Meet The Trainees - Kirsty Bourke

My name is Kirsty Bourke I’m 17 years old and from Kildare Town. I was always interested in horse racing as both my Parents worked in racing so my passion started from there. Growing up in Newmarket the capital of horse racing in England helped me a lot as I started riding out when I was 13. Previous to that I had ridden ponies in small events. 

I never really was interested in show jumping as a child I would rather stay at home and watch the racing or go racing with my Dad. When I moved back to Ireland in 2015 there was nothing else I wanted to do than to go to RACE. So when the applications came out I’m sure I was the first one to have applied. When I found out I had been accepted on to the course after a successful trial week, I was delighted and could not wait to start.

While being in RACE, there have been many ups and downs. The downs being missing out on 3 months of riding due to a fractured ankle. All I wanted to do was get back riding and every day I was off felt like a year to me. In the photo is a picture of Curling Bird and even though he’s probably one of the easier horses to ride, I’ll never forget the day he dropped me twice within the space of 2 minutes and I still got back up on him and rode upsides on the gallop with one of our instructors. I felt so stupid yet proud at the same time. The fact that he is such an easy ride taught me a lesson that you have to watch the quiet ones.  

I’ve learned a lot of things that I didn’t know, since being in RACE. I plan to be a Racing Secretary in the future but for the next few years I plan to use all the skills that I have learnt in RACE to carry on riding out in Ireland.

Kirsty was placed with Michael Grassick 

Family Day November 2015

Meet The Trainees - Ben Love

My name is Ben and I am 16 years old and from Meath.  I want to be Jockey, is basically what this is going to be about.

I started riding back when I was small in a riding school and I bought my first pony, Misty, a few years ago. I just couldn’t get enough of it from there and didn’t get a taste for the racehorses until a couple of years ago. When I first sat on a racehorse I was hooked from there.  It’s my passion and really all that I can do.  The skill and the speed in horses is like a drug, I can’t get enough of it.  

When I heard about RACE I immediately, before even telling my parents about it, started preparing my application for it.  When we arrived on the Open Day I remember my Mum telling me that somebody must have heard about me and built an academy to suit what I need.  

When I arrived on the first day the first thing that struck me was that this was the first step that I needed to take to become a Jockey.  Most of what I’ve learnt is what it really takes to become a Jockey. People just don’t realise what kind of mental and physical strength goes into the sport.  I’ve also made a lot of valuable connections in the racing world, and met a lot of great people that have helped me along the way.  

I’m really looking forward to graduating and getting out there to try and make it by myself and hopefully becoming a top class Jockey.

Ben was placed with Conor O’Dwyer in November 2015

Ben schooling on the Curragh Training Grounds

Meet The Trainees - Tommy Mahon

Hello my name is Tommy Mahon I am 17 years old and I am from Co. Carlow. I always loved animals from a very young age. My father is a farmer and all my uncles have a farming background, Cattle, sheep, dogs and cats where all in the family but then came along a horse. I got into horses from that day. I decided to go to a riding school 15 minutes away from me where I used to fall off more times than stay on. In 5th and 6th class in school, I used to tell my friends how I was going to be the next Ruby Walsh. A few years on I got more into horse RACING! as dad worked in Jessica Harrington’s. I asked him could I go there, he said I don’t want you to be in St. Lukes hospital in Kilkenny with 2 broken legs, ah sure I had to laugh!

When I turned 14 I went down to Jim Bolger’s for a summer, it was the best decision of my life. I was put up on the lead horse a few times but other than that I was riding nothing. I was painting railings and picking weeds from 6am until 12am, what a day that would be. My experience grew and grew over that summer and I will never forget it. I then told my parents I wanted to leave school after junior cert and wanted to go to RACE. I used to run every night to keep my weight down as I am just about 6ft it was always going to be hardship to get to 9st I could lose 1lb after a 10km run and that’s not just with 1 layer on me! I got notice of the week trial and I couldn’t believe it, I was the fittest on the bleep test out of the whole trial. When a letter came into my house about being accepted for the course I couldn’t believe it.

 I am now fitter and stronger than ever before. Going from not being able to ride a racehorse 2/3 years ago to riding work and schooling over fences each morning is a massive achievement. I enjoy working in Christy Roche’s as my work placement. At the weekends, since the course started, I began riding out in Pat Fahy’s back home to keep myself occupied. Getting up at 6 each morning is getting easier as I know I am getting up to do something I love.

It’s been an experience of a lifetime and my future career in the industry should be helped with the likes of Niall Byrne and Barry Walsh and everyone else who helped me along the way. I hope to become Champion Amateur in the near future and ride as many winners as I can.

Good luck, safe home and I’ll talk to you guys later!!!

Tommy schooling on RACE Gallops