An apprentice race was held at the Vaal on July 25, but these races were few and far between last season as the Academy is playing catch up on the two Covid years of no recruitments (Picture: SAJA)
The South African Jockey Academy (SAJA) are looking forward to a fine season as the effects of the two Covid years should soon be behind them.
Tarryn Mason, the Academy’s Sports Scientist and Digital Marketer said, “We’ve got a lot of young apprentices at present, they are still finding their feet. Unfortunately with COVID we didn’t recruit for two years, so we have a bit of a gap that we’re trying to fill at the moment. It’s also why we have quite a few Mauritians with us at present, we try to find people who have had a bit of foundation training. So next year we will have a lot of race riders in the system. We have unfortunately lost our apprentice races due to the lack of race riders, we don’t have enough for the field, so we’re trying to build back up to that, which we will do shortly.”
In further good news there could soon be a formal relationship with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club with the aim of bringing more of their apprentice riders out to benefit from the learning environment of the world renowned SAJA.
Meanwhile, Apprentice Liason Coach Paddy Wynne is bullish about enough current South African apprentices making it in this toughest of professions.
He said, ” There are always promising apprentices. There’s always someone coming through.”
Kobeli Lihaba was the SA champion apprentice in the season just past with 49 wins at a strike rate of 9.9%.
Rachel Venniker became a fully fledged jockey in January, but was still in second place on the log with 26 wins at a strike rate of 9.3%.
Trent Mayhew was next best on 23 wins and Paddy said that now that he had ridden out his 4kg claim it would be easier for him as he would be able to ride a little heavier and feel stronger.
Malesela Keratile Katjedi officially qualified as a jockey today (Thursday) having been at the Academy for five years and he ends his apprenticeship with 73 wins.
Siyando Sosibo and Siphesihle Hlengwa will also be lost to the Academy this season as they are also qualifying soon.
Paddy said about Brevan Plaaitjies and Nirvan Nastili, “Brevan is still learning, but he has potential. Nirvan has improved a lot in Jo’Burg and since he’s been going to the East Cape.”
Qatar apprentices Mohammed Hassan Alabdulmalik and Abdulla Rashid Al-Mansouri were in South Africa for a period recently.
They came over on a private ticket with the aim of gaining some riding experience as well as to receive advice from the SAJA riding masters.
Paddy Wynne initiated the relationship with Qatar, inviting a group of Qatar apprentices over in 2019 and managing them.
Abdullah won the apprentice race that was put on for them that year.
Abdullah contacted Paddy this year to ask if he could come over and Paddy assisted in getting his license and provided him with training while he was here.
After Abdullah had a winner in just his third ride, Mohammed then contacted Paddy and asked if he could come over too.
Although they were both over on a private ticket this time, SAJA are in communication with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club to create a more formal platform for apprentices to come out here.
If the Qatar riders who come out are as good as Mohammed then trainers, owners and the public will welcome such a relationship.
Paddy feels Mohammed has a bright future and spoke of how hungry he was to reach a high level.
He was here for just over two weeks and had 13 rides for four wins, a second, a third and two fourths.
The apprentices get very few opportunities in Qatar as a lot of overseas jockeys are brought in.
So their stints in SA and the like of Australia and the U.K. during their three month off season are most important for them.
The final apprentice standings for the 2023/2024 season:
Meanwhile, the Appie Leg Up Foundation, a groundbreaking initiative that aims to provide educational bursaries to deserving students pursuing their racing careers, should provide a further boost to the riding ranks.
