Racing With Pride partners with British EBF and York Racecourse to deliver Pride raceday

Issued on behalf of Racing With Pride:

The British horseracing industry is proud to celebrate Pride month each June.

In recent years, we have seen racecourse activations, educational workshops, and community outreach, to name but a few of the ways the industry has come together to raise awareness and understanding around LGBT+ inclusion.

Much of the industry’s work in this area has been supported by Racing With Pride, the sport’s LGBTQ+ network, with over 500 members representing staff, fans, and allies of the community.

As part of this year’s celebrations, Racing With Pride once again partnered with the British European Breeders’ Fund and York Racecourse to deliver a Pride raceday on the Knavesmire.

Demonstrating the commitment of our partners, the initiative is now in its fifth year, and we have seen the day become a key diary date for members.

Racing With Pride has worked with the racecourse to engage with local LGBT+ groups and encourage participation from those who might not have considered a day at the races before.

This year, we welcomed members from local inclusive rugby club, The York RI Templars, as well as representatives from York Pride’s organising committee (pictured below).

Attendees enjoyed the opportunity to pick the ‘best-turned-out’ horse for the Racing With Pride-sponsored race (3pm) as well as welcoming the winning connections of Easy Peeler post-race.

The syndicate’s members were thrilled with their filly’s performance and enjoyed talking to Racing With Pride representatives about the day’s event.

The racecourse and BHA teams also facilitated a trip to the start for attendees, which was an added bonus to the day’s activities.

 

 

David Letts, Chair of Racing With Pride, commented:

“It was a pleasure to work with industry partners to deliver this key event once again – huge thanks go to the British EBF and York Racecourse for their continued support.

These days provide much needed visibility for the network, as well as an opportunity to engage with wider communities to demonstrate racing’s commitment to being a sport for all to enjoy. Some attendees had never been racing before and clearly outlined that their perceptions of the sport were shattered by the welcoming and inclusive nature of the day, as well as the racecourse’s visible demonstration of support.

If we hope to grow racing’s fanbase, and potential owners of the future, we must ensure the sport is both a safe and welcoming place for all to enjoy a day out, as well as ensuring that we are addressing the perception of the sport to those outside.”

Racing With Pride was established in 2020 to offer a community for people to find support and camaraderie, as well as influence social change and promote a diverse and inclusive industry.

RWP continues to support racing’s LGBTQ+ community in a variety of ways: offering advice, signposting to services, and through online and in-person meet-ups, as well as highlighting the community’s rich and diverse stories throughout racing.

The group’s visibility has expanded globally with both racing professionals and fans from other jurisdictions reaching out to recognise the work being undertaken.

If you would like to find out more about Racing With Pride, or explore ways in which you can support the industry’s work in this area, contact David Letts or Rose Grissell at info@britishhorseracing.com.