Over the first term of Transition Year, 4B have been taking a class in equestrian studies with Mr Dowling. Throughout the course of this module, we were taught about many different aspects of the horse racing industry, such as the breeding of thoroughbreds, the buying and selling of racehorses, different types of racing, the gambling side of the industry, and the part Ireland plays in international racing. As part of this, we had several visits in and out.
Our first visit in was from jockey Gary Carroll. He told us about how he got into racing when he used to take horses out on the gallops, about his weekly routine in relation to how much he rides, which is pretty much daily, and how often he races, which is generally weekly if not more. He detailed the difficulties that ensue from the strict dieting involved in being a jockey, and that even a glass of water can tip your weight so he is often dehydrated when racing. The talk gave a very stark yet interesting and honest insight into the reality of being a jockey. Leo Powell was the second person who came in to talk to 4B. He is the editor of the Irish Field, a weekly newspaper that covers all aspects of equestrianism, including racing. He gave us a history of how he seemingly fell into journalism, though he was always involved in the industry, as he previously worked in Goffs. He seemed to have a very evident love for horses, but his talk also gave great general life advice – he said that we need to do something with our lives that we will enjoy, and do something nice for ourselves every day. His words were very wise and enlightening for the Between speakers we ourselves took a visit out to the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) by the Curragh. It was a very engaging morning as the class was out and about interacting with a part of the industry. A man named Keith showed us around the lecture rooms, the fitness rooms, the simulation room, the stables and the arena and we also got glimpses of the accommodation on site and the gallops outside. At the very end we got to see a hall full of all the famous jockeys RACE has produced since its establishment. Our final visit was a visit in from Eimear Chance, a speaker from Irish Thoroughbred Marketing. This is an agency that works to promote Irish-bred horses abroad and encourages the message that they are the best-bred horses in the world. She explained that they do this by way of advertising over social media, newspaper and sponsorship campaigns, and by going abroad themselves to promote at big international events, such as the Breeder’s Cup in Kentucky just a few weeks ago. They also facilitate buyers and breeders coming to Ireland and help them get to events The class really enjoyed the module and learned a vast variety of new things thanks to Mr Dowling’s efforts to teach us and get speakers in to give us different perspectives on the industry. (Written by Molly Gervin) Comments are closed.
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