Latest news with #CheltenhamFestivals
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Willie Mullins posts tribute to ‘amazing horse' after retirement aged 10
Blue Lord won three times at Grade 1 level and excelled over two miles at Leopardstown and Punchestown for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede Willie Mullins has posted his own tribute to one of his star jumpers after his retirement was announced. The record-breaking champion jumps trainer trained Blue Lord for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, whose horses are distinguishable by their double green silks. Blue Lord won on his first start for Mullins, scoring in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown. He had been bought in France for £30,000 and went on to win more than £385,000, which included six successes over fences. The gelding competed at three Cheltenham Festivals but fell at the last when booked for second place in the 2021 Supreme Novices' Hurdle and finished third in the Arkle Trophy 12 months later. Blue Lord saved his best for events closer to home, winning the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown in 2022, the Grade 1 novices' chase at the Punchestown Festival and posted his last victory in the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown in December 2022. He went on to finish third in the Champion Chase at Punchestown in 2023 and the Ascot Chase in February this year but was pulled up at Aintee and Punchestown. Announcing the news Munir posted on X, 'We have decided to retire Double Green stalwart Blue Lord, winner of eight races including three Grade 1's the ten year old son of Blue Bresil can now enjoy a well earned retirement!' Mullins issued his own tribute and said: 'Blue Lord has been an amazing horse for Simon and Isaac and a great flag bearer for the double green colours. 'He was a pleasure to train and given us some great days at the track. We wish him all the best in his retirement.'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Music lover has enjoyed town festival for 80 years
A woman who attended the first edition of a long-running music festival has said it is "enormously important" to the community as it celebrates its 80th anniversary. Elizabeth Jacobs was 12 years old when she went to Cheltenham Music Festival with her parents in June 1945, and still attends now, aged 92. The line-up for Cheltenham Music Festival 2025 has included workshops for children, a BBC Concert Orchestra performance honouring 80 years of spy movie soundtracks, and free events in various cafes, bars, and shops. Jack Bazalgette, the festival's artistic director, said its history and audience, and the town of Cheltenham itself, is what makes the event, which runs until Saturday, so special. More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire Ms Jacobs still has the flyer for the first Cheltenham Music Festival 80 years ago. "The planning would have happened before hostilities finished," Ms Jacobs said. "[I was] really fortunate in that my parents were music lovers and, when the music festival arrived, they took me as a young teenager. "I sat with them in Cheltenham Town Hall listening to big orchestral sound." "I think [the festival] is enormously important," Ms Jacobs added. "It heartens me and particularly the opportunities that get offered, for instance, when there's big orchestral pieces, that require a children's choir." A collection of photographs taken by Ms Jacobs at Cheltenham Music Festival throughout the years has been turned into a book. Mr Bazalgette said looking back at programmes from past events and seeing names who have performed over the years is "inspiring". "With that comes an audience who really know their stuff and are keen to explore new things," he said. "But I think there's something so special about Cheltenham. It's a beautiful place to come in the summer... the town is just well set up for a music festival. "We're going strong - we'll be here in the next 80 years, no doubt." Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Artists announced for Cheltenham Music Festival Arts charity to celebrate 80 years of festivals Cheltenham Festivals
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cheltenham Science Festival announces 2025 line-up
Astronaut Tim Peake and Prof Brian Cox are among the star names who will be appearing at this year's Cheltenham Science Festival. The festival, being held from 3-8 June, will have more than 114 events spanning a range of subjects such as AI, healthcare and how the Trump presidency could impact the scientific world. Also appearing will be crime scene investigator Jo Ward, biologist Giles Yeo, hostage negotiator Scott Walker and filmmaker Gordon Buchanan. "Cheltenham Science Festival promises a captivating week filled with events and discussions that highlight the profound impact of science on our everyday lives, as well as on a global scale," said Dr Marieke Navin, head of programming. More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire Dr Navin added: "At the heart of the festival is the mission to bring people together, fostering connections between the scientific community and the wider public of all ages. "As Cheltenham Festivals celebrates its 80th year, there is no better time to embrace this spirit." Women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) are also on the agenda, with Sophia Kaur-Badham lined up for a talk. Activist and writer Charli Clement, cybersecurity expert Sophia McCall, and recipient of Dark Sky Defender award Dani Robertson are also included in the programme. At the Food for Thought drop-in, visitors can enjoy discussions while planting vegetables and herbs to take home with Project Grow, Gloucestershire Archives' Green Pledge Project and Planet Cheltenham. Booking opens to Cheltenham Festivals members on 16 April and general booking opens on 23 April. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Arts charity to celebrate 80 years of festivals Artists announced for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2025 Jazz festival returns after pandemic hiatus
BBC News
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Artists announced for 80th Cheltenham Music Festival
Cheltenham Music Festival has announced the artists scheduled to perform at the 2025 its 80th anniversary, the festival will take place across the town from 4 to 12 include the BBC Concert Orchestra, Britain's Got Talent stars Braimah and Isata Kanneh-Mason, Seckou Keita and Dames Sarah Connolly DBE and Imogen Cooper Bazalgette, the festival's artistic director, said: "Over the last 80 years it's created crazy, bonkers and beautiful music every year and we're continuing to take that tradition into 2025 and beyond." Mr Balzalgette said: "It's music that has really always tried to push the furthest boundaries of what you can have while also giving people the classics and the big range of stuff but always vibrant, always a bit out there."This includes an emphasis on new work, and we have commissioned beautiful music from Deborah Pritchard and Anna Semple for 2025 to open and close the Festival."We're renewing our legacy in 2025 with a birthday party to be proud of." Large-scale orchestral concerts will take place at Gloucester Cathedral and Cheltenham Town Hall, while guitarist Alexandra Whittingham and trumpeter Aaron Akugbo will also perform.A programme of free performances will take place across the town's venues, organisers celebration of the festival's 80 years, the event's parent charity, Cheltenham Festivals, is pledging to give 80,000 children access to the arts throughout the year - including special concerts for children and families with additional needs.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Arts charity to celebrate 80 years of festivals
An arts charity hopes to reach a record number of children as it celebrates its 80th anniversary with a string of events. Cheltenham Festivals was founded in 1945 and has expanded from initially offering three classical music concerts in Pittville Pump Rooms, to now hosting popular literature, music, jazz, and science festivals at venues across the town. As well as festivals, the charity offers outreach programmes in schools and hopes to introduce 80,000 children to the arts with a year-round programme of events to mark its anniversary. Ali Mawle, co-CEO of Cheltenham Festivals, said the charity "works tirelessly... to give young people access to arts and culture". The charity began as a post-war art festival movement and its founding event was Cheltenham Music Festival. FameLab, set up by the charity in 2005 to bring together young people with a keen interest in science, and the FameLab Academy, set up in 2015, also celebrate anniversaries this year. This year's FameLab competition, which involves participants sharing their scientific research with the public, will include heats in Antarctica. The charity hopes its campaign will "spark a lifelong curiosity" for literature, music and science. Ms Mawle told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "It is an amazing heritage that Cheltenham has in these festivals... It is extraordinary when you think about it, and the fact [Cheltenham Music Festival] was one of the first festivals ever." She added the charity is "more than 36 festival days a year", and reaches 20,000-30,000 children annually through the festivals themselves. "We have an excellent relationship with our local schools and it's about enabling those young people to come to the festival site," she said of an aspect of the outreach programme, adding there would be "special events" for the Music Festival, which cannot be disclosed yet. Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2025 is the first of the four annual festivals and will be held between 30 April - 5 May, with the science festival following in June, the music festival in July and the literature festival in October. Together, the events attract more than 225,000 visitors a year. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Charity music studio 'transforming' young lives Music charity buys permanent home after 40 years Artists announced for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2025 Cheltenham Festivals
