer who competed over marathon trips all around Europe. During his career, Nearly Caught was no stranger to Pontefract either as he won the Phil Bull Trophy by an impressive 10 lengths in 2015 – his biggest winning margin throughout his esteemed career!

Nearly Caught parades at Pontefract
Nearly Caught parades at Pontefract

Ahead of the launch of the new campaign, Richard Hammill, Chief Operating Officer for Pontefract Racecourse, said:

‘We pride ourselves on providing the highest level of equine welfare at Pontefract when racehorses visit the track and were delighted to team up with New Beginnings and welcome Nico as our Racehorse Ambassador. It’s been a privilege getting to know Nico and all the team here absolutely adore him. Having visited the yard in 2023, we were all keen to be able to do as much as we possibly could to help New Beginnings and the horses in their care. Launching ‘The Twelve Months of Giving’ was a natural progression to help raise the visibility of the charity and to showcase the wonderful care that is given to thoroughbreds in the next stage of their career.’

Nico with Chief Operating Officer, Richard Hammill
Nico with Chief Operating Officer, Richard Hammill

The campaign will see a variety of fundraising activity for New Beginnings taking place in every month in 2024. There’ll be opportunities for racegoers to see Nico (and some of his friends) and the New Beginnings team on each of the Racecourse’s Family Race Days, while other events will include staff volunteering days, a visit to the yard for Pontefract Racecourse Annual Badge Holders, bucket collections, community visits to local schools and the Prince of Wales Hospice and even attending a Castleford Tigers match!

Pam and Kevin Atkinson of New Beginnings said:

‘We have been taking the horses to meet the racegoers at Pontefract for over 10 years and we really enjoy working with the whole team there. We’re thrilled to be part of their Twelve Months of Giving campaign. We see daily the powerful impact racehorses have on people lives and we are delighted to be partnering with Pontefract Racecourse on this initiative so more people can experience and learn what horses do for people, and people for horses. The campaign will hopefully help us to raise vital funds to be able to continue to care for these wonderful horses who give us so much joy.’

The Pontefract Groundsteam set to work

If you’d like to make a donation to New Beginnings Horses, please click here.

Click here for more information on Pontefract Racecourse and the Twelve Months of Giving.

For more information on New Beginnings Horses, please click here .

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Autism Friendly Racedays at Pontefract

Pontefract Racecourse is thrilled to announce that all race meetings at the West Yorkshire track in 2024 will be Autism Friendly racedays, making it the first Racecourse in the country to host Autism in Racing Racedays on every day.

Bobby Beevers, Chair and Founder of Autism in Racing is delighted to get more Autism Friendly racedays in the calendar and commented:

“I think it’s absolutely amazing that Pontefract are making all their fixtures Autism-Friendly. Huge well done to Richard, Norman and the team for making it happen. Autism in Racing and Pontefract Racecourse have built a strong relationship and I’m really looking forward to working with the track for the season ahead.”

Hosting it’s first Autism in Racing racedays in 2023, Pontefract has made huge steps in improving all aspects of accessibility at the Racecourse and recently carried out a major scheme to upgrade the accessible facilities throughout the site. Their ‘Racing for Everyone’ race meeting in June 2023 won the coveted ‘Raceday Award’ at the Racecourse Association Showcase Event in November.

Richard Hammill, Chief Operating Officer for Pontefract Racecourse said:

‘Raising awareness of Autism and playing our part in enabling the Racing Industry to be more inclusive is hugely important to us all at Pontefract. The Racecourse has a long association of working with customers and racegoers who have additional needs, as well as with Autism in Racing and to be able to put something in place to make the Racecourse even more inclusive throughout the season is incredible.’

The Racecourse will be working in conjunction with their ticketing provider, Future Ticketing, who will provide valuable funding to enable the initiative to take place every day. 

Hammill continued:

‘We are thrilled to be working with Future Ticketing to host Autism Friendly racedays throughout 2024. Their support is invaluable and we are really excited to be able to partner with them on this project.’

Ann Marie Guinan, Chief Marketing Officer of Future Ticketing, was excited that Future Ticketing could be part of the venture:

‘Future Ticketing are extremely proud to work with Pontefract Races on this project. Racing is an inclusive and accessible sport and we are delighted that we can enable further attendance and an Autism friendly experience to racegoers at Ponte.’

As part of their Autism Friendly racedays, the Racecourse and Future Ticketing will provide designated quiet and safe spaces for autistic Racegoers, or those who may have additional needs, including complimentary soft drinks and biscuits. In addition, there will be a dedicated sensory room, provided by Immersive, at every race meeting.

William Buick, champion jockey and Ambassador for Autism in Racing said:

“I congratulate Pontefract for their commitment to Autism Friendly racedays. My family has first hand experience of autism and as an Ambassador for Autism in Racing I welcome the way racecourses are embracing the concept.”

Any racegoers wishing to apply for places at any Autism in Racing fixture should contact Autism in Racing on X at https://twitter.com/autisminracing (@autisminracing).

Richard Hammill
Chief Operating Officer
Pontefract Racecourse
01977 781307

For more information on Pontefract Racecourse, please visit www.pontefract-races.co.uk

To discover services offered by Future Ticketing, please visit https://www.futureticketing.com/

A brand new Autism in Racing website will be developed over the coming months. In the meantime, to learn more about Autism in Racing please visit https://twitter.com/autisminracing

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Blog  – 5th January

Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.

Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):

  • Managing Director, Norman Gundill, who is writing today’s blog!
  • His trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
  • Accounts Manager, Nicola,
  • Admin manager, Carol,
  • Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
  • Chief Operating Officer, Richard.

Happy New Year!

We are now in the “thick of winter”, although it might be more appropriate to call it “the rainy season”.

We are often surprised that many people think that the pressure is off and we can have an easy time. Not a bit of it. Winter is the time when we take stock of the past season, carry out any major improvements, deal with all the repairs which the past year have thrown up and put in hand all the arrangements for the coming season.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) are requiring all Racecourses to upgrade their “Weighing Rooms” which include all the facilities for Jockeys and Officials. To be fair, the last major upgrade we carried out was just over 30 years ago and our facilities do need a complete overhaul. This is a major scheme which absolutely must be completed in time for us to race on Easter Tuesday 2nd April – no pressure then! Sleepless nights ahead.

The current weighing room look.

The Fixture List for 2024 was published towards the end of last year. We have our “usual“ 16 race meetings on roughly equivalent dates. Now we need to revise the detail of each days races and the prizemoney we can offer. We strive to offer as much as possible but the BHA has introduced some radical changes to the structure of race meetings this year and the funding which we will get from the Horserace Betting Levy Board towards prizemoney is to go down because it is being concentrated on major Saturday meetings and festivals.

This years fixture list.

Bearing in mind ever increasing costs, balancing the books is a headache.

Apart from a small number of permanent staff, the staff and contractors we require on racedays are engaged for a “season” at a time and we will start making arrangements in the next few weeks.

As a place of “entertainment” for the general public, we have to comply with a plethora of rules and regulations. In addition to those laid down by the BHA, we have a Safety Certificate issued under the Safety of Sports Ground Act and we have to arrange rigorous checks and inspections before the new season can start. These include a structural survey, testing the electrics, gas, emergency lighting, heating, ventilation and fire alarm systems, checking lifts, turnstiles and roller shutters, in effect all mechanical services.

We also have to look after the racetrack itself and get it ready to race on in April when the rain relents and we can get on it, it will still need mowing (occasionally) spiking or vertidraining, and there will be railings to clean.

In short, we need to plan and implement everything necessary to ensure the racecourse is in good order and ready for everyone at our first meeting on Easter Tuesday, 2nd April.

We look forward to seeing you.

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Blog – 22nd December

Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.

Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):

  • Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
  • Accounts Manager, Nicola,
  • Admin manager, Carol,
  • Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
  • Chief Operating Officer, Richard.

What a year its been, 15 fabulous racedays!

From music with Kim Wilde to Ladies Day to Racing for Everyone and who can forget our SkyBet Sunday meeting!

While it was gutting to loose our final fixture of the year we definitely had plenty of fun during the year which made up for it.

Lets find out what some of the highlights were this year for the team:

Nicola: Having arch lintels installed at the house, very exciting!

Carol: A first ever winning tip! Stay Away Fay won at Cheltenham at 18/1 (maybe we should start to make note of Carol’s tips!)

Mr Gundill: The SkyBet Sunday Series meeting on the 25th June

Richard: Winning the Raceday award for Racing for Everyone at the RCA Showcase

Caroline: Sitting next to Paul Hanagan at the Go Racing in Yorkshire Lunch

Alexia: Our trip to York Races!

All of us at Pontefract would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, all the best!

See you next year.

We will leave you with some festive clips to enjoy and a lovely picture of us enjoying a Christmas day out:

Facebook – A wonderful rendition of ‘I wish it could be Christmas Everyday’, you never know it could be the next Christmas Number 1

Our very own Christmas Carol has an absolute cracker of a joke – Our Christmas Carol – YouTube

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Blog – 12th December

Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.

Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):

  • Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
  • Accounts Manager, Nicola,
  • Admin manager, Carol, who is writing todays blog,
  • Marketing exec, Alexia and,
  • Chief Operating Officer, Richard.

Hello again! It’s Carol!

Now that the Racing Season is over, it’s time to start getting ready for next season. 

The first job is to get the Annual Badges underway. I have ordered the 2024 metal badges and they are due for delivery at the beginning of December.  We’ve got plenty of exchange days for next year too – I have just finalised these reciprocal dates where our Annual Badge Holders get to visit other Racecourses around the country (and in Ireland) on certain days. There’s a trip to see New Beginnings and a coffee morning at the Racecourse as well. All in all, being an Annual Badge Holder is great value for money.

In August I took part in a Zumbathon to raise money for Dementia UK.  Myself, my daughter Mollie and about 30 other people did 3 hours of non-stop Zumba and managed to raise over £1,500 for a very worthwhile charity. Looking into the charity, I wanted to see what more we could do at Pontefract and so, last week, I attended a course on Dementia Awareness for Sports Clubs & Venues. I would like to share a bit of what I learned with you and how we might implement some changes at Ponte.

I have to admit that I was a bit concerned about doing the course at first, especially when I can’t remember what I did yesterday or when I find myself staring into a cupboard when I’ve forgotten what I went into the cupboard for in the first place!!!

I soon learned that there is so much more to dementia than just memory loss. There are lots of other symptoms such as:-

  • Confusion and needing help with daily tasks
  • Disorientation
  • Problems with language and understanding making communication difficult
  • Difficulty thinking things through and planning
  • Difficulty with visual perception
  • Changes in behaviour

All of these symptoms can lead to frustration.

These are just a few symptoms and it is important to remember that everyone who has the illness is different and might suffer in different ways.

Some people who have been diagnosed with dementia do not want people to know.

The course I did was aimed at giving us a better understanding of the barriers that people with dementia face in their daily lives, especially when attending a sporting event.  It really made me think.

We listened in detail to a lovely gentleman called Nigel and his wife Sandra (who is his carer) who explained the difficulties they often come across when attending his favourite sporting events. 

He explained that one on the misconceptions about dementia is that most people think it is an old person’s illness.  He said that he is only 65 and that there are people younger than him who have also been diagnosed.  When I met Nigel, it wasn’t obvious that he had dementia so if he hadn’t told me, then I would never have known.

Nigel wanted to let us know about some of the issues that he regularly came up against when visiting Sports Venues. They were a real eye opener and things that I hadn’t necessarily considered :

  • On arrival, going through a turnstile can be busy and Nigel felt overwhelmed, especially when other people in the queue behind him were impatient as he struggled to communicate what it was he wanted.  This caused him to get frustrated and, occasionally, angry.
  • Everything about going out can be daunting for a person with dementia and it is important for us to be understanding of this.

I learnt of the importance communicating with a person who has been diagnosed with dementia, how to avoid jumping to conclusions about someone’s actions, and managing a conversation.  The importance of using body language in the correct way. 

I would like everyone to know that if you have been diagnosed with dementia or you are a carer for someone who has been diagnosed with dementia, please don’t let this put you off enjoying your day out at the Racecourse.  If you let us know in advance of your attendance, we will do our very best to ensure you have a day free from any stresses. 

We are a dementia friendly Racecourse.

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Blog – Friday 24th November

Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.

Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):

  • Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
  • Accounts Manager, Nicola,
  • Admin manager, Carol,
  • Marketing exec, Alexia and,
  • Chief Operating Officer, Richard who is writing todays blog.

November is a big month in the calendar for Racecourses up and down the country as the annual Racecourse Association Showcase Seminar and Awards takes place. The afternoon seminar offers Racecourses the chance to pick up tips from guest speakers from contrasting industries while the evening awards celebrates innovation and best practice on Racecourses with around 12 awards up for grabs. The culmination of the evening is the crowning of the ultimate Showcase Champion racecourse – an award that we were honoured to win in 2019 at the event at Hamilton Park.

The 2023 event saw the 2022 Champions, Aintree, act as host. Alexia and I made our way across the M62 to try and get some fresh ideas and start planning our 2024 racedays. The RCA had programmed a really interesting set of guest presenters from a diverse range of businesses and events – Everton Football Club, the Eurovision and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. There have been several memorable presentations over the years and some that really stick with you. For me, listening to Susan Finnegan, Commercial Director at Culture Liverpool, talk about the Eurovision legacy was one of those. Her passion, pride and commitment were inspiring and the skill of her team to stage the most successful running of the famous song contest has helped to cement Liverpool as one of the leading destinations for events in the world.

The evening Awards ceremony did not disappoint either. Joined by the rest of the office team, Ponte was just one of a huge turn out from Racecourses to attend and we were lucky enough to have been shortlisted for two awards – in the Diversity and Inclusion and in the Raceday Event categories. Each year, the standard seems to get higher and higher as courses strive to better themselves and become industry trend setters. To even be nominated for an award is an honour and so to pick up the Raceday Event award for our Racing For Everyone Raceday in June is something that we are all immensely proud of.

In 2023, we had made a concerted effort to make wholescale changes to all our accessible facilities. Everyone in the team played their role – the groundstaff worked tirelessly to upgrade every accessible toilet and increase the size of every accessible viewing platform, and the office team identified different user groups and invited them to the course to see the changes that we had put in place. The event saw us roll out these extensive improvements to our accessible facilities alongside an orientation tour for anyone who wanted to familiarise themselves with the Racecourse, an Autism in Racing raceday, a trip down memory lane presentation for dementia patients and BSL interpreters for racegoers from the deaf community. The race meeting sticks out in my mind as having a huge amount of planning and preparation but being incredibly rewarding. One piece of feedback we received from a wheelchair user visiting the course was that she was used to feeling like a bit of a nuisance when she when to events normally but felt like a VIP on her trip to Ponte. This kind of testimonial makes even the hardest day at work seem worthwhile. 

The Showcase Champion award in 2023 went to Musselburgh Racecourse who won an incredible 3 Awards! It was a richly deserved success for a small team who work incredibly hard. We all cannot wait to sample the delights of Edinburgh and know that there will be a truly outstanding Scottish welcome.

Along with the best industry events, when the team lets their hair down and celebrates, comes the worst hangovers. It will come as no surprise that the Ponte team can party with the best of them. First ones on the dance floor, last ones to be kicked out. There are some sore heads today, but it was worth it!