Meet the trainees - Kevin Brogan

Kevin heading out to Maddenstown Gallops in October 2016

Hello! My name is Kevin Brogan.  I am 16 years old.  I’m originally from Kill Co. Kildare.  I just completed my Junior Cert this year. 
I started riding horses at a later stage at 11 years of age.  I have attended weekly riding lessons with a lovely girl called April, she taught me loads and wasn’t afraid to throw me into the deep end!  When I was around 12 I saw a program on the TV called “The Irish Road to Cheltenham”. I watched the weekly episodes and week by week as I watched jockeys, Davy Russell and Andrew Lynch riding in races, I knew then I wanted to be a jockey.  April told me that her brother was in RACE and she said that you could train to be a jockey, ever since then I have wanted to attend the Trainee Jockey course. 
Fortunately I got picked for the trial week here in RACE and thankfully I got in.  Before the course started I spent a few weeks with local trainer Ted Walsh and gained a huge amount of experience in such a short space of time.  I still ride out in Ted’s on the Saturday mornings and I can feel a huge difference in my riding.
It’s half way through the course now and I’m now riding out with Robbie McNamara on the Curragh.  I’ve been there since the end of November and I’m really enjoying getting loads of experience.  Unfortunately just before Christmas I broke my collar bone and had to take a break from riding for just over five weeks.  I’m back in action now and I’m looking forward to going back to Robbie’s and continue riding out.
After the course I will spend the summer riding out and come September, I will take back up my place in Fifth year in Naas C.B.S.
I’m not a huge fan of school and I would love not to go back but I know now that I have to,  if I don’t go back and get my leaving cert, I will regret it down the line. 

While I’m in School I will probably take out an amateur license and try and pick up a few rides at the point to points and try and get as much experience as I can and hopefully, if things go well, maybe I’ll look toward getting a few rides on the track.

Kevin was placed with Robbie McNamara on the 21st of November 2016