Meet the trainees - Dean Carroll

My name is Dean Carroll I am 16 years old and I am from Touraneena in Waterford. I started riding ponies when I was 8 years old and I always had an interest in riding. I contacted a local trainer over the road from me when I got older looking for a job. When I started there, I saw him (the trainer) riding on the gallop and I knew then that was what I wanted to do.

I started off doing the basics, like mucking out, taking up horses and putting them on the walker.  I started riding the quite horses and then got the hang of riding a few of the trickier ones.  I then heard about RACE. I applied for the Open Day and went for a look at the Campus.  When I found out I got in I couldn’t wait to start!  It’s a 42-week course commencing in September and finishing with a graduation in June.

During my time at RACE I have improved my fitness levels and my riding skills.  Back in November, I was sent to Michael Grassick Junior near TRI on the Milltown Road.  Each morning, I ride 5 lots at the yard and some lots on the Curragh.  I have gained a lot of experience riding with Michael and Kevin Coleman.   Kevin is a great help around the yard and advises me on my riding skills and yard duties. 

Over the past few months we have had a good few speakers in to give us advice including Davy Russel, Ruby Walsh, Johnny Murtagh, David Egan, Jody McGarvey. They talked about how to become a jockey.  In June I hope to take out a License.

Dean was placed with Michael Grassick on the 20^th of November 2018

Heading out to Maddenstown Gallops

Meet the Trainees - Adam Collier Williams

Hello! My name is Adam Williams and I’m from Taghmon in Wexford.  I was always interested in horses ever since I was young and we always kept a few horses at home. When I was younger I went to the Wexford Races and I fell in love with racing, that is when I first decided I wanted to become a jockey. Having gone to one race meeting, I started to go every weekend. I even went over to Aintree in England.

I found out about RACE from talking to a past pupil of RACE who lived near me.  I was really interested in what he had to say about RACE and so I decided that I would go home and look RACE up. I had a quick look at their Facebook page and read about it on Google. The minute I finished looking at the pages I ran into my parents and I told them that I really wanted to apply for the course. So, I got all the forms and I sent them off. I went to an Open Day and I did the trial. A few months later I got a letter saying “Congratulations! You have been accepted into RACE”.  I was over the noon!

At the time of writing this piece for the Trainee Blog, we are four months into the course and it’s brilliant! It’s a really good experience and there are nice people up here. I have meet a lot of new friends and we are like one big family.

I was sent out to Patrick Prendergast in January and I’ve learned a lot so far and I am getting lots of experience, like how to hold stronger horses. Patrick is very nice and he helps me a lot and I have learned a lot. I work with Patrick every week. When I go home I work for local trainer, Kieran Roche. I have really learned a lot with Kieran also and he would bring me off schooling most weekends and we would also go to the beach.

In February I fell of a horse and had a tear in the ligaments in my Ankle.  I was out for 4 weeks and I really missed riding out and I couldn’t wait to get back up and back out to work. I looked forward to getting back on top of my fitness. Hopefully in June I will take out a License and hopefully have a successful career in racing!

Adam was placed with Patrick Prendergast on the 22^nd of January 2018

Training on RACE Gallops in the Snow!