Meet The Trainees - Mirta Orsulic

My name is Mirta Orsulic and I am 20 years old. I was born in Croatia. When I was 15 I sat on a horse for the first time. Without any background working with horses, it was hard to get help to do what I love.  While I was in high school, I was riding for local trainers in Zagreb.I’ve always wanted to get the best education in the racing industry, so I decided to follow my dreams. First, I went to Hungary for a couple of months but that wasn’t fulfilling enough, so I applied for the trainee jockey course.

After I finished the trial week successfully and I got accepted in RACE, I became the happiest person in the world! I left university where I was studying Chemistry, I left my old life behind and started a new journey in this beautiful country. At the beginning of the course I was in group 2 but every day improved and after some time the instructors moved me into group 1. At the end of October, I took the initiative to get a job riding out at weekends and bank holidays for Aidan O’Brien, then Mid-November I got placed in Mr. Oxx’s yard. I was the first girl to go out on yard placement in this year’s group and that was an achievement I am proud of.

Although working in a different country and being away from home is very hard I think that if you’re doing what you love, it doesn’t feel like work. Now, I can say that I feel good, despite the up’s and down’s I’ve experienced since I started the Trainee Jockey Course. I’ve made great friends that I will have for life and I get to have fun every day hanging with people with whom I share the same goals. 

At the start of the year I thought I would only get the best education about working in the racing industry, but this school did far more than that. They taught us how to take care of ourselves, they’ve done everything in their power to prepare us for real life. We had different classes throughout the year; business calculations, IT, health related fitness, sport’s psychology, lessons on the simulator, nutrition sessions and many more. We also have access to the gym and simulator in our free time to improve even more.  However, the time is flying by and there are still plenty of things to learn in the remaining weeks. With all the knowledge that I have acquired I hope to upgrade my Croatian jockey license.

I have no idea where I will end up, but I am a competitive person who is not afraid of a challenge.

I am still young, and I believe that I have a bright future. I am a very optimistic person and I know that I will continue to succeed in whatever I put my mind to.

Mirta was placed with John Oxx on the 19^th of November 2018.

RACE Gallops