Geraldine Harrington training Vola, with help from a support dog, in the company of Naim Atahir and Landry Barreales
Peig O’Connor demonstrating all the elements of preparing the horse and jockey for racing
Ifti Hadchowdhury, and Adam Shine having a laugh with horseshoes
Hat’s the way to do it: Denis Starostenko was having fun
Darragh Cattigan, Raegan Browne, Sarah McGough, Emma Quirke, Connie O’Riordon, Aine Clayton and Cian Horan
Friends forever: Sixth class pupils from St Oliver’s Primary School enjoying the day
Noble call…Marissa McCarthy and Paten Coffey having fun
Third generation farrier, Timmy McGillycuddy, demonstrating the traditional art of shoeing a horse
First hurdle: Adam Twomey, James Whelan, Luke Brennan, Harry Huggett and Marc Cremin, participating in the Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Junior Education Day
A total of 150 schoolchildren from Killarney had a day to remember at a Horse Racing Ireland Racing Juniors education day at Killarney Racecourse to launch the local racing season which gets underway on Sunday, May 12.
Pictures: Valerie O’Sullivan
The fifth and sixth class primary school children from St Oliver’s Primary School and Presentation Monastery National School got to go behind the scenes at the course where they met top trainer Tom Cooper, jockey Gary Noonan and track supervisor Mike O’Connor who briefed them on how the team prepares the track for a race meeting.
Farrier Timmy McGillycuddy was also on hand to give children a demonstration.
The objective of the HRI Racing Juniors education days is to encourage an affinity with racehorses among the younger generation and demonstrate the variety of careers available in the racing and breeding industry in Ireland.
KillarneyToday.com: No other local publication can match our reach. To advertise call 087-2229761