Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Racing Talent Training Centre on the hunt for potential horse racing trainees at Sports and Leisure Expo
- Committed to nurturing local horse racing athletes, the Hong Kong Jockey Club launches the annual recruitment drive for its Racing Talent Training Centre (RTTC).
- Youngsters are welcomed to take the live challenges and get a feel for horse racing at the HKJC booth in the “Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo”.
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Hong Kong is Asia’s leading horse racing hub, where the sport has thrived and evolved into a unique lifestyle and cultural icon with top home-grown and international athletes competing in headline events that capture the attention of the global media and racing fans.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the sport’s key driving force in Hong Kong and the mainland, has kicked off its annual recruitment drive for its Racing Talent Training Centre (RTTC) from early June until end of July.
Horse racing is a unique sport which demands coordination between the human rider and the horse. In her top-selling novel “Seabiscuit: An American Legend,” which was later adapted into a film, renowned author Laura Hillenbrand once said: “To begin with, jockeys have to meet the demands on balance, coordination and reflexes … To be able to rpar with other outstanding athletes.ide a racehorse successfully is, without doubt, an extraordinary feat in sports. A jockey does not sit on the saddle, he crouches over it, leaning all of his weight on his toes, which rest on the thin metal bases of stirrups.”
Similar to other top athletes, elite-level jockeys hone their skills and build their strength over years of practice and training. The final section of a race requires jockeys to thrust their arms and legs forward at full power, for which they do a lot of sprint training. Meanwhile, jockeys need to have exceptional balance and grip strength to stay on a horse running at speeds close to 40 m/ph.
.jpg?itok=eich1qJH "The Racing Trainees were practicing hard on the mechanical horses")
Top international jockeys, like Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori, are globally admired sportsmen.
In Hong Kong, a blend of local and overseas-trained jockeys have built lucrative careers. They include RTTC alumni Vincent Ho Chak-yiu and Matthew Chadwick. The legendary Tony Cruz, now an eminent horse trainer, was Hong Kong's champion jockey six times.
After rebranding to mark its 50th anniversary in 2022, the HKJC’s Racing Development Board was transformed into the RTTC with enhanced specialisation on various aspects of the sport. The specialisation is expected to help more youngsters to unleash their full potential. The RTTC consists of the Racing Talent Training School and the Apprentice Jockeys’ School. The Jockeys’ School provides professional racing training programmes and is now recruiting racing trainees. The Talent School offers training for related professionals, including stable assistants and farriers.
.jpg?itok=3DoOeSeh "Ellis Wong (left) and Angus Chung (right), the Apprentice Jockeys trained locally from AJS")
All RTTC’s programmes have been accredited by the Hong Kong Council of Academic Accreditation and Vocational Qualifications. These programmes provide a unique and potentially rewarding career pathway to students that have a passion for horse racing, meet the physical fitness requirements and have satisfactory results in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education.
Racing trainees who have satisfactorily completed the certificate programme at the Apprentice Jockeys’ School can opt to advance to become apprentice jockeys.
.jpg?itok=3G6t6j04 "Petrina Law, the Instructor was explaining her daily tasks in the Stable")
International experience is in store for distinguished trainee apprentice jockeys. Top trainees can be selected for overseas training. They will be guided by local trainers to pursue advanced riding skills and engage in stable management work. Upon the satisfactory completion of the training, each trainee will be awarded an overseas apprentice jockey license and get the opportunity to compete abroad to gather experience. After the trainees have accumulated a certain number of races, they will return and be awarded a license from the HKJC’s Licensing Committee to become a local apprentice jockey. The international experience also allows trainees to experience independence and improve their communication and language skills during the course of collaboration with trainers and owners while abroad.
-WhatsApp-Image-2023-07-18-at-19.36.47.jpeg?itok=VR1FROkb "Experience racing sports at the Sports & Leisure Expo from today until July 25")
In addition to physical fitness and a passion for horses and sports in general, a positive personality matters, according to the Headmistress at the Apprentice Jockeys’ School, Amy Chan Lim-chee. She says applicants should be proactive and outgoing. The school expects its students to demonstrate perseverance and humility while willing to work hard and learn from mistakes.
Between July 19 and 25, aspiring young jockeys are invited to take their first steps on the exciting journey through three zones at the HKJC’s booth (No. 5C-C02) at the Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo.
Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Expo is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
Fun immersion is offered through the VR Riding Experience Zone and the zone for a photo opportunity with a full-scale statue of legendary racehorse Golden Sixty, in front of the winning arch. At the RTTC Fitness Test Zone, youngsters are encouraged to challenge themselves with the “Balance Test” and the “Hand Grip Test”. Participants who meet the standard will gain the chance to join the racing trainee selection.
The opportunity to build a career in horse racing awaits the right young people at the “Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo”. Unlock your dreams and gallop into a unique future by joining the RTTC.