No Experience

puddie77

Hi guys, our 15 year old has just applied to RACE to try get on as an apprentice jockey, the problem is although he has a profound love of horses he has very little hands on experience.We are living in Limerick and my question is...Is there stables that would take him on in exchange for riding lessons, we'd like if he got used to the early hours and to be around horses also. Thanks.

convert

I'm not from the area, but you could take a look at this list which provides contact details for a few schools in the area. You could also try having a look at the 'contact details' thread above, which could help, too.

As far as I remember (although this is going back a number of years), applicants to RACE didn't need to have a huge amount of experience before they applied and that they would be assessed during the 'assessment week' which would be held during the summer. Obviously this may have changed since, but contact them and see if they could advise your son as to what would be the best course of action.

What about looking at a racing yard in the area where he could gain experience in the racing industry (even though he may not gain riding experience/lessons)?

smartaform

convert wrote: »

I'm not from the area, but you could take a look at this list which provides contact details for a few schools in the area. You could also try having a look at the 'contact details' thread above, which could help, too.

As far as I remember (although this is going back a number of years), applicants to RACE didn't need to have a huge amount of experience before they applied and that they would be assessed during the 'assessment week' which would be held during the summer. Obviously this may have changed since, but contact them and see if they could advise your son as to what would be the best course of action.

What about looking at a racing yard in the area where he could gain experience in the racing industry (even though he may not gain riding experience/lessons)?

I would agree with moderator convert's last paragraph .... Call up a trainer down in Limerick and have a talk to them, more often than not apprentice jockeys start out leading them around, doing stable chores and riding the pony until they are comfortable to go to the racehorses...
Other than that plenty of riding schools around - check out www.irishfield.ie as they have a directory for everything equine in Ireland.

puddie77

thanks convert and ya your right you don't need any riding experience but the numbers are very high this year and there's only 32 going forward for the course, so maybe a bit of heads up would help.I have taking your advice on the racing yards and we will ring a few tomorrow and suss things out....thanks smartaform for your input also some good points.

Thanks guys

convert

Another option is to call RACE and ask their advice and which they would consider more valuable experience. You don't have to give your name if you feel it may impact on your son's application. If you know anyone who went through RACE you could ask their advice, too.

Hope it goes well, and keep us posted on how he gets on.

dub89

Hi, as a recent graduate of RACE, I know that you do not need much experience. I never worked with horses before but had gone to riding lessons for some years.

They will teach him to ride but it would be to his advantage to get some lessons. What they are looking for is someone who works hard throughout the week, doesnt complain about the work or get involved with any messing that goes on- they take this seriously. Also co-operate with staff. They are all extremely nice and they treat everone like one big family.

Believe me it is very tough getting up very early-about 5am and goin down to the barn, lessons, gym etc but it is worth it in the end.

Hopefully this is to some help:)

puddie77

Thanks dub appreciate that alot.

puddie77

dub89 wrote: »

Hi, as a recent graduate of RACE, I know that you do not need much experience. I never worked with horses before but had gone to riding lessons for some years.

They will teach him to ride but it would be to his advantage to get some lessons. What they are looking for is someone who works hard throughout the week, doesnt complain about the work or get involved with any messing that goes on- they take this seriously. Also co-operate with staff. They are all extremely nice and they treat everone like one big family.

Believe me it is very tough getting up very early-about 5am and goin down to the barn, lessons, gym etc but it is worth it in the end.

Hopefully this is to some help:)

convert wrote: »

Another option is to call RACE and ask their advice and which they would consider more valuable experience. You don't have to give your name if you feel it may impact on your son's application. If you know anyone who went through RACE you could ask their advice, too.

Hope it goes well, and keep us posted on how he gets on.

Thanks Convert...he is gone up to the open day in RACE today with his mam and he's starting some work experience in a racing yard in co limerick tomorrow,free board and experience for labour.Hope it goes well.

convert

puddie77 wrote: »

Thanks Convert...he is gone up to the open day in RACE today with his mam and he's starting some work experience in a racing yard in co limerick tomorrow,free board and experience for labour.Hope it goes well.

Hope everything goes well for him! Maybe you could let us know how he gets on?

puddie77

convert wrote: »

Hope everything goes well for him! Maybe you could let us know how he gets on?

He got on great today anyway Convert.Wife was very impressed with the whole set up, hes going up for the first week in july now so fingers crossed.

eilo1

hiya,
i used to be a work rider and we would often take apprentices from race, i remember them saying that the assessment was more about mentality than skill.
They had to spend a day picking stones out of a field for instance. They want to make sure you can mentally take the hardship of being a jockey.
hope this helps!

convert

Just resurrecting this thread, as I read in the Irish Field that FAS have cut their funding to RACE, which means that no new candidates will be taken into RACE this year, despite offers have been made.

convert

From raceacademy.ie:

Statement regarding Trainee Jockey course 2010/2011
17th Sep 2010

Trainee Jockey course postponed at RACE

The Racing Academy & Centre of Education (RACE) has decided to postpone the 2010/2011 Trainee Jockey Course due to a review by FAS of the delivery of the programme.

Commenting on the decision, RACE Director Keith Rowe said : ''Unfortunately, the commencement of this year's course was delayed due to a review by FAS and this has led to a fundamental re-think by FAS senior management on the delivery structure of this course. A process is underway to establish a workable model for the future of this highly-successful training programme.''

"The situation is very regrettable and we are sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment caused but the decision was outside our control. We conducted the trials and selection process for the course in the expectation of continued funding.''



''We will be entering a review process with FAS, and our other stakeholders, including Horse Racing Ireland, to try and establish a workable model for the future of the Trainee Jockey course. However, this process is likely to take a period of months and we must reluctantly accept that this year's course will not now proceed. All the participants and their families have been contacted and arrangements are being made in most cases for them to return to school".

It is hoped that many of the selected participants will be able to re-apply in the future should the course be offered again next year.



ENDS

skywards

convert wrote: »

What about looking at a racing yard in the area where he could gain experience in the racing industry (even though he may not gain riding experience/lessons)?

^ This. Also, it would strongly be to his advantage to take some general riding lessons first. And make sure he knows exactly how much fun it is to get launched off a horse running all out in a circle at 4:30 in the morning .

Borderfox

From what I have heard some have gone into the FAS instructors course thats run in certain yards.

convert

An agreement has been reached with FAS, so the trainee jockey course will go ahead this year.

Trainee Jockey course goes ahead
29th Sep 2010

The 2010/2011 Trainee Jockey course in the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) will now go ahead, commencing on Wednesday 6th October 2010.

The postponement of the course had been announced earlier this month due to a review by FÁS of its structure and delivery. At a meeting yesterday (Tuesday 28th September 2010) between FÁS, Horse Racing Ireland, Kildare VEC and RACE the parties agreed a basis for the continuation of the course for 2010/2011. A longer-term review which will set out the basis for the future of the course will be carried out by all stakeholders in the coming months.

Commenting on the decision, RACE Director Keith Rowe said: ‘this is very good news for the students selected for the course who were understandably anxious about their plans for the year. We are now in a position to deliver the full course and look forward to welcoming our students next week.’

Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: ‘I welcome the fact that a resolution has been arrived at, which will maintain the continuity of this course and its outstanding national and international reputation’.

FÁS Director General Paul O’ Toole said ‘I am pleased that the 32 students can now take up their places on this valuable course and I wish them well in this regard. An agreement has been reached whereby a number of measures will be implemented by RACE and FÁS is satisfied that these measures enable the continuation of this training course in 2010/2011’.

Borderfox

Good news