Westbury came together for this year’s Donkey Derby at the White Horse Country Park, enjoying a day of races, children’s activities, stalls and entertainment – all in support of local causes.
Organised by Westbury Lions and held on Sunday 1st June, the popular annual event featured eight donkey races, complete with a bookmaker stall run by the Lions and plenty of cheering from the sidelines. Children also had the chance to try their hand at being jockeys, with mini riding sessions between the races.
The event also included a variety of stalls, fairground rides and food vendors for the whole family to enjoy.
Speaking at the event, Westbury Lions president, Heather Blackley, said “This is a traditional event on the Westbury event calendar. It’s being extremely popular and this is our 17th year now.
“And just seeing all of these people here today is incredible because every penny raised will go back into helping and supporting the local community. That, for us, is why we do what we do.
“This year the Westbury Lions have supported the local foodbank, Julia’s House and provided a day out for children to Marwell Zoo. We continue to work with the local community to support people in any way we can.
“My only complaint from today is that I am apparently over the age limit to have a ride on a donkey!”
The overall winner of the final Donkey Derby race, which saw all the winning jockeys from previous races take part, was 11-year-old Theo Bukhory from Westbury.
Theo said, “This is the first time I have been to the Donkey Derby, so I was really happy to win. The donkeys go really fast and it was a bit scary.”
All proceeds from the event went directly towards supporting the Westbury Lions Club’s initiatives to assist local individuals and organisations in need. A final amount raised will be revealed in the coming weeks.
