My name is Ben and I am 16 years old and from Meath. I want to be Jockey, is basically what this is going to be about.
I started riding back when I was small in a riding school and I bought my first pony, Misty, a few years ago. I just couldn’t get enough of it from there and didn’t get a taste for the racehorses until a couple of years ago. When I first sat on a racehorse I was hooked from there. It’s my passion and really all that I can do. The skill and the speed in horses is like a drug, I can’t get enough of it.
When I heard about RACE I immediately, before even telling my parents about it, started preparing my application for it. When we arrived on the Open Day I remember my Mum telling me that somebody must have heard about me and built an academy to suit what I need.
When I arrived on the first day the first thing that struck me was that this was the first step that I needed to take to become a Jockey. Most of what I’ve learnt is what it really takes to become a Jockey. People just don’t realise what kind of mental and physical strength goes into the sport. I’ve also made a lot of valuable connections in the racing world, and met a lot of great people that have helped me along the way.
I’m really looking forward to graduating and getting out there to try and make it by myself and hopefully becoming a top class Jockey.
Ben was placed with Conor O’Dwyer in November 2015
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| Ben schooling on the Curragh Training Grounds |
