Meet The Trainees - Jamie Cullen

My name is Jamie Cullen I am 19 years old I am from Ballyfermot Dublin. When I was 12 years of age there was an Equine Centre across the road from me, they had a youth club and my brothers and a few of our friends were in the youth club. They would bring us on trips to the beach, kayaking, walks up the mountains and we stayed in oak wood Wicklow for the weekend.
Once a week after school we would go and ride the horses, this was the first time that I had ever sat on a horse and I instantly loved it. I stayed in the club and rode the horses twice a week or more up until I was 16.

I left school because they had nothing for me there to do with horses or animals so it made me lose interest. I took a year off then I was asked by Paula from the youth group if I would be interested in doing the Cherry Orchard Equine Fas Course where I would be working with horses and getting my FETAC level 4. I completed my FETAC level 4 and from there I found out about RACE.
What I liked about coming to RACE was meeting new people and learning how to ride a race horse.

I am currently on work experience out in Tracey Collins yard I really like it out there learning about the horses and how important it is to work as a team. I hope to stay on as a senior in RACE and become a Jockey.

Jamie on RACE Gallops on the Family Day - November 2015

Meet The Trainees - Jack Hogan

Hello my name is Jack Hogan. I’m 17 years old and from County Cavan.  I got interested in horses years ago when we bought a pony of a farmer down the road just to have out in the field.  Then I started getting lessons from around the age of seven and stuck at it.  We then got a pony we could ride and started pony club I did a bit of showjumping and cross-country but the pony spent more time going backwards then forwards but when he went he would go 90 and I suppose that’s where I got the feel for speed. 

A few years ago I started doing pony racing on that pony. We were not much good at the start but we got placed a good few times and I just loved it. I went on to do 3 more years of flapping, riding my own two thoroughbreds and a good few other horses and ponies for other people, which was a great introduction into racing.  

I first heard of RACE when all of the pony racing lads came up here for an open day. I got a great look into the academy and wanted to come here. When I was 12, the summer before I started secondary school I started working in a local racing yard for Shane Donohue. I used to just muck out and look after the horses for the first while because I would have been to weak to hold any of the horses. But once he got me riding, I would only ride 2 or 3 lots a day until I was fit enough to ride the harder horses, then I was riding 6 or 7 lots a day. It was Shane who got me into horseracing and he was great to me, it was here that I got the bug for racing.  Last summer before I started in RACE I went down to Tipperary to work for my cousin Denis Hogan, just to see what it was like to work in a bigger yard with more horses and get more experience. Before I started in RACE in September, the lads there really helped me as I always wanted to be able to ride as good as them and it helps to have someone to look up to as well.

The Racing Academy is a great course and I have benefitted greatly because of it. I’m not only a better rider since September but I’m fitter and stronger too. I was fortunate enough to be sent out to James Nash in the first group and it has been a great experience there.  Although the course drags on in the winter months it has been a great experience which will only help me in the future.  Thanks to Niall Byrne and Barry Walsh and everyone who helped me along the way.  For the future I hope to become Champion Jump Jockey and to ride as many winners as I can.

Jack schooling on the Curragh Training Grounds

Meet The Trainees - Emma Holden - Cahill

My name is Emma Cahill, I am 17 years old and I live in Castledermot Co.Kildare. I have always loved horses since a young age and began riding when I was 10 years old. None of my family members ride horses but my Mam got me interested in racing and watching races as she loves to watch it. 

I started off in a riding school called Pitfield Equestrian Centre, where I learned the basic skills of riding.  I rode there for 5 years before starting a summer Job with Jessica Harrington. I had never ridden a racehorse before until I went to Harrington’s.  I loved going to the yard! I got so much experience from there. Everyone in the yard helped and taught me about racing and racehorses.

What I enjoy about RACE are the people in it. It’s amazing how close you get to people who were complete strangers just a few months ago. I have met some great people and made some wonderful new friends. 
One of the highlights of RACE that I was really looking forward to doing since the start of the course was the Gaisce hike. For the hike we walked for 4 hours from Athy to Carlow and stayed overnight in Baltinglass. The next day we started our hike up the Wicklow Mountains at 9:00am and it took 3 ½hrs to complete. I really enjoyed it! It was great to get out and all spend time together and the weather was perfect for the event.

Emma (behind Supervisor, Paul Kelly( Sea the Stars cap) wearing white t-shirt) on the Gaisce Hike with her fellow trainees and (right) on Maddenstown Gallops with Instructor Paul Keating.

Emma was placed with Michael Halford in February 2016