Girsonfield Stud & Racing Yard, Otterburn, in National Racehorse Week

Girsonfield Stud and Racing Yard, in Otterburn, will hold free events during National Racehorse Week to show people how racehorses are reared and cared for.

The yard will host events on Saturday, September 9 from 10.30am until 3pm. 

Previous winners trained by Susan and her team (Image: Newsquest)

National Racehorse Week will involve more than 130 events taking place nationwide from September 9 until September 17, at stud yards, training, and aftercare centres where racehorses are retrained.

It is the sport's biggest campaign to show people how thoroughbreds are cared for. Most events are free. 

Girsonfield employee Josh Duffy holding thoroughbred Morning With Ivan and her foal, Valentine (Image: Newsquest)

Susan Corbett and her team run Girsonfield Stud and Racing Yard, one of the leading yards in the North East. The family-run yard is one of 25 centres in the North East and Yorkshire participating in National Racehorse Week.

The business started as a stud farm breeding thoroughbreds in 1999 before evolving into a competitive racing yard.

Jockey breeches which will be auctioned for Cancer Research and a cancer hospice at the yard's Owners' Open Day on August 12. The breeches were signed by all the flat jockeys that participated in the Champions' Day at the Royal Ascot in 2021 (Image: Newsquest)

The yard was awarded Gold Accreditations in all four Lycetts Leadership Excellence Awards in 2022 plus the overall Lycetts Team Champions Award.

Susan, 67, said this will be the yard's third year participating in National Racehorse Week.

Girsonfield employees with thoroughbreds they are training (Image: Newsquest)

"It's been a tremendous success. People think it's the sport of kings and it's really expensive. National Racehorse Week is a way to let the public know what actually happens and give them insight into how racehorses are cared for. 

"There's also the careers point of view and that people could get involved if they wanted to, our yard is like a family." 

The horse walking machine at the 160-acre Girsonfield Stud and Racing Yard which is used for exercise (Image: Newsquest)

Susan, her husband Frank, 72, and their son Jamie, 30, run the yard and farm together with a small team.

"It doesn't matter what background you're from, you can get involved in racing. For National Racehorse Week, we have demonstrations from the farrier and the vet and you see the horses being ridden.

National Racehorse Week in 2022 involved a visit from the horse chiropractor (Image: Newsquest)

"There's so many misconceptions, some people think it's cruel to make horses race. But their natural instinct is to race," she added.

Crowds enjoying National Racehorse Week 2022 at Girsonfield (Image: Newsquest)

Susan said if anyone interested in the event is unable to attend on September 9, she will show them around the facilities on another day convenient for them during Racehorse Week.

Employees ride the horses during National Racehorse Week to show the public how they are trained (Image: Newsquest)

A catering van will be on-site during Girsonfield's event and parking will be available.

To book an event, go to https://nationalracehorseweek.uk/.

Employees riding the racehorses during National Racehorse Week (Image: Newsquest)