New equine centre to be named in memory of young jockey Jack de Bromhead

The centre will be built this year for ChildVision in Drumcondcra, a specialist therapy and education centre for children with visual impairment, who are in need of a new indoor equine therapeutic facility.

The new Equine Centre will have stables for up to 10 horses and ponies, changing facilities, offices, a viewing area/learning space, and all ancillary accommodation.

The building will provide services in all weather and on dark evenings in an environment that will offer comfort and safety to its users.

This is possible due to donations from a group of family and friends of the de Bromhead family.

Henry de Bromhead, wife Heather and their daughters Mia and Georgia, said they are looking forward to the opening of the centre.

“The equine centre will be a wonderful legacy for our beloved Jack, a hugely missed son and brother,” they said.

“Horses are a huge part of our lives, and we know the physical experience of riding a horse offers so many potential benefits, especially helping address a host of physical, social and emotional issues.

“More so, it will be a place of learning and hope, full of laughter and joy, traits that were such a part of Jack, all facilitated by the much-treasured horses and ponies that call the ChildVision stables home.

“We are looking forward to following the development and construction of the new equine therapeutic centre and being there to cut the ribbon when it is completed.

“We are forever grateful to those who came on board to support us – we know Jack would be really proud of what this life-changing generosity will enable.”

The new indoor facility at the ChildVision campus will give children who are blind, multi-disabled and neurodiverse access to equine activities in a supportive and purpose designed environment.

It will also allow the ChildVision team and volunteers to extend their services to reach more children over more hours which will “make a life-changing difference, especially through the winter months and in bad weather conditions”.

Barry Sheridan, ChildVision CEO, said this initiative would not be possible without the generosity of Jack’s family.

“We have an ambitious plan for the ChildVision campus and front and centre was trying to secure funding for an equine therapeutic centre,” he said.

“We had already raised over €500,000 but without this extraordinary fundraising support we would not have been in a position to break ground in 2024 on this vital facility.

“We would like to thank the de Bromhead family, Chris Jones, and the other wonderful benefactors for enabling our dream to come true.

“We will ensure that Jack’s legacy and that of his loving family, who so generously agreed to share his name with us, will live on for generations to come.”

Along with the de Bromhead family, well-known racehorse owner Chris Jones helped make this dream become a reality for many.

“I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit ChildVision last summer and to see first-hand the therapeutic impact that equine can have on children with complex needs,” Mr Jones said.

“I knew that Henry and Heather already had a connection to ChildVision and knowing that many friends and family members wanted to find some way to mark Jack’s love of horses in a tangible way, the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre concept came to fruition.

“The response to my call for donations was unbelievably kind and generous. It’s a testament to the high regard the de Bromheads are held in, that we are in a position to make the equine centre at ChildVision in Jack’s name, a reality.”

To continue fundraising for ChildVision’s equine programme, Kenny Alexander, owner of Honeysuckle, has donated the racing colours worn by Rachael Blackmore during four Cheltenham victories and nine Irish Grade 1 winners.

The iconic silks, signed by Rachael, Henry and Kenny, will be auctioned at the Goffs sale at the Punchestown Festival on Thursday, May 2.

“Honeysuckle gave me some of the best days of my career - her colours hold a lot of very special memories,” Ms Blackmore said.

“I wore them on all of Honeysuckle’s big days at Fairyhouse, Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown.

“All money raised will be donated to the operating costs of the new Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre.

“The donation will make a lasting difference to those children and their families who will benefit so much from the amazing work that they do at ChildVision, where hopefully many more great memories will be made.”