Amateur jockeys are also insured from weigh out to weigh in on the racecourse against injury, with incapacity benefit of £250 per week payable after the first 28 days of injury for up to 104 weeks, together with cover against medical expenses, permanent injury and death, and many other benefits.

Please note that if you are an amateur jockey who point-to-points, you are insured for this against injury from weigh out to weigh in within the fee paid for your point-to-point licence, which is a separate insurance policy from either of the above.

As an amateur jockey you also benefit from the opportunity to attend a Category B course free of charge at either the Northern Racing College, Doncaster or the British Racing School, Newmarket, subject to the criteria set down.

Help and advice on all matters concerning amateur race riding is always available at the AJA, such as medical issues, licences, jockey sponsorship, insurance, appeals and Rules of Racing.

Don’t forget that you can be included in the Riders Directory on this website by contacting the AJA.  This is a useful directory for trainers looking for amateur jockeys so advertise your skills!

 As an AJA member, you are automatically a member of FEGENTRI, the international organisation which co-ordinates amateur races worldwide.  You must have ridden at least 5 winners to participate as well as be comfortable with doing 9 stone for ladies and 10 stone for gentlemen.  Other occasional opportunities also exist for you to represent Great Britain.

JOY OF RACING

A beaming Marie King after winning the amateur riders’ handicap at Pontefract yesterday.

Many congratulations to Marie, our Fegentri representative for 2007, on her success.  Peter Hiatt and Marie teamed-up to land the 1m2f lady amateur riders’ handicap with Coral Shores, who had one and a quarter lengths to spare over Gala Sunday ridden by Serena Brotherton.  Emma Ramstrom, rider of fourth-placed Gulf Coast, was suspended for three days (dates to be notified) for careless riding.

Application forms and details of the revised BHA Assessment of concussion protocol have already been sent out from Shaftesbury Avenue to all current amateur jockeys.  Forms should be returned immediately to:

 Licensing Department, BHA, 151 Shaftesbury Avenue, London  WC2H 8AL

Please note that at least 2 weeks should be allowed before your new licence is issued and returned to you!

If you have any queries, please call Laura Monger on 0207 189 3848 or e-mail Laura on lmonger@britishhorseracing.com.  If you have difficulties getting through, you can call the AJA and ask for assistance.

Click here leon-nurse.JPG to see an action shot of Leon and Ray McGhin as they battle out a thrilling finish!

Many congratulations to Leon Nurse who came to Newbury on 12^th June with about 80 supporters to cheer him on in his bid to ride his first winner in the charity race.  The race was preceded by Bollinger’s third race in this year’s series, which saw a thrilling finish battled out, with Phil Collington on Julia Feilden’s Night Orbit just getting up to win by a neck from Andrew Balding’s Western Roots ridden by Joshua Moore.

11 runners went to post for the charity race held over a mile and five as the concluding race of the day which had begun with a charity lunch and auction to raise funds for Spinal Injuries.  Leon Nurse has raised over £30,000 for charity during the past few years and last rode in this race in 2004. 

As the field turned for home it looked as if victory might go to Ray McGhin but Leon Nurse was always prominent on David Arbuthnot’s Glacial Sunset, still travelling well within himself, and Leon was able to kick for home to snatch victory in the closing stages.  He returned to the winner’s enclosure to rapturous applause from his many followers.  Congratulations to everyone for riding so well and rounding off a tremendous day which raised many thousands of pounds for Spinal Injuries.

Rose Davidson has had an incredible season, an unforgettable week with her engagement announced to long time partner Tony Dobbin and 4 winners in 4 days to make history by becoming the first lady jump jockey ever to exceed the gentlemen and become the most prolific winning amateur jump jockey of the season with 21 wins.  

Rose’s penultimate win of the season was the Cadale Ladies Finale at Wetherby, which obviously excluded gentlemen amateur jockeys from participating but counted towards her winning total.  The championships have always been, and will always be, decided in two categories, those being one for ladies and one for gentlemen.  This is essential whilst male and female races exist, counting towards each respective championship, such races being Towcester’s Volkswagen Touareg Gentleman’s Championship Hunterchase, Stratford’s Jon Pinfold Ladies Hunterchase and numerous ladies’ hurdle races.  In any case, the AJA could be accused of double standards if Rose was awarded the title of overall amateur champion when in the past there has never been such a title given to any overall winning champion gentleman.  This is therefore not a sexist issue but a historical one as there is no precedent for an overall champion. 

Well done to gallant runners up Thomas Greenall and Jacqui Kidd, and well done also to every member who has ridden a winner this season!  Many thanks to the many trainers who have supported amateur riders and to the racecourses themselves who have allowed us all to enjoy such a fantastic season.

 The 2008 series consists of twelve races culminating in a finale at the prestigious Ascot Autumn Festival meeting on Friday 26th September. The Bollinger Champagne Challenge Series has undoubtedly helped to improve the standard of riding for gentlemen amateur riders.  Last year’s series winner, 20 year old Charlie Huxley, has gone on to win not only this year’s National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but also the Scottish Grand National at Ayr as an amateur jockey before recently taking out his professional jockey’s licence.  We all wish Charlie every success with his career. The remaining races for this year’s series are: