Meet the trainees - Amy Jo Hayes

Amy Jo in action on Maddenstown Gallops

My name is Amy Jo Hayes, I am 16 years old since June. I’ve been reared with horses since the day I was born, growing up with the farm, that and the fact that it used to be a small stud. Horses were always a big thing going back into the family generation, to this day it’s still as important as it used to be. Living in the surroundings of Irelands leading Stud, Coolmore, is our next door neighbour, which really brings the Horse Racing into place. My grandfather has bred the Grand National winner ‘West Tip’ so there’s history taking place back at home. My Father used to be a point to point Jockey and my Mother used to ride out in flat yards over in England.

I’ve always wanted to be a Jockey, since I was 5 when I first started riding horses. Even for my confirmation the name I chose was Ruby as they said to pick someone that inspired you, and of course I picked Ruby Walsh. It was fox hunting, hunter trials and a little bit of show jumping that I was doing before I reached the age of 16 because both of my parents and Trainer, Harry Kelly,  wouldn’t let me ride out in a racing yard. My Father wouldn’t let me go flapping either because it was “too dangerous”. So as soon as I reached my sweet 16th birthday, it was a dream come true.

I found out about the 10 month course for Trainee Jockey from two past graduates from RACE. I first came to RACE in 2014, with the pony club, to stay a weekend at RACE and three weeks later, to ride your own pony in a race against the other 10 pony club members at the Curragh Races.  I found out all the details for the applications to apply for RACE and was called back for a trial week in the summer.

The trial week was definitely the hardest thing I did in my entire life but I gave it all my best. At the start of the trial week I thought they had mistaken RACE for an Army Camp. When I received my letter from RACE it was congratulating me on being accepted into the course. It was the best news I had ever received, my career was depending on this letter.

As I’m still only 16, It was the age to leave to school but education is vitally important in a Jockey’s career. In RACE they’ve an education centre where you do a level four which is equivalent to a pass Leaving Certificate. This would be useful as you’d need backup in case you do get injured off a horse you’ve always another option in mind. I was told here at RACE, by some successful people who came to talk to us and give us advice, “to always keep your options open “.

The fitness is important here, as when I first came I knew I wasn’t fit even, though I tried to improve over the summer holidays, by riding racehorses, cycling to work every morning and back home again.  I also did a bit of swimming! Our coach here at RACE is very supportive and always has us on a positive note, of being “fit, strong and well”. We would fight and challenge ourselves to our limits and try the best we can to achieve our goals, to have a better lifestyle and wellbeing. In the end it’s not all competition against each other, we help each other to work as a team. Going to gym, coach would have the music blaring and I’ll join in singing knowing it’s still not loud enough for everyone to hear!

Down in the barn, we’d have three lots each to ride and still be fighting over who has the better horse and who’s going to get run away with. And you’ll have Niall joking saying he doesn’t like small people, so if your small I wish you luck! I’m now placed in a flat yard in Kevin Prendergast, and hope to stay on there and to follow Chris Hayes footsteps all the way to success. Getting up at 5am is an early start, but the beauty is that you’ll be back at around 11am to catch up on the morning’s sleep! Coming to RACE, I’ve made new friends and have found a career with horses that will stick to me for a lifetime.

Amy Jo was placed with Kevin Prendergast on the 13th February 2017 but later changed yard and was placed with Michael Halford

Meet the trainees - Emer Bradley

Emer training on Maddenstown Gallops

Hi my name is Emer Bradley. I am 16 years old. I am from Rathconnell Nurney Co. Kildare. I got interested in horses at young age, starting to ride horses at the age of 7.  I love being around horses.  I have always wanted to be a Jockey, it was always a dream that I have had since I was a young girl.

I have my own hunting horses and my own racehorse ‘DontBackMe’. I got a job over the summer with P G Fahey.  That’s when I really got into Horse Racing.  He thought me a lot over the summer.
I use to love waking up on a Saturday morning knowing I was going to work in his yard. I applied for RACE because I was told by a lot of people that it was a very good place to go to, they said you learn so much in there.

When I found out I got a place on the week’s trial, I was so happy and when I did the week trial, I met loads of wonderful people and I didn’t want to go home. A few weeks later, I got the letter in the post and I was shaking, I really didn’t want to open it because I was afraid I wouldn’t get in. I opened my letter and saw the big congratulations on the top and I just froze and didn’t know what to do, I just couldn’t believe that I got in!

 I knew it was going to be hard leaving home and my family but I was going to work hard and keep my head down and hopefully in the future when I graduate from RACE, I will get into a good yard and take out a Conditional License and become a top Jockey.  If I get my license it will be like a dream come true!

In 2015 I found out I had epilepsy. It was like a bus hit me. I’m not going to let a medical problem get in the way of my dreams. The doctors said that I will have to be 5 years free of seizure before I can hold a Jockeys license. I am a year seizure free now. I am now out in Johnny Murtagh’s yard on work placement and I love every bit of it.  He is such a nice lad to work for and I’m happy I got sent out to him.

If your dreams don’t scare you, there not big enough!

Emer was placed with Johnny Murtagh on the 13th of February 2017

Meet the trainees - Nikita Kane

Nikita schooling over hurdles on the Curragh Schooling Ground for Assessment week

Well lads! My names Nikita Kane I am 19 years old and I am from good auld County Offaly .I’ve had an interest in horses ever since I was 2 years of age.  I picked up my love for horses from my Mother and two Uncles who are a Riding Instructors and Yard Assistant Trainer, so from then on I started my journey with horses.
 I began riding in Birr Equestrian Centre and I was always a horsey mad child who’d run around and jump fences and play pretend horses. I started hunting from the age of 8 I did pony club, flapping, show jumping. As the years went on I did eventing and in TY (Transition Year), for my work experience, I went to work in Shane Broderick’s (JP Broderick) Racing and I still work there.  I loved going out every morning and riding out and being around Jockeys and seeing how they cope everyday and I thought yeah I want to have this as my career once I am done school. All the great support I get from Shane really helps. I’ve always wanted to become a jockey like Nina Carberry or Josephine Gordon as these women inspire me,   I looked up to them and one day wanted to be like them.
 I started flapping at the age of 12 with the midlands pony racing and from then on I knew I had to follow my dream.  It just felt like who I should be and who I was meant to be.  No amount of broken bones or critical injuries will hold me back now because that’s the risk we take and I am prepared to take any jump or leap to achieve my goal. My Mother was like ‘why would you want to be a jockey? its dangerous?’, but as I say, ah sure it’ll be grand,  life’s too short so give her welly and whip drive her on to the finish!, because no one knows when your time’s up so make it last.
I decided to do a pony racing course day up here in RACE back in 2014. After that I came to an open day for the Trainee Course, but I went back to complete my Leaving Cert and then try to get on the course, which I did and I was delighted to have gotten accepted.

From the help of RACE Instructors, I’ve been shown how to work around Racehorses and they taught me what I needed to do and what to work on to improve my riding and look and ride more like a work rider. It helped me get a better understanding of what the work is really like and we were put through our paces in the toughest of disciplines to achieve the best results that we can to making it in the Horse Racing Industry .Now I am out on work experience with Adrian Keatly, the 2016, 1000 Guineas Winner.  I enjoy working there and learn lots every day and have come on a lot in my riding and handling since I’ve started. Now I am a step closer to where I want to be with only a short time left to go and I am excited to see what my future may hold, with determination and a fighting soul you can make it!
Nikita was placed with Adrian Keatly on the 21st of November 2016