How do I become a Jockey?

Question

I am almost 16 and weigh 103 pounds and am 5'3.. I live in Virginia, where do I go to become Jockey?

Answer 1

Go to your nearest racetrack and hang out there after school... since you say you live in Virginia, Colonial Downs is probably the closest race track.  Try to meet as many people as you can... find where the jockeys room is and hang out outside it until the jockeys start coming out to walk to the paddock... walk with them, talk to them, make friends with them, ask them questions, tell them that you want to be a jockey... they'll have good advice... listen to them.  They'll also be able to put you in contact with trainers.  If you can get onto the backstretch, go around to the different barns and meet as many trainers as you can.  Volunteer to work with their horses and volunteer to exercise the horses in the mornings.  No trainer is just going to let you jockey their horse right away, but if you prove that you're hard working, they will probably let you work out some of the horses in the mornings and after that, they'll let you ride in races.

Don't listen to that person who said you have to weigh less than 100 pounds... that's ridiculous.  However, while you're an apprentice jockey (until you have a certain number of wins), you get a 5 pound allowance... so any horse you ride gets to carry 5 pounds less than what it would with any other jockey on board.  In low level races, horses commonly carry 112, so that means your horse would only carry 107.

There's one other way that you can become a jockey without spending all your free time at the racetrack... Chris McCarron has a jockey school at Kentucky Horse Park where you will learn to work with horses and learn to ride from one of the greatest jockeys ever.  If you have the opportunity to go there, it would be a great start to your jockey career.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Have you ever ridden a horse? How brave are you...? Watch your weight, right now you could lose a couple of lbs. shoot for 100 lbs. because your you will get a weight allowance to compensate for Your INEXPERIENCE.. and at first it is 10 lbs. so lets say a horse gets in at 112 lbs., which is not uncommon, with the 10 lb. bug boy allowance, your horse should only carry 102 lbs. then you got your saddle, which they make a pretty light saddle, but let's 1lb and a half, so you will have to be around 100 lbs. to take full advantage of your weight allowance, in the beginning, and then it will go to 7lbs. and then 5 lbs. after you loose your bug you can weigh 110 to 114, some days you will have to reduce if you have a horse that gets in light, but for the most part you'll be O.K.

NOW I am going to give you a phone # of a retired eclipse award winning jockey, He rode and competed at highest levels of racing, was an amazing jockey and he is looking for someone to help to become a jockey, in retirement he is bored and so he is looking for the right kid to help and teach, you call him, he can help you...

It doesn't take long, 6 months to a year, but you have to be dedicated and work hard, and I would suggest that you still at least study for your g.e.d. high school diploma, while you are learning to ride, even you won't need it to be a good rider, it will give you more options in life to go to college, it case things don't work out for you as a jockey. It is not for every small person, it takes a certain individual.

The ex-jock phone # that I will give you, he knows, if he agrees to help you, it means he thinks you've got a shot at it.

He lives in Hollywood, Fl., near to farms and good tracks, where he can teach you to become a jockey, call him, your only obligation to him is to sign a contract with him that he will be your agent for the first 3 years of your riding career, you will need an agent anyway, and he wants to be back doing something around the track again, he misses the action.

Look he is my brother I have called him and talked to him already about you, his name is Gene St. leon, and was an amazing jockey, don't take my word for it, his career speaks for itself, the fact alone that he has won the eclipse award, that is the Oscars of the horse racing world, says a lot.

If you are interested e-mail me back and I will give you his Phone#.

Also you can research him and I would start with the jockeys guild, and then google Calder Race Course, that is where he rode much of his career, he has won more races in the state of Florida than any jockey to date. So start there and then e-mail me. So, I am all in, I just called your hand....its your move. Remember it is hard work, jockeys are some of the most fit of all athletes, and it is dangerous, good luck to ya whatever you decide.

Answer 3

go to..www.frankgarzajockeyschool.com

Answer 4

Go to local clubs like cross counthy and show people wot u are made of.

Answer 5

play madd sports

Answer 6

contact a local race track, they can put you into the right direction. ALSO, watch your wiegh! Jockey cann't weght over 100 pounds

Answer 7

First of all I hope you have some experience with horses as it can take years of training to become a jockey. In the US the weight for jockeys is under 110lbs. so watch your weight and keep it under 110lbs. There are two routes you can go Jockey schools and finding a trainer. I would go the trainer route. I would contact your States Jockey Club.