A Beautiful Race Day Tribute: The Taylor Family’s Story
22/02/2024
Losing a loved one is never easy, but doing something special to honour their memory is a good way to gain closure and celebrate the wonderful life they led. We’re sharing a story sent in by one of our lovely racegoers, who last year paid a wonderful tribute to Edna and Fred Taylor right here at Cartmel Racecourse.
“To say our Mam and Dad, Edna and Fred Taylor, were keen racegoers is a bit of an understatement. Every year their schedule would feature trips to courses all over the country, but Cartmel was always special as it was their local and the point of family and friend gatherings for years.
When our parents sadly passed away, we decided that the most appropriate tribute to their memory would be to have a race named after them at a Cartmel meeting. We had no idea how to make this happen, so the fantastic help provided by the Director of Racing, was invaluable. She set up the whole event for the family, organising tickets, the naming of the race, a memorial bench and a page in the race card dedicated to Mam and Dad.
The family arrived at a slightly soggy Cartmel on 30th June 2023 for The Fred and Edna Taylor Maiden Hurdle Race. It was surreal (in a good way) hearing their names read out over the course tannoy – and we weren’t sure how it would have gone down had they been around. They probably would have been secretly thrilled, but were from the “don’t make a fuss” generation, so might have hidden it!
After the race, we were taken for drinks in the Directors’ Tent where we met Lord and Lady Cavendish, Lucy Cavendish and her husband Tor McLaren.
The excitement didn’t stop there, as Björn Again took to the stage and the family joined the crowd to throw a few shapes – at one point dancing with the local constabulary, who seemed keen to join in! Not sure Mam and Dad would have approved of that bit!
All in all a fantastic experience for three generations of the family. Thanks to all at Cartmel – it was an amazing day we won’t forget.”
If there is someone whose memory you wish to honour by naming a race after them, feel free to get in touch with our team. We will do our best to ensure that your loved ones have a fabulous tribute they would be proud of.
