The colours were part of a competition run by Racing With Pride within its community, to design silks that will increase visibility of LGBT+ support within racing and on racecourses, ahead of partnering with Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign that runs from 25th November – 12th December.
Three designs chosen by the Racing With Pride committee were then put to a public vote, with the winner’s design then brought to life by racing silks supplier, Allertons.
Partners Katie Doyle and Ellen Lincoln, part of the Racing With Pride community, won the public vote and Great British Racing captured them seeing the silks being manufactured at Allertons.
Competition winner Ellen (pronouns: She/her) said: “There’s been a lot of progress with increasing LGBT+ visibility and diversity within the racing community but I think there’s still a lot more to be done, and we can only build on what we achieved so far, hopefully we can get bigger, brighter, prouder, more visible and make sure that racing really is everyone’ sport.”
Her partner Katie added (pronouns: She/her) said: “We’re really proud that we’ve been able to make our own silks, having something that racing will always have.”
“This is our lasting legacy that will always go on. We’d like to thank Allertons for their generosity in helping make these silks. We saw the whole process from start to finish, the intricacy, the level detail, the technology behind it too.”
Racing With Pride hopes to create a racing syndicate group, which will support the silks in the future, while the colours have already received support from owners and trainers.
Kate Allisat and Chris Ames, the owners of Rosy World, trained by Suzy Smith, have transferred the silks into their name. They hope the silks will be worn in Rosy World’s next race, which is likely at The International meeting at Cheltenham next Saturday (11th December).
Owner Allisat said: “My Dad and I own Rosy World and are fully supportive of the Racing With Pride initiative and what it stands for. We are really proud that our trainer, Suzy Smith is on the Diversity in Racing Steering Group and have always believed that racing should be truly inclusive.”
“We hope that by Rosy wearing these beautiful silks, we can help raise awareness and make a visible contribution to the initiative, showing that racing really is everyone’s sport”
Additionally, on Saturday 4th December, Racing is Everyone’s Sport will encourage and welcome LGBT+ participation in the sport through a series of activities at racecourses across the Britain that day – Sandown Park, Aintree, Chepstow, Wolverhampton and Wetherby.
Rainbow armbands will be worn by jockeys in one race at each meeting, which are the following:
- Wetherby: (12.27pm) The Racing is Everyone’s Sport Handicap Steeple Chase (Class 5)
- Chepstow: (2.32pm) HD Carpentry Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
- Aintree: (2.40pm) The Unibet Becher Handicap Steeple Chase
- Sandown: (3pm) The Betfair Exchange Back and Lay London National Handicap Steeple Chase
- Wolverhampton: (6pm) The Betway Handicap Stakes
Rainbow saddle cloths, kindly organised by sponsors the Kindred group (through its Unibet brand), Betfair and Betway, will be worn for a number of races across the day, including the Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown, the Unibet Becher Chase at Aintree and the Betway Handicap stakes at Wolverhampton.
While rainbow pin badges will be given out freely to racecourse staff and spectators to show their support and spark conversation.
Racing Is Everyone’s Sport, with support from the sport’s Racing with Pride network, aims to encourage and welcome LGBT+ participation in the sport of horseracing, bringing the racing community together to champion inclusion for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people.
This year’s Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign is to Lace Up and Speak Up, encouraging sports communities to not only support, but to speak up for the LGBT+ cause.
Over the last five years, over a million people have laced up for Stonewall’s campaign, with racing joining other high-profile sporting organisations such as the Premier League, the Women’s Super League, the FA, Team GB and Premiership Rugby, to make the sport a place anyone can be themselves and thrive.
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