Meet The Trainees - Chloe Byrne

Hello, my name is Chloe Byrne. I am from Kildare and I’m 16 years old. We have always had horses at home I started riding when I was 6, it was my sister that got me into it. I did a lot of hunting and competed in showjumping.

Before I came to RACE, I rode out in Arthur Moore’s yard to get a bit of experience. Everyone in Arthurs were very good to me and helped me to get my confidence up, along with getting experience riding racehorses.

I started riding in 2007. I did a lot of show jumping and eventually I got my own horse called Chester. I started showjumping and going hunting to get more experience. I always loved to watch horse racing on the TV. I’ve always idolised Katie Walsh. I then came to RACE for a week trial near the end of June 2018.  It was a very good week. On the last day, it was a Friday, we had a bootcamp to see if we put in enough effort to get into the course, it was very hard I will admit but it was all worth it in the end. Everyone improved on their riding, fitness and strength to pass their fitness test.

We are all down in the RACE barn riding out and everyone is getting on very well.  We have been brought to Maddenstown gallops and The Curragh plains to ride the horses.  We have done a lot of schooling with the horses, I really enjoyed it.

It was early January and I was sent out to Ted Walsh’s yard in kill and I was very happy with my placement. Ironically, I am now riding out with my idol. I start at 7:30 am and finish at 1:00 pm. I have 4/5 lots every day.  For first lot we pull out at 8 o’clock and meet up with Ross O’Sullivan’s crew, then we bring our horses up, give them a wash, put them on the walker, tack up and pull out our second lot and so on. The early mornings and the long days are hard, but I enjoy every bit of it. 

We are now near the end of the course and we had a few jockey’s in to speak to us such as David Egan, Sean Flanagan and Cathy Gannon. Sean gave us a schooling lesson and then had a talk with us about his life as a jockey. I will be graduating in June and I hope to take my apprentice license out in the future.

Chloe was placed with Ted Walsh on the 14^th of January 2019.

On Maddenstown Gallops

Meet The Trainees - Eamonn Fitzgerald

Hi, my name is Eamonn Fitzgerald and I am 16 years old. I first got an interest in horses when I was riding ponies in Abbeyfeild farm, from a young age.

I started riding out when I had just turned 13 for Michael Halford. I learned a lot from everyone there, including the head lad, Assistant Trainer, Mr. Halford and all the lads and jockeys in the yard. I used to go in on weekends and school holidays, which was brilliant. My favourite horse was a filly called Betty Loch, she was the first race horse that I rode. I learned how to ride in Abbeyfield farm and I also did lots of hunting with the North Kildare Farmers. 

We are well into the course and the time is flying. I’m really enjoying my time so far. All the instructors down in the barn are really sound. I have learned loads so far and we are taken out to The Curragh gallops such as Maddenstown or the Curragh plains which is savage, as well as being on the gallops every day in R.A.C.E. We have also done lots of schooling over the hurdles and fences. We got to have a schooling session with Sean Flanagan and we learned loads from him.

I got sent out to Mr. Halford’s yard in the middle of November I really enjoy it there and I’m learning a lot, the people I work every day couldn’t be nicer. I also go in on Saturdays and sometimes I go racing on Friday nights in Dundalk. I can’t wait until the flat season kicks off again and the 2-year olds start knowing their routine even better.

My daily routine at the minute would be getting up for 6.00am and I’m on my bus for 6.45am. We start at 7.30am but once the mornings start getting brighter, we will switch back to 7.00am. When I get in, I usually help muck out and let the horses out to the paddocks.  We then go tack up and put the horses on the walker, then we go muck out another few. We pull out at 8.00am in the winter and 7.30am in the summer. After that lot we tack up and pull out straight away, then we tack up our next lot and put them on the walker, before going for tea. We usually ride out 4/5 lots and finish about 12.30pm. We use many different gallops depending on the horse we are riding; the variety is great.

We are kept busy! We do fitness classes on Mondays and Wednesdays which are great for the fitness. We are allowed to go to the gym and simulators on our free evenings.  The simulators are great for fitness and technique.

After the course, I would love to get signed on and take out my apprentice licence, this is hard to achieve but hopefully with a bit of luck I can get there. 

Eamon was placed with Michael Halford on the 19^th of November 2018.

On the way to RACE Gallops