THE NUMBERS:
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The number of licensed jockeys currently stands at around 430 and JETS is there to support these individuals and those who have held jockey licences since 1995, when JETS prize money deductions were first introduced.
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A jockey retires on average in his/her early 30s.
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Over 900 candidates are now registered on the JETS database and therefore eligible for ongoing career development support.
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At least 1 jockey a week benefits from one-to-one career/training consultations delivered across the country.
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JETS now receives 100 plus applications for training grants each year.
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The Scheme now typically issues over £70,000 in training grants and scholarships annually.
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Well over 350 JETS candidates have been assisted into employment since 1995.
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Since its inception in 1995, jockeys and the IJF have together invested well over £1 million in the scheme.
JETS’ MILESTONES:
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April 1995: JETS was established by the Professional Jockeys Association in association with The Injured Jockeys Fund
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1996: JETS introduced the Griffins Richard Davis Award – an annual career development given in memory of the late Richard Davis who had started planning for his future before his fatal race fall in 1996. The Richard Davis Awards recognise the effort, initiative and forethought which jockeys and former jockeys put into developing new careers.
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2004: JETS won a National Training Award. This was one of only five presented to organisations in the South East to reward the scope and impact their training has made on a national level.
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2006: JETS introduced a second Griffins Richard Davis Award – The Injured Jockeys Fund Progress Award to reward jockeys for progress in their earlier stages of second career development.
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2009: JETS candidate Glen Sparkes was awarded the inaugural Tristram Ricketts Fellowship to enable recipients to research and learn from across the world for the benefit of UK racing.
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2010: Saw the graduation of three JETS candidates from degree courses, with BScs in Equine Science, Psychology and Equine Business Management
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2010: Saw the first JETS candidate and former jockey (Ben Swarbrick) gain a much sought after place on the BHA Graduate Development Scheme. Two more have done so since – Colm Sharkey and Phil Kinsella.
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2011: JETS General Manager, Lisa Delany was nominated for a Pride of Racing Award which recognises the unsung heros of the industry.
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Autumn 2012: JETS became a registered charity and Mick Fitzgerald and Kevin Darley joined as Trustees.
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May 2013: JETS was one of 23 initial projects to be awarded funding from the British Horseracing Grant Scheme, administered by the British Horseracing Authority on behalf of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
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January 2015: JETS launches its Friends of JETS initiative in which a range of businesses join up to provide careers support to jockeys in a range of different areas.
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July 2015: JETS launches a fully responsive website and logo to reflect its ongoing role and values, twenty years after it was first established.