Punchestown Racecourse facts for kids
Punchestown races 2009
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| Location | County Kildare, Ireland |
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| Date opened | 1875 |
| Course type | National Hunt |
| Notable races | Boylesports.com Champion Chase; Punchestown Gold Cup; Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle; Rabobank Champion Hurdle; AES Champion 4YO Hurdle |
Punchestown Racecourse is a famous place in County Kildare, Ireland, known for its exciting horse racing events. It's often called the "home of Irish Jumps Racing." This means it's a top spot for races where horses jump over obstacles like fences and hurdles.
The racecourse has a special track that goes to the right and has gentle hills. There are different courses for different types of races. The hurdle course is about 1.6 miles long, and the chase course is 2 miles. Punchestown is also unique because it has the only cross-country course in Ireland, where horses jump over natural obstacles like banks and ditches.
Besides horse racing, Punchestown is a popular spot for big music concerts and festivals. Many famous artists and bands have played here, including AC/DC, Bon Jovi, and Eminem. In 1982, Rory Gallagher played a huge concert with over 16,000 fans, and U2 was one of the opening acts!
Near the racecourse, there's an ancient standing stone called the Longstone. It's from the Bronze Age, stands 23 feet tall, and weighs nine tons!
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Punchestown Festival: Ireland's Big Race Event
The Punchestown Festival is the most important horse racing festival for "National Hunt" racing in Ireland. It usually happens every year in April. This exciting event lasts for five days, from Tuesday to Saturday. Many people think of it as Ireland's version of the famous Cheltenham Festival in England, and it follows a similar schedule.
- What is National Hunt Racing? It's a type of horse racing where horses jump over obstacles. These obstacles can be "hurdles" (smaller, lighter fences) or "steeplechase" fences (larger, more solid fences).
Some of the biggest and most exciting races at the Punchestown Festival include:
- The Champion Chase
- The Punchestown Gold Cup
- The Champion Hurdle
- The World Series Hurdle
Punchestown also hosts Ireland's best-known International Three Day Event. This event combines different horse sports like cross-country riding, show jumping, and dressage. It's a big deal for horse lovers!
A Look Back: Punchestown's History
Horse racing at Punchestown has a long history. The races were officially reorganized in 1861. By the mid-1860s, when fences and hurdles were first added to the courses, the number of people coming to watch grew a lot. About 40,000 people would attend!
A very special visitor, Prince Albert Edward (who later became King Edward VII), came to the races in 1868. His visit made the crowds even bigger, with around 5,000 people traveling by train just from Dublin to see the event.
Music and Fun at Punchestown
Punchestown Racecourse isn't just for horses; it's also a fantastic place for music! It has hosted many large music festivals and concerts over the years.
- Oxegen Festival: This was a very popular annual music festival held at Punchestown from 2004 to 2011, and again in 2013. It brought many famous bands and artists to Ireland.
- Concerts by Big Stars:
* Eminem played two sold-out concerts here in 2003, which were his first ever shows in Ireland. * The rock band Bon Jovi performed in 2008. * Another famous rock band, AC/DC, played a huge concert in 2009, with nearly 70,000 fans attending. * Radiohead also played a concert here, calling it "Live From A Tent In Dublin." * Westlife lead singer Shane Filan performed as a solo artist in 2017.
The racecourse can hold up to 80,000 people for concerts, making it one of Ireland's biggest outdoor music venues.
Scouting Jamboree 2008
Punchestown was the location for Jamboree 2008, which was the first national Scouting Ireland Jamboree. This big event for Scouts from all over Ireland and the world happened from August 2nd to August 10th, 2008.
During the Jamboree, thousands of people tried to break a world record for hand-shaking! Even though bad weather caused some changes, it was a memorable event for the Scouts.
