KINGSTON, Jamaica - Following swiftly after the 2017-18 batch of graduates, the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) Jockeys’ Training School has produced another batch of apprentice riders.
After 24 weeks of intense training, 19 of the 21 students who started as the Class of 2019 graduated and received their certificates at a prize-giving ceremony on the grounds of the JRC’s offices at Winchester Road, in Kingston, on Thursday, November 21.
With the receipt of certificates following the completion of a training programme which was divided into two terms, the 19 apprentices are off to the racetrack to begin to perfect their skills in competitive races.
Term one commenced on February 18 and ended on May 10.
Then after a short break, Term two started with the final touches on their craft, intellectual and personal development to equip them to meet the challenges of being a race-horse jockey.
During the six months of first-hand information and instruction topics included in the curriculum; Susan Wates and her team, taught horsemanship and equitation; Dr Sophia Ramlal went through the rudiments of anatomy, the structure and relationship between body parts and physiology, while personal development was done by experts from the JRC and professionals from outside.
Term two included areas of study ranging from the Rules of Racing conducted by racing steward Eustace Williams along with other colleague stewards to lectures on actual race riding from former jockeys Paul Ramsay, who is now a JRC steward, along with former two-time champion jockey Shane Ellis. Both Francis and Ellis are former graduates of the Jockey Training School.
“In both terms, we included remedial mathematics and English teachers.
“We believe strongly in preparing well-rounded students and the commission responded to the needs which were identified.
“We are happy to report that the averages of each student improved significantly when the last assessment was conducted prior to the second term. We are not only producing jockeys but well-rounded men,” Beverly Lawrence of the JRC stated emphatically.
Guest speaker at the graduation function was chairman of the JRC’s First Instance Tribunal, Kent Pantry.
Other speakers were the various heads of the professional racing entities including Ryan Darby, Vin Edwards and Laurence Heffes.
Also giving their contributions were chairman of the JRC, Clovis Metcalfe and chairman of the promoting company, Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited, Solomon Sharpe.
The class valedictorian was Oshane Nugent.
