FOLLOWING a summer of indifferent weather and precious little sunshine, it was almost inevitable that back-to-school week would commence with blue skies and warm rays. This is what greeted our new intake of 30 trainees last Monday when they arrived for registration.

This year’s trainee jockey group, which includes 13 girls, are drawn from a wide pool with 13 different counties represented plus, for the first time, one trainee from the Netherlands and they have just commenced their initial 12-week foundation programme.

The group’s daily routine of riding and stable management work in the yard is augmented by a full schedule of classroom work in the afternoons plus fitness sessions and personal development activities in the evening along with various industry induction activities.

Over the next 10 months they will learn to make demands on themselves in a range of practical areas and push themselves physically and mentally as they seek out a future career in the racing industry.

Their first weeks on the programme will be busy, coinciding with Irish Champions Weekend where they have the opportunity to sample the excitement of top-class international racing and see the standards to which they should aspire.

There will be visits to stud farms and industry events and an intensive fitness and conditioning programme to get them ready for what lies ahead. With new surroundings and friendships, fresh riding equipment and uniforms, an air of excitement and optimism pervades the group as they begin to embrace this wonderful career opportunity.

Hopefully many of them will rise to the challenge over the coming months and years and develop the necessary qualities of resilience, self-discipline and good judgement which will provide a strong foundation for their future lives and careers.