New Drop In Sessions as part of expanded Coaching Provision for Jockeys
This week has seen the start of regular weekly drop-in sessions hosted by the recently recruited, centrally contracted Regional Jockey Coaches. Their appointment comes as one of the key recommendations from the ongoing ‘Jockey Athlete’ project which has been generously funded by the Racing Foundation.
As part of the overall cohort of 23 Jockey Coaches, there are now three full time Regional Coaches, Brian Harding and Ross Kennemore in the North and Rodi Greene in the south. There are also two part time Regional Coaches with Michael Hills based in Newmarket and George Baker in Lambourn. Their role will be to provide an expanded level of coaching support to jockeys throughout the country which will include weekly drop-in sessions for all jockeys, not just Claiming jockeys, as follows:
George Baker – Mondays at Oaksey House
Russ Kennemore – Mondays at Jack Berry House
Michael Hills – Mondays at Peter O’Sullevan House
Kevin Darley – Tuesdays at Jack Berry House
The Regional Jockey Coaches will also provide a more consistent coaching presence on racedays, be at the forefront of media engagement to promote the benefits of the Jockey Coaching Programme and be on hand at the Claiming Jockey workshops and Licensing courses to ensure young jockeys have a strong and engaged coaching presence from the very first moment they enter the sport as professional jockeys.
Former Classic winning Flat Jockey, George Baker said:
“I am really looking forward to working within a strong team of coaches who are all aiming to evolve the programme further and help young riders reach their potential. One of the biggest pleasures for me has been seeing jockeys improve and getting the most out of their talent whatever level they’re riding at.
“We are really encouraging any jockey who might be struggling with a specific aspect of their riding, big or small, to use the drop-in sessions as a useful way to get another set of eyes on the problem. We will be available to all riders and will be working alongside the other coaches to provide an additional layer of support.”
Speaking about the new Regional Coaches, Jockey Development Manager Joe Foley-Corah said:
“We have been through an extensive recruitment process to secure this excellent group of Regional Coaches. We feel they provide a great mix of youth and experience across both codes. They offer so many different areas of expertise and, having ridden at a range of levels themselves, we are able to tailor the support according to the stage where each jockey is in their careers.
“All the coaches have shown huge enthusiasm and their forward thinking approach means they have a huge amount to contribute and will be instrumental in taking Jockey Coaching to the next level in terms of the support available to jockeys as part of the wider ‘Jockey Athlete’ programme.”