Meet the Showcase Finalists: Diversity & Inclusion

With this year’s RCA Showcase less than a month away it’s time to meet the Finalists. The Finalists, carefully selected by an expert, independent judging panel demonstrate best practice from British racecourses and will be in with the chance of being crowned category winners at the RCA Showcase Awards on Thursday 13th November at York Racecourse.

Today’s piece will look at the Diversity & Inclusion category.

Arena Racing Company – Delivering Through Partnerships

Positioning a business to be able to recruit a broader, more representative pool of employees isn’t something that happens overnight.

Working with organisations such as Mahogany and the Stephen Lawrence Foundation, ARC has modernised its recruitment policies and developed a pathway to employment for underrepresented demographics via apprenticeships. Whilst the work is ongoing, the early results have been impactful, with 23 apprentices on board.

Carlisle – Ladies Night

The ultimate celebration of women in racing; Carlisle’s re-launched Ladies Night retained its all-female racecard and a host of new activations based on racegoer feedback.

A hit on and off the track, field sizes grew almost 30% year-on-year whilst new ticketing options and an enhanced raceday experience focus resulted in a 44.5% increase in attendances.

Sedgefield – “From the Pitch to the Parade Ring: A Partnership Powering Community and Women’s Sport”

Nationally, women’s sport has been booming in recent years, and Sedgefield Racecourse wanted to use this momentum to champion it on a local level.

Partnering with the Stockton Rugby Club Rockets, the racecourse used its assets to increase the visibility of the team and support its mission of growth and inclusion. With collaborative sponsorship and storytelling activations, the racecourse and Rockets have enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership which will continue into 2026.

Wincanton – The Paddock Society

Wincanton wanted the racecourse to be a community hub, not just on racedays, but year round. The Paddock Society aimed to create meaningful connections whilst tackling the growing challenge of loneliness in the elderly population.

The offering was simple. A relaxed, inclusive, free of charge space where the community could come together to chat, connect and feel part of something. By engaging with other local groups and charities the racecourse created a community of people who might otherwise have been on their own and improved the social licence of the venue in the area.

Wolverhampton – African & Caribbean Community Engagement

Wolverhampton acknowledged the growing Black Afro-Caribbean community in the area but understood that many did not consider a raceday as an event for them.

To address this, the racecourse worked with trusted community groups to develop a raceday which spoke authentically to this audience. Enhanced food, entertainment and pre-event messaging ensured that Wolverhampton Racecourse was transformed, delighting its new audiences.