Boosts for IJF and PJA as Racing Foundation awards £2.3 million grant

Jockeys will receive a significant boost to their coaching, mental health services and media training after the three main bodies representing riders were awarded a joint five-year grant of £2.3 million from the Racing Foundation.

For the first time, the Jockeys Education and Training Scheme (JETS), Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) and Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) have aligned their aims and ambitions for riders to secure long-term funding and work towards positioning jockeys as elite athletes.

A portion of the grant is set to be used to expand existing networks for jockeys seeking help with their mental health and emotional wellbeing, as well as allowing work around jockey weight-making techniques to continue at Liverpool John Moores University.

The grant will fund the creation of a jockey peer support system where experienced riders will act as mentors to their younger colleagues, regular check-ups for riders on a regional basis and the commissioning of an independent review to help steer PJA policy on mental health.

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Paul Struthers, PJA chief executive, said: "The life of a jockey is a tough one and over 100 jockeys have accessed our mental health support services. While we are pleased that more jockeys are coming forward to utilise the services on offer it has placed significant pressure on our budgets.

"We are therefore delighted that this new grant from the Racing Foundation will enable us to continue to meet current demands, offer more proactive, preventative services and expand our provision to incorporate retired jockeys."

Weight matters: work into weight-making techniques will continue through the grantCredit: Jon Martin

The grant is also set to benefit jockeys by providing for more coaching, with full-time coaches to be based at all IJF centres alongside part-time trainers, along with greater access to training for PR and presentation skills.

Rob Hezel, chief executive of the Racing Foundation, said: "The Racing Foundation is delighted to have been able to provide financial support to the PJA, IJF and JETS to deliver a combined strategy around the 'jockey athlete'. We welcome the three bodies aligning their activity for the benefit of both jockeys and racing as a whole.

"The funding of jockeys in this way forms part of the Foundation's approach to fund more strategically across the sport and follows on from previous strategic awards made to both Racing Welfare and the Thoroughbred Breeders Association."

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