My name is Lee Shanahan. I am 16 years old. I am from Tallaght in Co. Dublin. Me and my Da had horses all our lives. I started out hunting and cross country. It was with horses that I met one of my best mates, together we always sat down and watched horse racing on telly and we would always talk about becoming Jockeys one day.
It was when I started secondary school that I really wanted to be a jockey. So when I came to one of the RACE open days, in first year, I knew that this was what I wanted to do. When I was finished 5th year I came to the trial week here at RACE and worked my hardest and thankfully I was accepted.
When I had to get up at 8am every morning for school, I couldn’t get up out of bed. Even my Ma and Da were saying “you won’t get up at 6am every morning” but because I know I am getting up to muck out and ride out I can spring out of bed like its 2pm, instead of dragging myself out at 8am knowing I was going to sit in a School.
At the Moment I am working in Dermot Weld’s main yard, Rosewell House. There are 30 odd riding out most mornings. All the lads I work with do help me out and give me tips on my riding, they have tidied me up and made me look a lot neater on a horse then when I first started. Mr Weld does help me out as well telling me where I can improve and how. Love what I am doing now and much rather riding out than going to School.
I hope to become a Champion National Hunt Jockey in the future, well that’s the plan anyway!
Lee was placed in Dermot Welds on 21st November 2016
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| Lee schooling over fences in the Indoor Arena at RACE |
