Cliff Williams, ContributorIn last week's column I reviewed the speech made by attorney-at law Jeffrey Mordecai in his capacity as guest speaker at the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) Riding School 2006 graduation exercise, in so far as it relates to jockeys becoming true professionals in an essentially amateur local scenario.
Before the fraternity takes me to task for the designation of the industry as amateur, let me hasten to point out that the staging of live race meetings seven times per month hardly makes for a fully professional operation.
Still, at the regulatory and promotional level, there is a cadre of highly competent professionals working as administrators. However, at the level of the commission's earners - meaning trainers, jockeys and grooms - only about one 10th earn satisfactory income levels.
Fifteen of 16 graduates (one absent due to injury) took part in the ceremony and I will look at what the future is likely to hold for these aspirants.
Problems eliminated
The JRC Riding School was inaugurated in 1980 to replace an unsatisfactory apprentice system operated solely by individual trainers. Unsatisfactory, I say, because the overwhelming majority of the boys started at a very young age.
This was done without any means of making a determination of likely growth so too many apprentices ended up being unable to make the riding weights by the time they got into their late teens.
Then there was also the problem of many of the more successful apprentices being owed significant commission by delinquent masters at the end of the tenure.
The riding school requirements have eliminated those problems with successful applicants already fully grown at the age of majority and being paid riding commission earnings directly.
Higher levels of literacy
Thus, a more knowledgeable jockey is being turned out with the course offering higher levels of literacy and numeracy, formal training in professional riding and exposure to the anatomy of the thoroughbred.
Still, questions are being asked about the effectiveness of the programme in terms of producing top-quality riders in satisfactory numbers.
In my view, there is no problem with the riding school approach. In fact, the course in its operation mirrors what entails in most other racing jurisdictions.
Questions about the effectiveness of courses conducted since inception two and a half decades ago are hardly reasonable. Some120 graduates have passed through the system and the average of three to four riders from each batch becoming reasonably successful is actually par for the course worldwide.
menTal gifts
I am convinced that being a successful jockey takes some doing both in terms of its mental as well as physical requirements. In fact, I get a sense it requires certain mental gifts of which only a few are lucky enough to get the blessing. Simply put, horses tend to run faster and show more stamina when ridden by the acknowledged gifted of the profession.
At each graduation exercise, one is struck by the reality that only about a third of the 15 to 20 participants will enjoy worthwhile careers. The 2006 graduating class will come into a scenario where the industry is merely in a holding position rather than flourishing and demonstrating growth.
It therefore means that for the moment, the opportunities to excel will not be available in abundance to this latest batch of aspiring professionals.
Still, each must think that he is gifted, will make it and not succumb to the historical average in a game where there is more failure than success.
The racing game is part of the entertainment industry and jockeys and horses are the performers on show and talent is what succeeds.
