Team-based horse racing targeted at the youth
In the lead up to the event, some of the participants had the opportunity to meet some of South Africa’s best jockeys
Global Team Horse Racing trialled GTH Junior Riders at a fun event held at the Equidome Indoor Equestrian Arena in Beaulieu, Midrand on May 22.
The skills level of riders was broad – from novices who had never ridden before to experienced children that had been riding for years.
The day illustrated that GTH Junior Riders is a good way to get children involved in the sport without requiring any training or without having to own a horse.
The program intends to build a bond between horses and the children, with the horse being the hero. The focus on fun ensures that the children are not intimidated, with a view to leading to a love for equestrian-related events like dressage, jumping or just riding.
In the lead up to the event, some of the participants had the opportunity to meet some of South Africa’s best jockeys, ride a simulator and visit the starting gates to experience what it is like on a big race day.
“This was such a positive experience for my son,” enthused Heather Miller, mother of Finley. “He is an experienced rider, but there is no doubt that the program improved his riding and even though there is a competitive element to the event, the day finished with Finley having established many new friendships,” added Miller.
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The team format made it more fun for children of all ages and skill levels. Sunday’s event had two teams competing over six races, with four ponies per race and all the participants had three or four opportunities to race. Adding to the atmosphere, was the live commentary during the races by Alistair Cohen.
GTH Junior Riders will follow a similar format as the GTH live series, meaning that the children can relate to the race day with their “lived” experience. Experiencing the challenges, albeit on a smaller scale, is to breed respect for the jockeys, who are often the unsung heroes of horse racing.
“We were delighted with the reaction of the parents,” said Angus Campbell, who heads up GTH in South Africa.
“There is no doubt that this is a positive way of building a love for the sport and offering children an alternative to some of the traditional sports. The compact nature of the event suits the short attention spans of a younger generation and places GTH racing in the same category of action-packed sporting entertainment as T20 cricket and sevens rugby.
“Horse racing has always been associated with betting and gambling, but as GTH is a non-gambling product, It means that we can attract a younger audience, just as children participate in soccer, rugby or cricket extra murals,” commented Campbell.
The general feeling after the event was that everybody’s expectations had been exceeded.
“Participating in a sport grows your interest as a spectator, as you have a deeper understanding of the skills required to be successful at it. It is our goal to increase the support for horse racing by opening up the opportunity for all age-appropriate youth to participate,” Campbell concluded.
Announcements regarding the GTH Junior Riders will be made in due course and information will be available on the website at www.gthracing.co.za.
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