Pontefract Racecourse secures Guinness World Record with help from 700 racegoers

Almost 700 people took part in a world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse this weekend.
A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.
A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.

A total of 691 people took part in an attempt to set the record for the largest human image of a dog at the racecourse's Flat Cap and Whippet Family Fun Day on Sunday afternoon.

This was the first time the record had been attempted.

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Racegoers were invited to dress in flat caps and matching T-shirts before gathering inside the outline of a whippet dog on the side of the racecourse.

Each member of the public was issued a numbered wristband to confirm their attendance.

Richard Hammill, Chief Operating Officer of Pontefract Racecourse, said: “We’re kind of very proud of our Yorkshire heritage and our roots and we wanted to do something very typically Yorkshire.

“We invited racegoers to form the shape of a large whippet. We wanted them all to be in flat caps to add to the Yorkshire twist.

A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.
A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.
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“It was absolutely brilliant, there was such a fantastic atmosphere and racegoers were loving it, they really enjoyed it, they really got into the spirit of it.

We were slightly concerned because Guinness wanted people to stand still for five minutes at the end to secure the record and it seemed to last a lifetime, but everyone was so thrilled to be part of history and do something different on an otherwise normal Sunday.

“It’s a strange thing to say that you broke a world record. We put in an awful lot of hard work and to actually pull it off was fantastic and all the staff are so thrilled."

A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.
A total of 691 people took part in the world record attempt at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday. Picture: Pontefract Racecourse.
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Guinness World Record adjudicator Lucia Singagliesi confirmed the record shortly before 8pm.

She said: "Today Pontefract Racecourse just set a new Guinness World Record title for the largest human image of a dog. It's a new Guinness World Record category, attempted for the first time today.

"I very much love my job when I can award a record and when everything is successful."

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