'Racing has given me some of the best days of my life' - jockey David Prichard retires and starts new media career

Jockey David Prichard has switched careers from race-riding to video production and web design.

The rider, 32, announced his retirement from the saddle this week. He had intended to bow out last season due to strain on his back, but found himself enjoying his best season with ten winners, including success aboard The Two Amigos in the Welsh Grand National. 

He rode a total of 37 winners in Britain but many more overseas as part of his 2019 title-winning season in the Fergentri championship, a series of amateur races across Europe. He won the main amateur race at the Velka Pardubicka meeting in the Czech Republic that season.

Prichard said: "I broke my back last July and I wanted to get back riding so I could go out on my own terms with a winner, then I had another winner and ended up having the best season I'd ever had. 

"I was waking up sore every morning and there has to be a limit on it, you can't keep going forever but I'll keep riding out. Racing's given me some of the best days of my life, it was a hard decision to make but the body doesn't seem to be wanting too much anymore."

The Two Amigos and David Prichard won the Welsh National in 2022Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

He was awarded a special recognition prize at the Welsh Horseracing Awards for his winning ride on The Two Amigos on Thursday night, when he announced his departure from the riding ranks to his weighing room colleagues.

He added: "There's been loads of highlights, I think a night like this makes me realise I don't want to be out of the racing community. The Welsh National was a brilliant day but winning the Fegentri series was special. I got to ride all over Europe in amateur races and I rode a winner at the Pardubicka meeting in the Czech Republic and that was mega."

Prichard has started a new career in the media by joining Devon-based Panoptic Motion. 

"I've just started a job which does film production, aerial footage with drones and web design," he said. "I got into it during Covid when there wasn't much to do, I set up a website selling horses which didn't really get off the ground. I had fun doing it though and expanded those skills."

His final winner came aboard Phoenix Risen at Taunton in April for trainer Jeremy Scott.

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