IRELAND is renowned for the the high standard of young riders and, in a bid to help their development, the SJI Young Riders Committee has put in place a new initiative that will not only help them with their riding skills, but will also help them in building business around their showjumping skills.
The National Young Riders Academy, which is being run as a pilot scheme for 2017, comes from an idea which has worked well in other European countries.
The National Young Riders Academy was advertised in the SJI bulletin and riders who were interested were asked to submit their CV for consideration.
Each chosen rider will be paired with an established professional in the industry and they will be mentored in different aspects of their business. As per the guidelines set down for the academy, riders and mentors will establish goals and plans and set down realistic targets. Other topics which will be addressed will be finance, employment, veterinary matters, feeding and future acquisitions. All goals will be documented and reviewed periodically.
Mentor Richard Bourns welcomed the National Young Riders Academy saying, “the scheme was long overdue”.
He added there are many elements to being successful in the industry and it is important to have a good grasp of all parts of it.
“There is a lot to learn and I wish I had this opportunity when I was starting off. The mentors who have agreed to give their time have extensive knowledge of what it takes to make it in the industry and it is vital for the chosen riders to make the most of this opportunity. If this pilot scheme works as it should, it will lay the foundation for the National Young Riders Academy for years to come.”
Earlier in the month, the chosen 10 got a taste of what lies ahead when they attended the launch in RACE in Co. Kildare. Presentations on the evening from Jim Hickey and Paddy Lavelle set the tone for what these young riders are to expect in the coming months.
Michael Blake, chairman of the Junior and Young Rider Committee, opened the evening by welcoming the participants to a ‘golden opportunity’ to embrace knowledge from their mentors and sincerely thanked RACE.
Central to professional riders is the concept of setting goals and setting out a plan to achieve them. Jim Hickey, peak performance coach to some of the top international riders around the world, spoke about the importance of having realistic goals, positive thinking, time management, teamwork, embracing teamwork, having a good plan and eliminating distractions.
Paddy Lavelle, career coach and life skills expert, spoke of how important it is to present yourself to the public, team, sponsors, owners and how image is 70% of what people react to when they meet you, tone of voice is second and lastly what you have to say.
Along with mentor interaction, these young riders will have access to Academy Workshops which include top-class lectures on yard management, fitness, media, veterinary and alternative career paths.
Riders and Mentors
participating in the Young
Riders’ Academy 2017