Newly developed Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre opens in Dublin today
The newly developed Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre was officially openedin Dublin today (Friday, Sep 26). Photo: ChildVision
A new equine therapeutic centre will be officially opened in Dublin today (Friday, Sep 26) in memory of the late Jack de Bromhead.
13-year-old Jack, son of racehorse trainer Henry de Bromhead, died after he fell from his mount while participating in the Glenbeigh Racing Festival at Rossbeigh beach in County Kerry in September 2022.
In his memory, a new 1,375 square metre indoor equine therapeutic centre known as The Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre, has been devoloped on the campus of ChildVision in Drumcondra.
The facility specialises in therapy and education for children with visual impairments and will give children with visual impairments and additional disabilities access to world-class equine activities.
The centre will allow the ChildVision equine team and volunteers to extend their services to reach more children in a supportive and purpose designed environment.
ChildVision’s Equine Assisted Activities (EEA) Programme is a national therapeutic service with proven success of supporting children with physical, emotional, social and cognitive difficulties, including down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and other neuro-divergent conditions.
The de Bromhead family - Henry, Heather and their daughters Mia and Georgia - issued a statement saying: “The equine centre at ChildVision is a wonderful legacy for our beloved Jack, a hugely missed son and brother.
“Horses are a huge part of our lives, and we know the physical experience of riding a horse offers so many potential benefits, especially helping address a host of physical, social and emotional issues.
“More so, the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre will be a place of learning and hope, full of laughter and joy, traits that were such a part of Jack, all facilitated by the much-treasured horses and ponies that call the ChildVision stables home.
“We are delighted to have been part of this journey and today to see this vision become a reality with the opening of the Centre.
“We are forever grateful to all the donors who came on board to support us. We know Jack would be really proud of what this life-changing generosity will enable for generations to come.”
Barry Sheridan, ChildVision CEO, said the “state-of-the-art facility” will “enable life-changing opportunities for the children and young people we support.” Mr Sheridan thanked Henry and Heather de Bromhead and their close friend Chris Jones for their “generosity and vision”, saying their support “has been instrumental in bringing this dream to life.”
He added that the equine centre “will ensure that Jack’s memory will live on in all those families that come through the doors, all those children who will sit up on one of our horses or ponies.”
