The summer showcase 2026 was held at the beginning of July, in glorious sunshine. It was a delight to welcome a wonderful group of our supporters and donors (past, present and hopefully future!) to the School, to enjoy a behind the scenes glimpse of life at BRS. We wanted to show them how valued their support is, and how it directly shapes the future of the young people we work with.
Throughout the morning, a series of interviews, hosted by former student turned jockey turned presenter Alan Johns, took the audience through some of the focus points of the BRS. These included the Newmarket Pony Academy, the Riding a Dream Academy, the Pony Racing programmes (see the video below for more details), the Rider Development Pathway and of course the all important Foundation Course.
Following a quick bacon sandwich and the hosted interviews, we invited guests to take a guided tour of our facilities and see some of our current Foundation Course students in action. A trip up the straights in the minibus with an instructor is always a treat! George Baker, Jockey Coach, took visitors through a training session with the simulator with a willing student participant. Our current Artists in Residence, Liz Balkwill and Nicola Eastell displayed a beautiful exhibition of their stunning equine artwork, much of which is centred around the BRS and our resident equine superstars.
The morning really underscored just how vital donor support is to everything that happens both on-site here in Newmarket, and increasingly with our teams in the workplace as well. From providing top-tier training equipment to funding life-changing Riding a Dream or Pony Racing academy places, every bit of support helps us to find, inspire and nurture the next generation of racing talent.
To find out how you can get involved with the School, please contact Interim Head of Fundraising, Beth Sullivan – elizabeth.sullivan@brs.org.uk or click here to donate.