Dubai Future Champions Education Week proves to be a winner for Newmarket pupils

Last week, 165 Year 8 pupils from Newmarket Academy, the town’s only upper school, were welcomed in by a range of businesses to explore the wealth of career opportunities the industry offers through Dubai Future Champions Education Week.

The focus week forms part of the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project and seeks to engage with the local community’s key racing organisations to bring the Year 8 curriculum to life.

Godolphin’s UK Charities Manager Penny Taylor said: “The idea behind the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project is to give the young people in Newmarket an opportunity to learn what the industry is about.”

“They are often remote from it, as it’s so closed off from them, so what we want to try to do is give them an understanding of why the town is such a special place.”

Guided by the team from charity partner, Racing to School, pupils took part in four activity days, each with a focus on an aspect of the sport: Horse Welfare, Racing Heritage, Life of a Racehorse, Sales & Care.

The week culminated with a visit to the Rowley Mile racecourse and was highlighted by an inspiring Q&A with jockey Harry Davies, a former Newmarket Academy pupil, who shared his memories of the Dubai Future Champions Education Week he participated in seven years earlier.

Pupils later cheered Harry home aboard Coto de Caza, the winner of the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes, before welcoming him back to the paddock with shouts of congratulations and calls to autograph racecards.

Racing to School’s Fundraising and Communications Manager Jen Gates said: “This unique week of learning has immersed pupils in the world of horseracing on their doorsteps that, for many, has felt so far removed from their daily lives- until now. Focusing on one area of the industry each day has allowed us to dig deeper and explore a number of the different opportunities available to these promising young people.

You can hear and see the profound impact meeting Harry [Davies], a young man so passionate about his career, has had on the pupils and their ambitions for their own futures, whether that is in or out of horseracing. We’re so grateful to Newmarket Racecourses, Jockey Club Estates, Godolphin and all the organisations and individuals who made this week possible.”

Horse Welfare Day

Pupils visited two of the town’s veterinary hospitals, Newmarket Equine Hospital and Rossdales, giving them the opportunity to learn how they look after equine patients. Activities included equine CPR on a replica foal, bandaging a wound and the chance to explore biological samples. The groups also learned about the different paths to becoming a vet or veterinary nurse.

At the British Racing School, pupils received some coaching on the equicisers and discovered what it takes to pass a jockeys’ fitness test, before touring the fantastic facilities.

Racing Heritage Day

Trips to the National Horseracing Museum and Dalham Hall Stud brought the rich heritage of the sport of horseracing to life. The young people learnt that there are over 3,000 horses in training in Newmarket alone, and that each of those descends from one of three sires.

Behind the famous blue silks of Godolphin seen on racecourses is the international breeding operation that operates across four continents, Darley, with Dalham Hall Stud at its centre. The visiting pupils met globally renowned stallions Dubawi and Too Darn Hot, who lead the breeding programme. The also had the opportunity to be photographed with impressive Dubai World Cup trophy- one of the biggest prizes in horseracing.

Discover Newmarket kindly supported during the week with tour guides who were able to help students learn some facts about the history of Newmarket while they toured around Newmarket by bus.

Life of a Racehorse Day

The impact of this day was to show students the high-quality care and individual attention a racehorse receives by going behind-the-scenes to tour of some of the town’s many successful training yards including Highfield Stables, Machell Place, Kremlin Cottage, and Bedford House Stables. The stable grooms gave a fantastic insight into all the different aspects of working in a racing yard and answered questions with a real passion and enthusiasm for the industry.

Then it was off to the Rowley Mile for an afternoon of honing pupils’ mathematics skills in the Weighing Room, Parade Ring and out on the track.

Sales & Care Day

At Tattersalls, one of the world’s oldest thoroughbred auction houses, pupils watched in awe as some of the 354 yearlings at this year’s Book 1 sale went through the ring. Martin Mitchell, former Director of Bloodstock Sales at Tattersalls, was on hand to share insight into the thrill of how a thoroughbred auction is run.

The pupils were fascinated by the large sums of money changing hands and were eager to calculate the averages and to take calculated guesses on the sales prize with their newfound knowledge of the Darley Stallions.

At the Newmarket Pony Academy, many of the participants experienced their first opportunity to interact with a pony. Pupils learnt the names and functions of some essential items of grooming kit, before using them to bond with one of the Academy’s wonderful ponies.

Considering the success of the week, Danielle Dawson, Head of Business & IT and NAGBP Coordinator said: “The students genuinely love the whole week, even if they aren’t thinking about a career in the horseracing industry. Some of the pupils might not have thought much about a career in the industry but they will see something in the week and think ‘I want to do that’, and then they can explore the skills they need to fulfil that role.”

Racing to School is very grateful to all our partners and sponsors for their continued support in making this week possible:

Godolphin, Newmarket Racecourses, Jockey Club Estates, British Racing School, Newmarket Pony Academy, Dalham Hall Stud, Discover Newmarket, National Horseracing Museum, Tattersalls, Rossdales, Newmarket Equine Hospital, Charlie Fellowes Racing, James Ferguson Racing, Harry Eustace Racing and Alice Haynes Racing.