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22 Apr 2026
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22 Apr 2026
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The 2025 Punchestown Festival was was one to remember at the County Kildare venue.
The weather, which saw temperatures hit the mid-20s, played its part enticing an all-time record-breaking overall attendance of 136,651 over the five days.
CLICK NEXT OR USE THE ARROWS TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM PUNCHESTOWN
Attendance figures were up on all five days of the national hunt racing festival, with Ladies Day on Friday attracting the greatest numbers when 42,138 attendees turned out in their finery for the annual social and sporting highlight of the season.
READ NEXT: PICTURES: Sunshine and shades again as thousands attend final day of Punchestown 2025
The festival finale, Ballymore Family Day on Saturday saw 33,158 junior racegoers, families, socialisers and racing fans descend on the track compared with 25,396 on the same day last year.
"People make Punchestown and we’re so grateful to our sponsors, many stakeholders and everyone who came along to support us! This (Saturday) afternoon I’m most proud of our remarkable team, their unwavering commitment and hard work has been rewarded, and I’m delighted for everyone who played a part in making it such a great success."
READ NEXT: PICTURES: Do you feature in our latest gallery from Day 5 of Punchestown 2025?
READ NEXT: Pints or Prosecco? The important questions answered as punters flock to Punchestown Festival
Off the track there were plenty of winners over the five days, including Off the track there were plenty of winners over the five days, including Ciara Denvir from Belfast who won the Bollinger Best Dressed Competition on Friday. Her prize, a ‘money can’t buy trip for two’ to Paris, the Champagne Region, Reims and the Bollinger Estate and a year’s supply of Champagne Bollinger.
The BritVic Fruit Shoot Inter School Art Competition concluded the off-track competitions at Punchestown this week. The popular initiative boasted entries from no less than 17 local schools. The senior art competition was won by 6th Class, Room 2 of St. Corban’s BNS. Lily Monohan of Ms. Hanly’s 2nd Class at Caragh NS won the juniors category, with Isabelle Nixon from Rathmore NS and Donnacha Dooling from Ballymore securing second and third prizes consecutively.
Children of all ages flocked to meet the stars of the turf, as jockeys signed autographs, took lots of selfies and chatted with junior racegoers and their families, on the final day of the busy Irish National Hunt Season at Punchestown.
The total attendance for the week was 136,651 compared with 118,318 in 2024 an increase of 15.5%.
READ NEXT: PICTURES: Glamour galore at Ladies Day of the Punchestown Festival
The 2026 Punchestown Festival will take place between Tuesday, April 18 and Saturday, May 2.
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