'People make Punchestown' - Curtain falls on record-breaking festival at Kildare venue

The curtain has closed on the 2025 Punchestown Festival, marking the conclusion of the biggest annual festival ever on record at the County Kildare venue.

The weather, which saw temperatures hit the mid-20s on Wednesday and Thursday, 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.

Commenting following the conclusion of this year's festival, Conor O’Neill, CEO of Punchestown said: “The glorious weather ensured another beano festival here at Punchestown! Whether you’re 5 or 95 there has been something for everyone here at Punchestown this week and that’s what it’s all about.

"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?

The feature race on the card, the Ballymore Champion 4 Year Old Hurdle went to post at 4.50pm with the UK representative Lulamba justifying favouritism to land the final Grade 1 of the season in great style for trainer Nicky Henderson and Jockey James Bowen.

All champions for the 2024/2025 Irish National Hunt season were announced at Punchestown on Saturday afternoon. The Champion Conditional title was an extremely close contest with Tiernan Power Roche and John Shinnick fighting it out right up to and including Saturday, the last day of the season.

Tiernan Power Roche came out on top to join Champion Owner JP McManus, Trainer Willie Mullins, Jockey Paul Townend, Lady Amateur Jody Townend, Amateur Patrick Mullins, and Mr Martin Heydon TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine on the podium. 

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 6^th Class, Room 2 of St. Corban’s BNS. Lily Monohan of Ms. Hanly’s 2^nd 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. For a limited time only, a flash sale on 2026 tickets is live online now at Punchestown.com.