While galloping thoroughbreds will have the crowds cheering at Thoroughbred Park in Canberra on Melbourne Cup Day this November, a special type of horse has been chosen as the odds-on favourite.

Thoroughbred Park and ACTTAB have selected Pegasus Riding for the Disabled of the ACT (Inc.) as their preferred charity for the 2010 ACTTAB Melbourne Cup Race Day…a decision that will see Pegasus volunteers mingling trackside and around the betting ring at Thoroughbred Park on Tuesday 2 November in the hope of collecting much-needed donations from generous punters.

Operating in Canberra for over 30 years, Pegasus is a not-for-profit community organisation providing equestrian activities for people with a disability. Approximately 100 young riders with a range of disabilities ride at Pegasus each week and over 100 volunteers assist with its programs.

There are a further 120 young people with a disability who remain on the waiting list to participate in Pegasus’s riding programs—due to growing demand, some have been on this list for more than two years. “Given rising costs and our growing waiting list, we are thrilled that Thoroughbred Park and ACTTAB have selected Pegasus as their preferred charity for the 2010 ACTTAB Melbourne Cup Race Day” Executive Officer of Pegasus, Simone Doherty, said. “It is a perfect partnership to have the Canberra racing community support an organisation like Pegasus, which continues to achieve so many positive equestrian-based outcomes for young people with a disability from Canberra and the surrounding region.  Apart from being fun, the horse-riding program offered at Pegasus helps our riders to improve co-ordination, balance, muscle development and fitness. It also boosts their confidence, self-esteem, communication skills, leadership skills and trust, provides them with an immense feeling of freedom and inclusion, and enables them to forge strong bonds with our horses. Some of our riders reach the stage where they can be integrated into ablebodied riding programs in the Canberra region and even participate in local, national and sometimes international equestrian competitions.

“The Pegasus story is a collection of many individual success stories written across many years. “We sincerely thank Thoroughbred Park and ACTTAB for recognising the importance of our work and placing their bet on us for the 2010 ACTTAB Melbourne Cup Race Day in Canberra.”

Photo/footage opportunities are available with Pegasus, Thoroughbred Park and ACTTAB representatives