Racecourse Association Announces Finalists for 2026 Showcase Awards
The Racecourse Association (RCA), in partnership with Great British Racing (GBR), Future Ticketing, Racing Together and the Racing Foundation, is delighted to announce the Finalists for the 2026 Showcase Awards.
The RCA Showcase Awards are a celebration of racecourse best practice from the previous 12 months. All RCA member racecourses are invited to submit entries across eight core categories chosen to reflect all aspects of racecourse operations with an emphasis on delivery and customer experience and aligned to the RCA’s core values of excellence and innovation. An independent judging panel comprised of subject matter experts from British and Irish horseracing plus external leisure sectors reviews each submission to provide a score, whilst in the new Best of Beacon category project sponsors the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), GBR and Flutter UK judged the best from the rest.
The Finalists for the 2026 Showcase Awards are:
Marketing Award
Doncaster – Turning 1776 into a Campaign
Great Yarmouth – Great Value at Great Yarmouth
Musselburgh – Sensational Racedays
Racing Foundation Green Award
Bath – Measure, Learn, Reduce
Newton Abbot – Saving Water Where it Matters Most
York – Love the Knavesmire Day
Racing Together Community Award
Bath—Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance
Beverley – A Skill Can Save a Life
Doncaster – 250 Years: A Celebration Built with Doncaster
Diversity & Inclusion Award
Pontefract – Combatting Loneliness & Community Support
Wolverhampton – ACCI Charity Partnership
Worcester – Women in Racing x Worcester Racecourse
Exceptional Raceday Delivery (≤7,999 racegoers) Award
Ayr – World Cup Racenight
Beverley- Tigers Trust Raceday
Windsor- New Year’s Day
Exceptional Raceday Delivery (≥8,000 racegoers) Award
Chester – Roman Day
Doncaster – The 250th Betfred St Leger
Pontefract – ‘A Proper Yorkshire Fathers Day’
Food & Beverage Award
Musselburgh – The Harris Tweed Bistro
Newcastle – ‘Say When’ Horsewalk Marquee
York – The Order of Words Matters: Our Own Champagne House
Racing Connection Award
Hamilton Park – Honouring Sir Ian Good – A ‘Dynamic Force’ in Racing
Kelso, Musselburgh & Carlisle- The Go North Weekend supported by The Racing Post
Pontefract – The Ponte Premiership
RCA/ROA Owners’ Racecourse of the Year
Hamilton Park
Newbury
York
Racing Post Readers’ Award
Hamilton Park
Hexham
Perth
Best of Beacon Award
Beverley
Musselburgh
York
The Showcase Winners and Highly Commended racecourses will be announced at The RCA Awards at Chester Racecourse on Thursday 21st January 2027.
Paul Swain, Head of Raceday Experience & Communication at the RCA, said “We are delighted to announce the Finalists for this year’s Showcase Awards. The Showcase continues to shine a light on best practice arising from across the RCA membership, and it is evident from our shortlist that the teams are operating at an incredibly high level across multiple areas of racecourse operation. Our sincere thanks to all racecourse teams which entered this year’s Awards, the judges for their considerable time in selecting the shortlist and sponsors who have continued to support the event.
“We look forward to crowning our winners on Thursday 21st January at Chester Racecourse and celebrating with the RCA membership.”
Kate Freeman, Head of Ownership at the Racehorse Owners Association, said on behalf of the Showcase judging panel “Congratulations to the 2026 RCA Showcase Award Finalists. The panel was impressed by the breath of ideas, and levels of innovation on display in this year’s submissions. It was clear to see that the racecourses take the delivery of racedays and customer experience very seriously, which resulted in us having to make some difficult decisions on the judging day.”
