Go racing kids clubs

The Irish authorities realise how impotant racing is to their economy and have recently set up a KIDS club.The aim is to educate young folk about al aspects of horse racing.Take them behind the scenes, open days with trainers ,jockeys ,course managers etc

Great idea READ ALL ABOUT IT www.goracing.ie/HRI/Whats-On/Whats-Happe...Club-Education-Days/

Good on the Irish then.We like without hope and a 100 years away lol

Tour comes with a colouring book, crayons and free pint of guinness...

excellent idea - invest in the future. Kids can't love what they don't know, the sooner the bug bites, the better.

Its ok to get kids exposed to racings professions. Punting however, is a different story. How many of us would want our kids to take up punting? Not me.

punting would be ok to expose kids to in a watered down version - we all got to learn that way.
Punting is calculated risk with known variables, and some factors which are unknown or not predictable. Most kids will understand this and can relate everyday life with same - eg. it is raining today, but how much, and when? How will little or a lot of rain affect me? Same with horses racing - carrying weights, different jocks, preferable courses. Calculated risk and hedging of such up to a point, with a section of the risk down to probability.

Also, the risk of gambling addiction, can be explained early and averted in knowing when to stop - this is a learn trait.

But first, racing has to step on improving its integrity. There should be enough of fair information available, and a system that regulates this effectively. Most children have a keen and balanced natural sense of justice, and it will take only one bad experience of unfairness to put them off for life. This is the risk for racing in involving themselves with the younger end of the market.

alterego wrote: Its ok to get kids exposed to racings professions. Punting however, is a different story. How many of us would want our kids to take up punting? Not me.

I agree - I'm all for the "youth - over 18" punting but it is immoral to teach children about Racing. I would no more send my 10 year-old on a tour of a brothel than allow him to become educated in Racing. I was a product of early exposure to gambling(Racing) and 40 years later I'm still hooked. Gambling is an adult pursuit and children should be protected from it. I enjoy the fact that children are catered for with age appropriate entertainment at our racecourses - should they develop an interest in Racing then so be it but i' much prefer to see them playing in the entertainment rooms and having their faces painted than selecting horses - Plenty of time for that when they are of age.

ah, and of course, the other risk is the animals themselves. Particularly seeing them get hurt. Could create lasting bad memories.

I say they could start understanding handicapping and how betting works at as young as 7 or 8 years already. If done correctly.

what about racing is immoral? I could name lots but would like to hear it from you...lol
I think children don't know the value of money - and don't know necessarily how money and its evils connect to betting. They can therefore stills safely be made to understand handicapping, the science of racing?

Don wrote: I say they could start understanding handicapping and how betting works at as young as 7 or 8 years already. If done correctly.

Do you think the same should be done in Casinos where there are also many careers in gaming? Or should children be taken on tours of Wine farms and taste wine in small quantities in preparation for when they are allowed to drink legally? At 7 and 8 you are far too young too even have any perception of the value of money or the dangers of risk taking let alone "find a career" in the Industry - Gambling is risk taking and children cannot understand those risks and their consequences hence the statutory age regulations in all countries. My fiance is an Adolescent Addiction's Councillor and there are very few youngsters in her care (14-18 yr olds) that have not had exposure to alcohol or drug abuse in the family. Racing needs help worldwide but trying to create baby addicts is not the correct way to go.

education goes both ways - the children you refer to under your fiancee's care come from areas and neighbourhoods where substance abuse is rife, and due to a socio-economic endemic? It is inherent in their people's culture. The children grow up under 'the way' and get to learn too late what is right, and what is not, and what measure can be taken.

If the education and conditioning for culture is done correctly, they will not make the wrong connection. They are able to reason for themselves at quite a young age and with guidance, make a sensible choice. Hence the education for handicapping as a science, first. Most things in life are based on competition - survival relies on humans competing, Maslow's needs. Racing is competitive. A structured competition. It is the structure that needs learning.

Casino's advocate gambling. The odds are high. Horseracing is not gambling, nor a game of chance. It is educated risk, with structured probability. Herein lies the difference.