A SUCCESSFUL career as both a jockey and a show jumper, combined with business and corporate experience has all come together to make Jimmy Derham the perfect candidate to run his Neptune Sports Management company.

He spoke to The Irish Field about how he came to set up the company and the road he has taken to get here. “I grew up in Skerries, Co Dublin, where I began show jumping from a very early age. I came up through ponies doing IPS, and was lucky enough to be on a couple of Irish teams with the 148cms ponies,” explained Derham.

“I trained with Con and Mags Power for the last couple of years of my pony career when I was 15 and 16. I did the Golden Saddle in 2000 and it was judged by British international show jumper Carl Edwards.

“I ended up coming third and got a bronze saddle, I was a little disappointed not to have done better; after the awards my dad Liam went and asked Carl why I didn’t place higher and get a gold, just so I could have the chance to improve.

“Carl said, ‘he’s a good rider, but he could do with a few months experience with me’. I was in transition year in school so I was able to take the time to travel to the UK and work for Carl and his father Charlie Edwards.

“It was meant to be for a couple of months but it ended up being for three years. I learned a hell of a lot there. It was the best education of my life. I then came back to Ireland in 2003 and I had a couple of horses that I continued to compete, and tried to set up on my own buying and producing business.

“I found it very difficult to find owners, even though I had a couple of good horses and was competing up to National Grand Prix level.”

Riding out

“I was 20 years old at that stage and a good pal of mine Peter Croke used to ride out for Jim Dreaper in the mornings. He said to me ‘why don’t you come and ride out with me? You can earn a few quid and then do your own horses in the afternoons’, that’s what I did.

“I thought that was a great idea, so I started riding out for Jim and he asked me one morning would I like to school over fences, I said I’d love to! I was on this horse, Walkers Wood, I think he was called, and I got such a buzz out of going flat out, as fast as I could over chase fences. Being able to see strides was the easy part for me because of my show jumping.”

That was the start of a new career for Jimmy. “From there I thought ‘I have to pursue this’. I was in my last year as a young rider so I jumped in Dublin and then sold my horses.

“I then spent a year playing around at home, my cousin Seamus Sarsfield had some point-to-pointers so I trained them. I ended up training a winner before I actually ever rode one, a horse called ‘Ol Son.

“The following year I decided I’m going to do this properly and I moved up north to George Stewart. I did a year with George and had four winners for him.

“The next year, in 2007, I went to Robert and Sally Alner in the UK and after six months went on to Seamus Mullins where I ended up turning professional. I rode 69 winners under rules and probably around 30 as an amateur.

“In September 2011 I had a career ending injury in Uttoxeter. I broke my neck and had a displaced fracture in my skull. At the time I didn’t know that I wouldn’t race ride again; so for about 18 months I tried everything to get back, but it was not happening.”

Change of direction

“After that I decided I was getting out of racing completely. I then went and sold cars for a year. I also did corporate hospitality at Ascot and Goodwood and those sorts of places.

“I was looking after a table for a company called Ornua Ingredients one day in Ascot, and a lady asked me if I would be interested in a job as an account manager.

“I didn’t even know what an account manager was. I said I’ve never done this… she said you have what we want we’ll teach you the rest. So that’s how I got the job which I held for three years.

“I then moved to a coffee company as a development manager for three years up until July 2021. During that time I had set up Neptune Sports Management.

“The way that came about was, I had always been friendly with Oisin Murphy over the years. He came back from riding in Japan and he said ‘I need someone to help me manage my life; all I want to do is ride horses, I need help managing my business and all the stuff that goes with it’. I thought it would be interesting, but now is not the right time.

“One year later I met him again and we had the same conversation. I said to him, ‘If I did it I would want to manage the sponsorship and the commercial deals and all that as well.’ I knew I would want to do it as a proper business, so I could offer to do the same thing for other riders. That’s how I ended up setting up Neptune.

“I’ve worked with Oisin ever since. The other guys I work with include jockeys Sean Levey, Daryl Jacob, Johnny Burke, Charlie Bishop, Rob Hornby, Ross Coakley, Charlie Deutsch and a few others, as well as show jumper Darragh Kenny.”

Maximise potential

“The aim of me setting up the business was for me to maximise the earning potential of my clients aside from the race riding.

“When I was a jockey I was very shrewd, probably because I came quite late to it; I was 24 years old before I got a licence. I had learned to manage my money a bit.

"But for a lot of these guys it’s the monthly management of their affairs that they find hard to keep on top of. I felt that, when I was riding, there was no one out there to help with that so I knew there was a demand.

“At Neptune we do a monthly management service where I liaise with investment managers we work with. I am the middle person. I deal with their accountants, to make sure they have everything they need, receipts etc for year-end accounts.

“I also look after the ambassador and sponsorship agreements which are difficult to get at the moment. We are not a very big business but we have done some good deals for our clients. I like to think we can help them recognise where potential sponsorship can exist. A lot of the time it may well be closer than you think.

“I think that sometimes riders may think it would seem cheeky to ask for things; I take that away from them. I do it for them. It all comes on me. They don’t have to put themselves out there.

“After my accident I didn’t ride for several years, but my fiancé Mackenzie Ray got me out of retirement about two years ago. It began with me just hacking out and has now progressed to us both competing a team of about 15 to 20 show jumpers between us. We produce and compete horses for her family’s Oakingham Stud, so in a way I’ve come full circle back to the show jumpers.”