Equestrian
Newton Abbott
A little course with a big heart
Our editor walks Newton Abbott racecourse in Devon with Clerk of the Course, Jason Loosemore, and discovers a little course with a big heart and a distinct feeling of camaraderie
t has been some time since I last ventured onto a racecourse, so the chance to visit Newton Abbott was a great opportunity for me to catch up with the sport of kings and have a discussion with the Clerk of the Course, Jason Loosemore. Newton Abbott is one of only a very few
I Jason Loosemore, Clerk of the Course 106 I PC APRIL/MAY 2014
National Hunt Courses that operate during the summer months, with their season starting in April and finishing in October. The first meeting of the season, on 1st April, had just been held a few days before my scheduled visit. Like numerous other towns and cities in the UK, the racecourse was built in the mid nineteenth century to cater for the growing demand for horseracing. In 1866, the present site was purchased by local horseracing enthusiasts to create a space to celebrate equine sport in the region. Despite having minimal facilities, the racing took off immediately, growing hugely popular with the Devon populace. However, it was quite some time before the racecourse was sufficiently equipped to be considered a proper racing venue. Regular race meetings have only ever been brought to a halt twice, by the outbreak of the two world wars. Throughout the First World War, the racecourse was occupied by troops and used as a prisoner- of-war camp. During the Second World War, just one day’s racing was held until peace
was declared. The end of the war was celebrated by a huge crowd of 17,500 at an August Bank Holiday meeting in 1945. In 1969, Her Majesty the Queen Mother
opened the main grandstand. Corporate facilities were built in 1990 and, each year, more facilities have been added to attract racegoers and local businesses to the course. These have included major improvements to the stands, car parking, stables and conference facilities. Located on the bank of the river Teign,
just north of the town, Newton Abbot is a flat, tight, oval, left-handed track with a circuit of one mile one furlong. There are seven fences to a circuit and a very short run-in; the course suits front-runners who are often hard to catch. On arrival, I was met by Jason who then
introduced me in to the course’s MD, Patrick Masterson. Patrick has been in charge at Newton Abbott for twenty-five years, is a low handicap golfer and admitted to being an avid Pitchcare reader. After a quick cuppa, it was time to walk
the course with Jason and the opportunity to see for myself the improvements made to both the track and supporting facilities. The course is set in 100 acres of
Devonshire countryside, with forty acres designated to track, canter down and stand facilities; the remaining sixty acres is land within the track, most of which is cut by a local farmer for silage.
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