Although my initial introduction to horses was through show jumping, I have made a successful transition to racing.

With four winners to my credit already this season, I have been making a name for myself in my new-found discipline. Growing up in Monaghan, horses were never very far away. Both my father and grandfather kept a few at home.

I started show jumping at the age of seven and competed in all the different classes, right up until I finished fourth year in secondary school. I represented Ireland in international competitions, both in Scotland and at the RDS. While it was a great honour to jump for my country, by the time I was 14 I had already made up my mind that I wanted to change disciplines and become a jockey.

TRAINEE JOCKEY

I was very small and my weight was stable so, having researched the RACE programme, I decided I would enrol as soon as I turned 16 years old. Upon finishing fourth year of school, I went down to Kildare and trained to become a jockey.

As part of the programme, trainees are sent out to established racing yards - I was extremely fortunate to be sent to Michael Halford’s. The boss has a great reputation for bringing through young apprentices and I was made to feel at home from the start. He advised me to spend a season pony racing as, coming from a show jumping background, I had no real experience of race riding.

During the 2013 season, I rode on the pony circuit, managing two winners and a number of placings. One of those winners was at Dingle, commonly regarded as pony racing’s equivalent of the Cheltenham Festival.

While I found race riding completely different to show jumping, the latter benefited me in developing my balance and in enabling me to judge a stride when schooling horses. Prior to joining Mr Halford I had never set foot in a racing yard. My only work experience was at our yard at home, training show jumpers/livery horses and at Clement McMahon’s show jumping yard in Monaghan.

FIRST WINNER

Slipper Orchid provided me with my first winner on the track, when she won at Dundalk in 2014. It was great to get that initial winner on the board and it certainly helped me in terms of confidence. Slipper Orchid helped me to double my score, when she won again a week later.

Already this season I have partnered four winners, including a double on Rummaging for the boss. Those experienced old handicappers are such a huge help to young lads like myself, as they jump from the stalls, take you through the race and give you everything at the finish.

You learn how to become a better jockey just riding them, winning a race or two on their back is an added bonus.

THE BOSS

It is not only the horses that give you the confidence and help you develop as a rider - Mr Halford and the other jockeys in the yard have been fantastic. The boss has shown tremendous faith in me, giving me plenty of opportunities and is always on hand to chat and impart advice.

I live with Shane Foley and Sean Corby, both of whom are constant sources of encouragement, as is Conor Hoban. My agent, Ciaran O’Toole, is also very good to me, keeping an eye on me and looking after my interests.

Over the last few months my weight has become an issue, so much so, that I have reached a point where I am balancing between the flat and jumps racing.

I have a dual licence and recently began riding under National Hunt rules. For the remainder of this season, I see myself between the two - claiming off the heavy weights on the flat or riding the light weights over jumps. Long-term I know my future is as a jump jockey and I would imagine that I will end up becoming conditional next year. For the present, I am keen to gain as much experience as possible riding on the flat and working with the high-class horses Mr Halford has in the yard.

THE FUTURE

Fellow Monaghan man, Anthony McCann, comes down to school his horses in the Curragh regularly and the boss has allowed me off to work them. In turn, Mr McCann has been very loyal and given me the chance to ride the horses when they race on the track. Hopefully we can team up and enjoy some success together over the coming months.

In my spare time I work with a couple of young horses I have at home and one I keep here in Kildare. I am currently exercising and schooling them, with a view to selling them on when they are ready.

Conor McGovern was in conversation with John O’Riordan