Brampton Manor Picks a Winner at the British Racing School

Residents from Brampton Manor, part of Boutique Care Homes, were treated to a truly special day out on Friday 22 May, when they were invited to judge and select the winner of the Best Turned Out Parade at the British Racing School in Newmarket.

The visit gave residents a rare, hands-on role in one of the school's most celebrated pupil milestones. The Best Turned Out Parade marks the end of the pupils' experience course, where students demonstrate how they've got to know their horses, learned to manage and care for them, and provided the kind of personal attention these magnificent animals need. Team, families, and friends all gathered to watch.

Brampton Manor's Activities Lead Valda joined the Admissions Manager, Danny, along with residents Joan, Jill, and Sally, accompanied by Sally's daughter Sue, to represent the home on the day. And it was Joan who had the honour of stepping forward to announce the winner to the crowd, naming Big G as the Best Turned Out horse of the parade.

The day sparked a flood of personal memories among the group. Joan's eyes lit up around the horses, her love of shire horses stretching back to childhood. For Sally and her daughter Sue, the day carried a deeper meaning too, sharing a bond over horses that had been passed down through Sally's late husband. And Jill, true to form, gave every horse she met the full force of her affection.

Valda, Head of Lifestyle and Wellbeing at Brampton Manor, said: "Days like this are why I love what I do. Watching Joan walk up to that parade and announce Big G as the winner, with everyone cheering around her, was a moment I won't forget in a hurry. The horses brought something out in all three of them. Joan was in her element, Sue was in tears talking about her dad, and Jill, well, Jill just wanted to take one home. These aren't just nice days out. They're the things our residents talk about for weeks, and the memories they carry with them."

Akhi Goswami, Home Manager at Brampton Manor, said: "We're incredibly lucky to be in Newmarket, where horse racing isn't just a sport, it's part of everyday life and local identity. For our residents, an invitation like this from the British Racing School means so much more than a day trip. It's a connection to their history, their community, and the things they've always loved. Seeing Brampton Manor residents standing at the heart of that parade, judging the horses and meeting the students, that's exactly the kind of life we want our residents to be living."

Horse racing is woven into the fabric of life in and around Newmarket, and Brampton Manor works hard to make sure its residents stay connected to the things they love. The visit to the British Racing School is one of many outings the team organises as part of the home's Life Enrichment Programme, a whole-person approach to wellbeing built around six principles: Connect, Feel, Move, Grow, Reflect, and Contribute.

What made the day particularly special, the team said, was watching the residents feed off each other's stories and memories. Joan's childhood tales, Sally's shared history with her family, Jill's uncontainable enthusiasm for animals: moments like these are exactly what the outings are designed to create.

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