Meet the trainees - Sean Kennelly

My name is Sean Kennelly. I am 17 years old and I’m from Listowel, Co. Kerry. I came to RACE, in the Curragh to get trained in how to ride horses and look after them properly. It’s very tough here but it is definitely worth it and it will pay off when we all spread out in to different yards and sign on as apprentice jockeys in the future.
My favourite part about being here in RACE is riding out in the mornings. We ride out two lots most days unless we’re training on the simulators. Before we get to ride though, we must muck out all the horses, and sweep the yard. After riding out we feed the horses and do any other jobs around the yard that need to be done. We hack the horses around the gallops to learn to control the horses. We also use the indoor arena, especially if it is too wet to go outside. Over the year we are taught to jump out of racing stalls and we learn to school the horses over poles and easy-fix fences. We also go out to the Curragh Plains and Maddenstown Gallops too.
We spend a few months in RACE before we get placed out in trainers yards. The first group go out on placement in November and when the rest are ready, the second group will get placed in trainers yards too until the end  

Parents Day 2012

of the course.