My uncle Pat is well-known in racing circles and my first cousin Jack, rides over jumps in England.

Michael Byrne, who is based with Tim Vaughan in Wales, and Johnny and Pa King, two successful amateurs, are also first cousins. My dad, Jim, rode as a jockey for a number of years too, so I suppose I was always destined to follow the family into racing. Being a jockey was all I ever wanted to do in life and thankfully, everything has gone to plan so far.

I went to Pony Club as soon as they would take me (I was around six at the time) and did all the tests and exams right up through the grades, until I finished up at 15. I was also mad into hunting and would have gone out five days a week, if I could have got off school!

At nine years old, I had my first ride in a pony race, on a horse of my dad’s, that I used for hunting. After finishing second on that very first start I was hooked on the sport.

However, after that same pony finished last in a better race the next time, I soon realised we would have to part company if I was going to have any success! Dad often tells the story of our third trip to the races, when I asked him, “who are you going to get to ride the pony today? Because I want to ride something better.”

In all, I rode 60 winners on the pony circuit. My final season was the most successful: that year I partnered 42 winners, including five at Dingle, where I also won the Derby.

Connor King and Luke Dempsey tied for the championship, two ahead of me, but I missed an opportunity to stake a late claim, when the final meeting of the season was called off due to weather conditions.

The Irish Pony Club held a competition in conjunction with RACE, where the winner got to spend a week with Aidan O’Brien. During the trials in RACE, I roomed with my close friend, Ryan Cusack, who lost his life in tragic circumstances earlier this year.

I won the overall competition and really enjoyed my experience of Ballydoyle. Aidan advised me to stay in school and finish my Leaving Certificate, so rather than move up to the Curragh, I signed on with Charlie Swan, who is just eight miles from us at home.

In 2012, I rode my first winner on the track, aboard Inis Meain for Denis Hogan and later that season, I also won on La Canaada for Ger Stack.

The 2013 season started well for me and I won twice on Bainne, for my boss Charlie Swan. However, the opportunities were limited due to numbers and Charlie advised me to look elsewhere.

I had always wanted to ride in England and during the summer holidays I had ridden out for Jonjo O’Neill, Amy Weaver and Kevin Ryan. My dad rode in England and my mother, Claire, is English, so I have lots of relatives over there.

Dad spoke to John Quinn at the sales in Goresbridge and he invited me over to see what I thought. I loved everything about the setup at John’s but I returned home and finished my Leaving Certificate before heading back.

I did my last exam on a Tuesday, Dad dropped me to the airport on the Wednesday and I rode my first winner on the Thursday! So although I hit the ground running in Britain, in one way it proved something of a problem.

There are far better opportunities for apprentices who have ridden 10 winners or less, prior to 1st January, so after discussing it with John Quinn and my agent, Mark Furnass, it was agreed that I should take a break for a few months.

I found it difficult not riding over the winter but it gave me an opportunity to indulge in my first love, schooling horses. I rode work on all John Quinn’s jumpers during my break and it was fantastic to go back to my roots, by helping to bring along those young horses.

Since returning to the track I have ridden seven winners in 2014 and hopefully I can build on that as the season progresses and the turf campaign gets underway. It is important that I don’t lose my claim too early in my career, as it becomes more difficult after that.

I want to gain as much experience as possible this season and build on becoming a top jockey one day.

Joe Doyle was in conversation with John O’Riordan