BHA and Jets call on trainers to fully get behind seminars for young jockeys

The BHA and a key body representing the interests of jockeys has urged trainers to actively support the seminars staged to help young riders build long and successful careers.

The Jockeys Education & Training Scheme regularly stages seminars for Flat apprentices and jumping conditionals aimed at raising awareness of various subjects, including health and safety, communication and media, career and finance, lifestyle and physical, mental and psychological wellbeing.

Although attendance is compulsory, the BHA and Jets have been disappointed some riders have displayed a reluctance to give up the time plus a subsequent lack of enthusiasm. The two organisations also hope to see an increase in the number of trainers who sit in on the Professional Jockeys Association-backed sessions to then see their benefit for themselves.

Young jockeys listen to Dale Gibson and Sir Anthony McCoy at one of last year's seminarsCredit: Chris Bourchier

BHA vocational training manager Gill Greeves said: "Career training for jockeys at regional workshops provides a high quality and comprehensive learning experience across a range of relevant subject areas.

"However, we see this formal training as a complementary provision to the very important tactical and technical training jockeys receive from their employers and jockey coaches. We have offered an open invitation to employers to come along and observe all or part of the regional workshops and see at first hand the quality of the training their jockeys are receiving. Unfortunately only one trainer has attended so far.

"We would urge any trainer who employs a conditional or apprentice jockey to support this excellent initiative and ideally experience it first hand next year."

Among those who have spoken to jockeys at the seminars are Sir Anthony McCoy, Andrew Thornton, Lydia Hislop and Michael Caulfield.

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