Cheltenham Races for Engage
The Cheltenham festival is one of the first major meetings in the UK horse racing calendar with prize money second only to the Grand National. This 4 day event happens in early March and is visited by thousands or fans hoping to win and experience the action.
I’ve been to Royal Ascot a few times over the years to photograph, but this was my first visit to Cheltenham Races, and it certainly didn’t disappoint! The first thing that I noticed was the difference in dress code to Ascot. Maybe because Ascot is so close to London and in the Summer? But it felt like everyone except me was wearing tweed! Ascot is much more fancy suits, top hats with tails, and colourful dresses for ladies. Cheltenham felt much more country and slightly farmer or hunting vibe. Obviously the tweed makes it feel country and the location in the middle of The Cotswolds feels fitting for the dress.
Once I had got used to the different clothing most other things seemed similar to a typical race meeting. Crowds of people having a great time, getting drunk, placing bets, and cheering the chosen horses to victory! To be paid to document this feels like a dream job! It feels like the type of thing I would choose to do if I chose the subject myself. I really enjoyed my first visit to Cheltenham and look forward to visiting again at some point. I’ve worked for Engage now for about 10 years and have been to some of the key sporting events in the UK. You can see more of my work for them here.