Year 8 Maths Trip 2026

A number of Year 8 mathematicians recently visited the Huntington Race Course courtesy of the charity 'Racing to School'.

The boys learnt important facts about the second most watched sport, Horse Racing, such as jockey silks, jump and flat racing, saddles, tack - everything placed on the horse, and Tattersall's (auction house where horses are bought and sold).

Throughout the day the boys got the opportunity to use their maths skills to understand how the weight on a horse is decided (weight of the horse, jockey and the tack) and then weigh themselves in imperial units (stones / pounds) and more importantly how the results are then declared after the jockey is weighed at the end of the race. They also attempted to measure the perimeter of the Parade Ring (where horses assemble to be assessed for health and temperament) using metric trundle wheels.

All this was finished off by learning how to read a race card and watching a live race before heading home to Hitchin Boys' School. A fun and enjoyable day was had by all and clearly illustrated how important maths is in everyday life.