Meet the trainees - David Hudson

David training on RACE Gallops in September 2016

My name is David Henry Hudson. I am 17 years old and I’m from Wicklow. I live on dairy farm, we have over 120 cows and I have my tractor license. My Mum and Dad used to ride. I started riding when I was 4 or 5 year old. When I was 13 years old I started hunting and I loved it!

I came up on an open day in RACE and I liked it.  I applied for the week trial and I got a place on the trial. I enjoyed the week. I got a letter in the post that said that I got a place on the course.  I was so happy!

I am still down in the RACE barn. I ride out 3 or 4 horses and we go to the Curragh and Maddenstown Gallops most days and I ride the majority of horse types down the barn, varying from the easy to difficult horses.  I really enjoy working with Racehorses and always wanted to become a Jockey ever since I was little and now I am half way there to making my dream career come true.  

At the time of writing this, I am still waiting on my work placement and excited to see where I will be placed and get to experience at first-hand what it’s like to ride in a proper racing yard with a good trainer and learn new skills and techniques to improve myself to the best that I can and make a national hunt jockey in the future. I would like to follow my idol, Ruby Walsh and start on the path of my career. From the help here at RACE I think I have the ability and with encouragement I will get to where I want to be in the near future.

Meet the trainees - Niall Moore

Niall in demonstration on RACE Gallops for Family Day

My name is Niall Moore I am 16 years old and I am from Gortnahoe in Tipperary. I was always interested in horses ever since I first sat up on one at a young age. Before I came to RACE, I hunted a bit and would ride out my horses every Saturday. I also loved watching racing from a young age and I would attend the Punchestown festival and the Thurles race meetings often and watching all this racing made me want to be a Jockey.

Last Spring I decided that I would apply for the Trainee Jockey Course in RACE.  A few weeks later I went to an open day and admired the place. Next I got a letter telling me I would have to take part in a trial week which was tough, but I kept my head down and worked hard. In August I got accepted to the course and was over the moon!

The course started in September and it was a big change living away from home but with company and craic in the dorms we survived. I loved riding out down the barn and gained lots of experience and tips from the Instructors. In February, I was sent out to local trainer Johnny Murtagh I am learning so much here off both Johnny and the lads in the yard and my riding has come on a lot since I have started there. I also ride out at the weekends for John Nicholson, who has helped me improve my riding a lot.

I hope to take out an Amateur License at the end of the summer and work full time at John Nicholsons yard.

Niall was placed with Johnny Murtagh on the 6th of February 2017

Meet the trainees - Alaoisa O'Keeffe

Alaoisa training on Maddenstown Gallops

Hello my name is Alaoisa O’Keeffe I’m 16 years old.  I’m from Dublin but I’ve been living in Wexford eight years this year. Two people in my family have come through RACE, but my family is not of a racing background.  It was my dad who introduced me to horses and I’m glad he did. 

I got my first horse when I was 10 years old and that’s where it all started. If I’ve learned anything it is that we are all just living, why just live when you can do something that makes you feel alive! I feel alive when I am with horses. My relationship with horses started as a pastime but now it’s a passion.

When I was 12 I had two ponies. I used to ride one to school and he was in the papers for it.  I kept them in stables next to my school. I spent most of my time training them and learning from them and yes you can learn from a horse. I never was really in to the showing and dressage it was to ‘yuppie’ for me. That’s why I love horse racing because the people are different, my kind of different.  

 My cousin Patrick Dixon came to RACE when he was young and told me all about it and then I was dead set on coming here. I went to Duncormick Riding School for a few weeks and they gave me great lessons in horse riding and a friend of mine Collette used to give me lessons on my ponies whenever she could.  I also went for summer work with Sabrina Harty before I came to RACE. She gave me loads of experience in racing and I am glad to have met her. 

My favorite racehorses are Arkle and Desert Orchid. They were classic hurdle horses, their stories are the best. My dad used to tell me about them. 

I’ve learned a lot from RACE but most importantly never to give up with injuries as a setback, it never stopped me!

I’m coming to the end of RACE now; I’ve been placed in Dermot Weld’s yard.  I love working out there the lads are great and I get loads of experience.  I even plan to stay on at Welds after RACE is over.  

When I was in first year in school I had the dream of being a jockey and now after a year in RACE I’m on the journey of achieving my goals and living my dream. 

Alaoisa was placed with Dermot Weld on the 22nd of May 2017