THE AMATEUR JOCKEYS ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN
17-03-2008
Many congratulations to Simon Walker who has gone one better than his runner-up slot last season to take the 2007-2008 All Weather Amateur Jockey Championship. Runner-up for this season is Nicola Jefferson. Congratulations too to Lucy Burke who rode her first winner in the last amateur all-weather race of the season. The final table is shown in the Championship Tables.
16-03-2008
Good news for lady jockeys this summer! Following the disappointment of last year’s Queen Mother’s Cup lost to the weather, this year’s added value of the race is raised from £16,000 to £20,000. We all look forward to it taking place on 14th June. Many thanks to York racecourse and to Reg Griffin for their continued support and most of all to our cherished sponsor, Mrs Coral Samuel.
12-03-2008
Strong gales at Cheltenham Festival have led to Wednesday’s card being abandoned and re-scheduled with the National Hunt Chase now to take place as the first race of the day on Thursday 13th March at 12.30 pm.
| THE FESTIVAL 2008 REVISED ORDER OF RUNNING FOR THURSDAY 13TH AND FRIDAY 14TH MARCH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Third Day – Thursday 13th March (Old Course)
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| Fourth Day – Friday 14th March (New Course)
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05-03-2008
Would you like to enjoy the chance of a lifetime to ride under Rules in Malaysia? The AJA have received an invitation for two lady riders to ride at Selangor on 20th March. The itinerary is to arrive on 18th March in Kuala Lumpur, have a trial ride on 19th March, race 20th March, then some time for sightseeing and return home on 21st or 22nd March, whichever you prefer.
Sorry but you must pay for your own air fare (around £500) but everything else will be paid for by your host country and you will be very well looked after by the Malaysian Amateur Racing Association.
If you would like to enjoy racing in the Far East, please contact Sarah Oliver immediately. (01886 884488 or e-mail sph.oliver@btopenworld.com) All applicants will be given serious consideration! You DO NOT have to have ridden any winners to accept this invitation but preference will be given to experienced riders. Any winning rides abroad count towards your career total! Our last trip in January saw Wendy Gibson ride her first winner on the flat, just beating Laura Gray into 2nd place, and both girls had a fantastic time!
03-03-2008
Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word is back and he wants YOU to take part!
Then we want to hear from YOU!
Email fwordcooking@optomen.com
Please include your name, a daytime contact number, a recent photograph of
yourself and a paragraph telling us why you deserve Gordon’s help.
03-03-2008
The General Assembly of FEGENTRI was held in Doha, Qatar on 26th February at the kind invitation of Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club General Manager, Sami Jassim al Boenain. The first ladies races of the Fegentri season were held on the following days with Gemma Gracey-Davison having her first taste of representing Great Britain, finishing unplaced. David Turner also attended the GA to collect his silver spur for his World Flat Title of 2007.
It was agreed at the GA that not only should Arab race wins count towards the required 5 win total to give amateur jockeys eligibility to represent their countries but also that point-to-point wins should be given the same status, thereby enabling many more candidates to put themselves forward. This was welcomed by both Great Britain and Ireland.
If you are interested in riding abroad, please send your details and race riding history to Sarah Oliver at sph.oliver@btopenworld.com or contact the AJA office on 01886 884488.
20-02-2008
Thanks to the kind co-operation of both the BHA’s Racing Planning and Sedgefield Racecourse, we have been very lucky in having the lost fixture (ground frozen) of 19th February rescheduled, now to take place on 8th April and become the 5th of the 6 races in the series.
The series now looks like:
|
15th November |
Taunton |
| 13th December | Ludlow |
| 20th December | Exeter |
|
19th February |
Sedgefield LOST |
| 22nd March | Newton Abbot |
| 8th April | Sedgefield (rescheduled) |
| 23rd April | Perth FINALE |
and the points table can be viewed within our Championship tables.
14-02-2008
Many congratulations to Wendy Gibson who rode her first flat winner in Ipoh, Malaysia, on 8th February, just beating her compatriate Laura Gray! Both lady riders had a wonderful trip out to KL and many thanks as always to the Malaysia Amateur Racing Association for their wonderful hospitality. It was great to see Laura bounce back after her horrific fall at Wolverhampton in December from which she miraculously escaped unscathed.
Congratulations also to Tom Weston who will be the gentleman representative for Great Britain for 2008 alongside Gemma Gracey-Davison who will represent the ladies. Gemma will enjoy her first race of the season in Qatar at the end of February when the Fegentri General Assembly will be held in Doha. David Turner will be attending to collect his silver spur for his fantastic achievement in 2007 by winning the Fegentri Gentleman Flat World Championship and the AJA board will be represented by Dr Philip Pritchard.
Great Britain will be hosting 4 Fegentri races in 2008 as follows:
Friday evening 6th June (Ladies Night) DONCASTER Ladies Flat Race
Sunday 13th July STRATFORD-ON-AVON Gentlemen’s Hurdle Race
Sunday 24th August GOODWOOD World Cup of Nations Race
Saturday 30th August SANDOWN Gentlemen’s Derby
Don’t forget – if you are interested in representing Great Britain and enjoying a ride abroad, please contact Sarah Oliver. For invitation races (of which there are a few per year) there is no criteria, although you cannot be considered unless you have some experience. Point-to-pointing experience can be taken into account. For Fegentri races (which earn points for the Fegentri scoreboard) you must have ridden a minimum of 5 wins under Rules and/or Arab racing, and point-to-point wins can only be of help.
14-02-2008
The AJA are delighted to announce that the BHA have very kindly agreed to offer AJA members 25 complimentary places per year on the Category B course as from April 2008.
The strict criteria for applicants remains intact and applicants will be treated on a first come first served basis. The ruling of 15 complete rides over obstacles under Rules or 20 placed point-to-point rides or a combination of the two will be enforced rigorously. Please note that all bookings must come through the LICENSING DEPARTMENT at the BHA.
We hope that this will take care of every AJA member’s needs and it is excellent to know that nobody’s career will be hindered in future by the high costs (£731 per person) of this course.
We are of course extremely grateful to the BHA for their loyal support of amateur riders.
07-02-2008
Following her move from Exeter to Odstock Spinal Injuries Unit near Salisbury on 21st January, Sarah Gaisford is getting on well with adapting to her new way of life.
Please give Sarah some moral support and send her a card at:
Avon Ward,
Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre
Salisbury District Hospital
Salisbury
Wiltshire SP2 8BJ
For a regular update on Sarah’s progress, visit the blog kindly set up by Lucy Johnson.
Please log onto friendsofsarahgaisford.blogspot.com
Plans are soon to be announced of a major fund raising campaign for Sarah involving every member of the AJA throughout Great Britain! Watch this space and see if YOU can help to make a difference to helping Sarah’s future.