Donkey Race Night (With Horse Videos)

Donkey Race Night (With Horse Videos)

The hard working Ivybridge Donkey Centre (Donkey Assisted Therapy) PFA (Parents and Friends Association) fund raisers and Donkey Centre Staff organised a Race Night which took place at the Centre on Saturday 6th October 2012. If you have never been to one, they are great fun and everyone can take part.  I would like to assure you that  no donkeys took part (as you will probably know, that to get a donkey to actually run is almost impossible!). 

It was well attended with about 150 people who “turned out” – pardon the pun. There were 8 video horse races, which were supplied by “Race Night Entertainments”, and each race had 8 horses.  Each race was sponsored by a supporter of the centre and all (apart from Race 8) had been purchased prior to the evening and therefore the sponsor of that particular horse was technically its “owner”.

A tote was run so that people could place a £1 bet for a win only on their chosen horse.  The odds for the  horses were calculated and were announced after all the bets had been received for each race.  The video race (which could either be a flat race or with jumps, and not known until it was opened) was chosen at random by someone in the room and there was then raucas cheering as the race was in progress as everyone was shouting for their chosen horse.  All those who correctly backed the race winner were paid out and a prize and a rosette presented to the “winning owner”.  I would stress that no-one went home with hundreds or thousands of pounds as the average winning for each horse was about £3.00.

However Race 8, was slightly different, as each of the horses were auctioned prior to the race, for anyone in the room to bid on.  The prize for the winning owner was dinner, bed and breakfast at the famous Burgh Island Hotel (made famous by the author Agatha Christie) at Bigbury, which is not far away.   I quite fancied this and  kept my hands still until horse number 7 came up for auction.  The thought of a night away in this fabulous Art Deco  hotel was too much to resist,  so Steve was extremely worried when I put my hand up and made a bid. Unfortunately (or fortunately for him) I was over bid, but would you believe it horse number 7 actually won – “if only I had bid a few more pounds!!!!).  However,  Steve actually backed horse number 7, so there was some justice.

It was a fun evening and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves, and some money was raised for the Centre.  This is one of many fund raising events that take place throughout the year (see previous events here)

 Donkey Race Night (With Horse Videos)