JETS open entries for Richard Davis Awards with introduction of new Enterprise Award

Entries for the 2026 JETS Richard Davis Awards open from Monday 20th July and JETS is delighted to announce the introduction of a brand-new Award category this year.

The Richard Davis Awards are JETS’ annual career development Awards which recognise the career development of jockeys both past and present.

The new Award category, the Enterprise Award, will replace the previous Progress Award and continue to be sponsored by the Injured Jockeys Fund with £2000 prize money available for the winner. This category has been introduced to broaden accessibility of the Awards beyond traditional or academic pathways, to reflect more modern career trends taken by jockeys who have developed a self-employed, freelance or entrepreneurial career pathway and to celebrate initiative and creativity.

The Awards, which were first held in 1997, are named in memory of Jump Jockey Richard Davis who had begun planning his second career before his fatal race fall in 1996. Over the years the Awards have celebrated the achievements of over a hundred former jockeys who have set out on a second career path and now there are three distinct Award categories for jockeys to enter with three finalists being selected by the judging panel for each Award.

• The Jockey Club Achievement Award: recognising former jockeys who have demonstrated significant achievement, commitment and sustained progression in their chosen career beyond racing.  £3000 to the winner, plus two £500 runner-up prizes.
• IJF Enterprise Award: a new Award for 2026, recognising a jockey who has demonstrated entrepreneurship, innovation and initiative in starting or developing their own business, freelance career, trade or enterprise activity.  £2000 to the winner.
• BHA Development Award: recognising currently licensed jockeys who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to their personal and professional development while riding.  £1000 to the winner, plus two £250 runner-up prizes.

This year’s Awards will take place at Warwick Racecourse on Tuesday 3rd November with all the finalists invited to attend. Entries for the Awards open on Monday 20th July and close on Friday 28th August. Anyone interested in applying can download entry forms from the JETS website or contact Rachel Jones or Phil Kinsella for more details.

Lisa Hancock, Chief Executive of the Injured Jockeys Fund said:

“Jockeys are typically bold individuals and we appreciate that to set up a new business requires a degree of courage - we hope that by focusing the IJF Enterprise Award on entrepreneurship and initiative, we will be recognising jockeys who take that first bold and innovative step.”

JETS Manager Rachel Jones said:

“We are grateful to our sponsors for their continued support of the Richard Davis Awards which allows us to promote and celebrate the variety and success of career paths being developed by jockeys. We’re excited to introduce the Enterprise Award and are grateful to the IJF for their support of this rebranded category which allows us to celebrate the initiative, innovation and creativity of former jockeys forging a new post-riding career path as well as providing a perfect platform to promote their business and the skills they have developed.”