SCHOOL FOR JOCKEYS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27224, 16 December 1953, Page 12

SCHOOL FOR JOCKEYS

INNOVATION AT HAWERA LECTURES ON VARIED SUBJECTS “The Press" Special Service NEW PLYMOUTH, Dec. 15. Every second Tuesday night in the tea kiosk at the Hawera racecourse, more than 20 lads, many of whom are known by their names throughout New Zealand, attend Taranaki’s most unusual school. In physique they differ vastly from the average lads of their age, and the school they attend is the only one of its type in Taranaki. Every pupil at the school is an apprentice or probationary jockey, and their schoolmasters are men from all walks of life. One night they may receive a lecture from a lawyer, another night a veterinarian or an accountant, a trainer or a licensed jockey.

The school, one of three in New Zealand, is known as the South Taranaki School of Riding and Horsemanship, and its purpose, apart from improving the pupil’s knowledge of racing and riding, is to teach the aspiring jockeys how to conduct themselves at race meetings, keep books, and generally to build their character.

About 12 months ago, Dr. T. M. Fitzgerald convened a meeting over which Mr W. O. Williams, president of the Egmont Racing Club, presided. A committee was elected and plans devised for raising funds. Soon after the school was opened.

Mr Lance Stowe, a well known Hasting trainer, who has done a great deal with similar schools at Hastings and Te Rapa to improve the standard of race riding, travelled to Hawera and spoke to an enthusiastic group of pupils. Almost every second Tuesday night, since, Mr Stowe has returned, and today the school flourishes. Have Learned Much The boys, some of whom left school at an early age after an inadequate education, have learnt a great deal in the last 12 months. They have been addressed by Mr N. H. Moss, a Stratford solicitor, on how to conduct themselves at an inquiry, by Mr H. B. Lorigan, a stipendiary steward, on the rules of racing, by an accountant on how to keep books. They have also listened to a priest, to a veterinary surgeon, and to a man who spoke on the history of racing.

The school is open to every apprentice or probationary jockey in Taranaki, and lads from Pihama and Stratford travel to Hawera to attend along with Hawera boys. Half of their time is spent on practical riding theory, and the remainder in increasing the pupils’ general knowledge and a character building. The routine practical Work of the apprentice at the school, which is followed as much as possible at Hawera, consists of • track work, grooming horses, stabling of horses, care of riding gear, the feeding of horses, attention to sick horses, a knowledge of drugs and dressings used in racing stables, and the design and layout of racing stables.

The theoretical side of the training provides the pupils with a knowledge of the history racing and anatomy and physiology of the horse, diseases and treatment, the behaviour of the normal and the problem horse, racing regulations and riding tactics, accountancy and diary maintenance, pointers on training and of giving evidence before boards of inquiry, elementary first aid. Course lectures by experienced jockeys on horsemanship are also provided for. Special practical work consists of barrier practice and trial races for the apprentice, attendance at post-mortem examinations on horses, and other practical veterinary exercises, tactical exercises on model racehorses, and model barrier practice.