THE Kennard’s Turf Club, situated at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, last Sunday honoured four outstanding sponsors and three of its dedicated employees at a simple but historic ceremony which was held at the club’s Bush Lot Corentyne facility.

Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) was recognised as being the leading sponsor, since the company has been associated with the Kennard’s Turf Club for the past 40 years and has committed to continue their sponsorship for years to come.
Torginol Paints Inc. was recognised for their association with the club for the past 25 years.

The P&P Insurance Brokers was honoured for their support of the Berbice racing facility for the past 20 years, while Metro Stationery and Office Supplies which has been supporting horse racing at the Kennard’s Turf Club from the club’s inception.
Its principals hail from the Corentyne area and over the past five years has been providing the first-place trophy and $1M for the club’s Boxing Day meet.
The three employees that were honoured for the dedication and service to the club were the club’s secretary Nikita Ross, caretaker Elroy Johnson and Ovid Hawke who is the longest-serving employee of the club.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, the club’s honorary president and former Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Cecil Kennard gave a brief history of the race track which was named in honour of his father who passed away years ago.
Justice Kennard said the race track started in the late 1930s and that apart from the Port Mourant race track, the Kennard’s race track is the oldest surviving race track in Guyana.
He said that his grandfather – now deceased – who was an Englishman by the name of Charles Percy Kennard came to Guyana and worked at the Port Mourant hospital and other medical institutions and subsequently bought the Bush Lot Farm Estate for his (Justice Cecil Kennard) father in the 1930s.
He said his father donated the land for cricket.
The race track he said was situated at a different location on the estate before finally moving to its current spot.
Justice Kennard said the Kennard family has also donated and assisted a number of entities with lands.
According to Kennard, although the club was formed before the 1960s, the real development of the track started in 1962 but became dormant for a few years due to some teething problems but was resuscitated in 1978.
He lauded the contributions of former club presidents Mangarran Singh, Deo Kharag and current president Roopnarine Matadial.
The first one-mile race held at the club’s facility was in 1962 and it was won by Fair Wind which was ridden by Edmond Sunich.
Among some of the horses Justice Kennard’s grandfather owned were Philo, Eco and Bato which were all brought from England.
Also speaking at the ceremony was Director of Sport Neil Kumar, who lauded the KMTC for the outstanding work they have been doing.
Kumar said that the KMTC has to be doing something good because sponsors are always willing to be associated with the club.
He also called on the KMTC to have its history documented.
Giving the response on behalf of the recipients, Managing-Director of P&P Insurance Brokers, Bish Panday, thanked the KMTC for the initiative and congratulated the club for the way in which it is being run.