15 women swapped the racetrack for hobby horses at Lingfield Park Racecourse in a hilarious charity race supporting breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!
Ladies Day at Lingfield Park Racecourse got an unexpected dose of horsepower as 15 women took part in a surprise hobby horse race, raising funds for breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!.
The unusual race saw participants “gallop” half a furlong on toy horses before the main derby got underway, cheered on by an enthusiastic raceday crowd.
The playful event was organised as part of Pink Lady’s Find Your Fizz campaign, which encourages women to embrace new experiences, step outside their comfort zones and make more time for moments of joy.
Amy Dowden leads the charge
Leading the charge was Strictly Come Dancing star and breast cancer survivor Amy Dowden, who helped competitors prepare with stretching and warm-up exercises before they lined up at the starting line.
Dowden was diagnosed with grade three breast cancer in 2023 and brought plenty of energy to the unusual event, encouraging the participants to throw themselves into the race.
“Seeing the ladies throw themselves into the Pink Lady® hobby horse race, cheer each other on and completely let go was brilliant,” said Amy Dowden.
“I think there’s something really special about ‘finding your fizz’, especially when life doesn’t always go to plan. Give yourself permission to be silly, have fun and do something just because it makes you happy!”
Once the race began, competitors raced down the track clutching their toy horses, with friends, family members and partners cheering from the sidelines.
The result was a wonderfully ridiculous start to the day’s racing, complete with plenty of competitive spirit and unexpected horsepower.
Women Are Making Less Time For Fun
The hobby horse race comes after new research commissioned by Pink Lady found that many women aren’t making much time for activities purely for their own enjoyment.
According to research among 2,000 UK women aged 18 and over:
- 20% do something purely for fun or their own enjoyment just once a week.
- 29% go a week or longer without doing something simply for themselves.
- 87% said it had been more than a week since they last did something completely out of character or unexpected for fun.
- 33% couldn’t remember the last time they did something unexpected purely for enjoyment.
Cost was the biggest barrier, with 58% saying it stopped them making more time for joy. Tiredness was cited by 39%, while 36% said a lack of time made it difficult.
Other people’s needs and commitments were also a factor for 27% of women, while 16% said a lack of confidence held them back.
Pink Lady Encourages Women To ‘Find Your Fizz’
Pink Lady’s Find Your Fizz campaign aims to challenge women to make space for spontaneity, whether that’s trying something new, stepping outside their comfort zone or simply doing something that makes them happy.
The hobby horse race certainly embraced that message, turning an ordinary day at the races into an opportunity for participants to be playful while supporting an important cause.
Emily Clayton, Fundraising Director at CoppaFeel!, said:
“Life can be full-on, and it can be easy to put yourself and your own health and wellbeing at the bottom of the list.”
She added that self-care can take many different forms, from doing something “ridiculous” like racing a hobby horse to taking a couple of minutes to check your chest.
Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness
The event also highlighted the work of CoppaFeel!, which focuses on breast cancer awareness among young people and encourages people to regularly check their chests.
The charity aims to educate people about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and empower them to contact their GP if they notice anything unusual.
You can learn more about breast cancer awareness and CoppaFeel!’s work through the official CoppaFeel! website.
For more on the campaign, visit the official Pink Lady website.
Find Your Own Fizz
Pink Lady is encouraging women across the UK to take inspiration from the race and make time for something unexpected.
Whether it’s picking up a new hobby, trying something outside your comfort zone or simply doing something silly with friends, the message is simple: joy doesn’t always have to be serious.
And if a hobby horse race at the races proves anything, it’s that sometimes the most unexpected ideas can be the most fun.
