The British Virgin Islands Horse Owners Association will host 5 memorial races this August Tuesday, in recognition of the contributions of several “fallen soldiers” who have contributed to horse racing in the BVI in various capacities.
In an interview with 284News, President of the BVI Horse Owners Association Lesmore Smith explained that the races will be “honouring the fallen soldiers like Earl Hodge, Ronnie Hodge, Elliot ‘Parboy’ Hodge and Lenford Antonio ‘Bolo’ Baptiste from Virgin Gorda and other names.”
He added, “These are five races and each race will be named in aid of one of those persons.”
The races will be held at the Ellis Thomas Downs in Sea Cows Bay, with the first, the “Lenford Antonio ‘Bolo’ Baptiste Memorial race” commencing at 2pm.
The subsequent races will proceed in the following order at 45-minute intervals:
The Elliot “Parboy” Hodge race; The Ronnie “Biggie” Hodge Classic; The Earl “Bob” Hodge Memorial Race; and The Rodney “Mileage” Simmonds Memorial One Mile Race.
“We have two horses joining us from the US Virgin Islands, and they’re going to be here to help, to participate in our races… it has been a struggle getting to this point and we are still preparing and getting the track fully ready and getting things up to perspective”, Smith told 284 reporters recently.
Smith directed thanks to the Government of the Virgin Islands, the BVI and USVI horse racing fraternities and all other stakeholders in the territory and abroad for making the historic event a reality, especially as horse racing re-emerges from the harsh circumstances which prevailed following the 2017 hurricane season and the COVID 19 pandemic.
Tickets are available at $15 per adult and $10 per child under the age of 12.