Jockeys are highly trained professionals who are contracted by licensed trainers to ride their horses at public race meetings.
What am I going to do in this occupation?
Jockeys earn their living by competing in races and therefore the more races they win, the greater their income. Jockeys are paid a set fee for riding a horse in a race and also a fixed percentage of any stake money for winning or being placed.
Jockeys must exercise horses on non-race days too. This means an early morning start, beginning at sunrise. The rest of the day consists of stable duties and being of assistance to their particular trainer or stable.
Behind the glamour of the "Sport of Kings", is a great deal of planning and hard work. Horses have to be bred and trained, stable workers have to be trained on an ongoing basis and the young men and women that ride the horses to victory have to be carefully selected and trained as apprentice jockeys. Once applicants are accepted, after a series of interviews, they enter the South African Jockeys’ Academy to begin a five-year apprenticeship.
Requirements
What kind of personality do I need?
Jockeys have to be very disciplined in order to keep their weight constant. They also have to obtain their own race rides, so they need to be able to relate very well to all sorts of people. They need to be able to talk intelligently and politely with owners, trainers and stable workers. Jockeys have to be honest and have a good sense of what is right and what is wrong. Finally jockeys must be brave and be able to get back on a horse after every fall.
What kind of school training do I need?
Those wishing to become jockeys must have reached the age of 14 years but be no older than 16 years when they enter the Academy. The completion of a three-year diploma in Horsemanship and Stable Management is a prerequisite for an apprentice being licensed as a professional jockey. In order to cope with the demands of this diploma, candidates must have passed an academic Grade 9.
Below is a table with the upper limits of physical statistics required to enter the South African Jockeys’ Academy:
| Weight | Height | Shoe | |
| Boy 14.5 years | 30kg | 136cm | 210mm |
| Boy 15.5 years | 34kg | 140cm | 220mm |
| Girl 14.5 years | 41kg | 148cm | 220mm |
| Girl 15.5 years | 43kg | 152cm | 230mm |
The parents and siblings of prospective jockeys are also interviewed to assess whether the applicants size is a family trait or whether they are likely to outgrow the profession in later years.
What further training do I need?
A youngster wishing to become a jockey must apply to the Jockey Club of Southern Africa. Applicants are medically examined and short-listed at the various local offices. If successful after the final interview they are sent to the South African Jockeys' Academy for training.
The academy is run on the lines of a private boarding school and apart from the comprehensive education given, the strictest attention is paid to inculcating good manners, good speech, tasteful attire and a rigid sense of honesty and loyalty. The aim is not only to turn out first-class jockeys, but also well behaved young people.
Where can I work?
After completing his apprenticeship, a jockey is a 'free agent'. The thrill of big-time racing and an open-air life; the chance to become a name in the world of sport, and a very rewarding future are the things that this career offers the jockey.
Can I work for myself in this occupation?
Jockeys usually work for the owners of racehorses. If they have the necessary money, they can start their own stables or act as trainers for jockeys.
Where can I get further information?