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.

MICK KINANE meets the trainees

On the 7th of September the RACE trainees were lucky enough to get a visit from the world famous Mick Kinane. This was the first of many opportunities for the RACE students to appear on the big screen, as Mick’s visit was recorded for a documentary for Setanta. The trainees got an opportunity ask Mick many questions about his experience in the racing industry and asked for some advice about their own futures too.
The documentary was recorded in the Simulator Room at RACE. Mick was able to use his skills to critique a simulator demonstration by the jockey, Ross Coakely. Afterwards some of the trainees got a chance to hone their skills on the simulator too.
The event wrapped up with Mick partaking in a few photographs and bidding the trainees fair well and wishing them the best of luck in the near future. Overall it was an insightful visit for the trainees and we look forward to seeing them in the documentary sometime soon.

By Ciaran Jones.