THE Kennard’s family has been involved in horse racing for the past 106 years and the legacy is getting better with every passing year.

In an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport yesterday, Justice Cecil Kennard, who is now the Honorary President of the Kennard’s Horse Racing Club reminisced on his past in the sport of horse-racing.
According to Justice Kennard who heads the Police Complaints Authority, his family got involved with the sport in 1908 and it was his grandfather who was the first of the Kennard’s to get involved.
According to Kennard his grandfather, an Englishman, used to be involved in the sport in England and his (Justice Kennard) father used to be close to his father and so he developed a love for the sport at a tender age. Shortly after his grandfather’s arrival in Guyana, he got involved in the sport locally.
Justice Kennard explained that as his father declined in age, his grandfather bought a piece of land in Port Mourant which was initially used for cricket, but after a few years the Port Mourant Turf Club was constructed using spades and shovels, since at that time there were no excavators and backhoes.
He remembered the first horse his father and grandfather bought was an English-bred horse by the name of Vagabond Lady from which Pretty Jag was born.
He said Pretty Jag won races over varying distances at all the-then existing race tracks across the country.
Justice Kennard said while he was around horse racing since he was a youth, he got actively involved when his father passed away, but this was not until 1962 when he had completed his studies in law in England.
He said over the ensuing years, the club has been rehabilitated a number of times.
Justice Kennard remembered that Deo Kharag was the club’s first president and he (Kharag) was very active, then Hamid Rahaman took over the presidency and also contributed significantly and was responsible with assistance of the Crawfords and Drepauls for the construction of the first double-decker stand.
He said the first jockey to race in Guyana were, among others, Edmond Sunich, Bridgelall Molai, Harold and Ivan Dipnarijne and `Sancho’ Sooklall.
According to Justice Kennard, Harry Drepaul and Linden Hazel were some of the first horse-trainers at the venue and they were later joined by Molai after he stopped riding.
Many horses, he said, started their careers at the Port Mourant facility.
He remembered when the late E.V. Luokhoo went to Berbice to defend a client in a `bush rum’ case. With the money he received for representing the defendant, he bought a horse which was subsequently named First Luck which went on to win many races during its career.
Justice Kennard said that after many years at the Port Mourant facility, his father bought a piece of land at Bush Lot, now known as the Kennard’s Turf Club, Bush Lot Farm Corentyne.
This facility, he boasted, is the best facility for horse racing in Guyana and because of the improvements the club has been making over the years, many sponsors have come on board.
Recently the club honoured four of its 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 its association with the club for the past 25 years.
The P&P Insurance Brokers was honoured for its 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 have 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.
According to Kennard, 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.