THE AMATEUR JOCKEYS ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN
27-08-2015
Good luck to Rachel Wilson who represents GB this weekend in the Ladies European Championship in Bratislava and Budapest with two races on both Saturday and Sunday.
Rachel has enjoyed a good season winning twice aboard Red Invader including scoring at Carlisle on the Ultimate Ladies Night.
This will be the first time that Rachel will have ridden abroad and we wish her all the best for a great weekend ahead.
13-07-2015
Thanks to the generous joint sponsorship of Dandy Properties Ltd and Crespel Properties, Jersey Raceclub programmed an additional race to their usual 5 race card on Sunday 12th July at Les Landes, that being the AJA Handicap for amateur riders. Fortunately the rain that greeted racegoers soon cleared to give a sunny afternoon with the moisture taking the sting out of the ground.
Five runners went to post representing 3 nations: France (Jean Philippe Boisgontier and Melissa Boisgontier), Jersey (Frank Fairchild) and the UK (Phillip Collington and Ross Birkett).
Ross rode in a hurdle race earlier in the afternoon to familiarise himself with the racecourse – the first time he had taken part in a jumps race for 6 years!
It paid dividends in arguably the best finish of the day which saw victory for Ross aboard Neil Mulholland’s MRS BURBIDGE. Many thanks to our generous sponsors for this unique opportunity for amateurs to race in the Channel Isles and well done to winning connections.
Earlier in the afternoon Freddie Tett enjoyed a winner against professionals when partnering outsider LUCIFERS SHADOW for Mrs Gilbert.
Having been instrumental in organising the sponsorship of the AJA race but without a ride, this result felt well deserved. Apart from winning rides in France this summer, Freddie has also kept himself busy riding in Jersey and currently lies 4th in the Channel Isles Champion Jockey tables with 4 wins from 14 rides.
Jersey is a unique place for jockeys to gain race riding experience and is the only place within the British Isles where amateur jockeys can ride against professionals not only over hurdles but also on the Flat. There is also above average prize money and we hope that this year’s AJA race can be built upon with strong support from both France and the UK and become a permanent fixture within the amateur calendar.
Picture credits: AJA
27-06-2015
Although GB left Fegentri at the end of 2014, Norway were short on gentlemen jockeys for their Fegentri race on 25th June at Ovrevoll and invited the AJA to send along a British representative. Charlie Deutsch (colours: pink, blue stars) was pleased to accept and had a great trip, finishing 3rd. Well done Charlie! Many thanks to Helene Maxwell-Hauge, President of NOARK (Norwegian Club of Amateur Riders) for her club’s kind hospitality which was greatly appreciated.
14-05-2015
For any amateur jockey who has never visited the Channel Isles, an ideal opportunity now exists within our racing calendar! Sunday 12th July is Champion Hurdle Day at Les Landes and includes the AJA’s inaugural running of a 1m 2f flat handicap for 3 year olds and up rated 0-65. The race will be the 5th race on the card at 5:10 pm. We need trainer support for this race with limited horses available on the island so please persuade your trainer to enter and spread the word!
Les Landes is a popular racecourse with many English jockeys including amateur Freddy Tett who rode 6 winners there last summer and has already enjoyed a double there last weekend. Serena Brotherton also travelled over with City Ground last summer to provide Mick Easterby with his first-ever winner in Jersey.
For further details which include a travel allowance please contact Charlotte Francis at The Jersey Race Club tel: 01534 864136 or mob: 07829 863484.
21-04-2015
2015 has gone well so far for Great Britain in this wonderful worldwide series. JODIE HUGHES represented GB in the first race of 2015 held at Al Flaij Racecourse, Muscat,Oman on 16th January and loved her first experience of Arabian racing, finishing 2nd.
A British professional lady jockey was invited for the next race in Sportingbet Park, Melbourne, Australia, on 26th January and former amateur ANNA HESKETH rode for GB, finishing 5th.
St Moritz, Switzerland followed on 22nd February with an all-professional cast and former amateur RACHEAL KNELLER represented GB and was unlucky to be just beaten into 2nd place. 
Sam Houston Park, Texas, USA then beckoned on 7th March for BECKY SMITH who rode a thrilling race to WIN for Great Britain! WELL DONE BECKY!
Watch the replay here:
LORNA BROOKE then represented GB in Manama, Bahrain on 13th March but sadly her horse reared and dropped her on leaving the stalls. (The horse has since been deemed unsuitable for racing.)
No GB invitation was issued for Morocco or France in April but we are delighted to have received an invitation for our own national race at Lingfield Park on 9th May. Meanwhile, the HH Sheikh Mansoor Darley Awards were presented in Hollywood California on 4th April and ARO’s reigning champion lady Arab jockey STEFANIA GANDOLA was awarded the 2014 jockey’s Darley award. Many congratulations to Stef and we are delighted that she will represent Great Britain at Lingfield. Good luck Stef!
07-01-2015
Aly Deniel wins for GB in Australia February 2014
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Thanks to the generous support of Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, 2015 offers another exciting year of Arabian racing around the world which is open to lady jockeys who are able to ride at 9 stone and have ridden at least 5 winners either on the Flat, over Jumps, Arab racing or a combination of these.
The year begins in OMAN on 16th January when JODIE HUGHES will represent GB. 10 days later the series moves to Sportingbet Park, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA where ex-amateur ANNA HESKETH will fly the Union Jack. A further 12 races make up the 2015 calendar as follows:
February tbc Manama, Bahrain
22nd February St Moritz, Switzerland (professional jockeys only)
8th March Texas, USA
11th April Casa Anfa, Morocco
17th April Toulouse, France
9th May Lingfield, UK
31st May Warsaw, Poland
6th June Stockholm, Sweden
28th June Dundight, Netherlands
6th July Pleasanton, USA
17th August Ostend, Belgium
8th November Abu Dhabi Finale
If YOU would like to represent Great Britain in this incredible ladies Arabian world series then please contact the AJA. All flights and accommodation are paid for by our generous hosts and we are most grateful to Lara Sawaya for all of her hard work and continuing support.
12-08-2014
The final 2 races in the Arabian Ladies Series take place in August, in Ostend Belgium on 18th where Rachel Leyshon from Wales will represent Great Britain and on 24th August in Sluzeiwic Poland where Katie Margarson from Newmarket will ride.
This extraordinary worldwide series has already taken British lady riders so far this year to Al Flaij, Oman (Berkshire’s Michelle Edden), Melbourne, Australia (Yorkshire lass Aly Deniel WON), St Moritz Switzerland (only professionals and Scotland’s Lucy Alexander 2nd), Sam Houston Park Texas (Joanna Walton), Casa Anfa Morocco (Serena Brotherton), Newbury (Page Fuller 2nd), Stockholm Sweden (pro Racheal Kneller), Dundight Netherlands (Jessica Gillam) and Pleasanton California (Rachael MacDonald).
All of the year’s participants will be invited to the annual finale on 9th November in Abu Dhabi where winners from the year will also be invited to ride.
Many thanks to Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairman of Ladies Racing at the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) for these incredible opportunities for amateur lady jockeys to ride all over the world and experience diverse cultures and racecourses.
29-11-2013
Many thanks to Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Head of International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities Ladies Racing, for another great ladies Arab series this year.
Although none of our lady jockeys enjoyed a winner this season, some great trips racing worldwide have been enjoyed by Hayley Moore (Oman), Victoria Davies (Texas), Michelle Mullineaux (Morocco), Becky Brisbourne (Newbury), Jo Richards (Toulouse), Chloe Boxall (Duindigt), Catherine Walton (California (n/r) & Taby), Carol Bartley (Los Angeles) and Joanna Mason (Poland). The girls all attended the finale in Abu Dhabi recently and another season of fun riding Arabian horses is looked forward to for 2014.
20-11-2012
Applications are invited from AJA members who are UK licensed amateur jockeys to represent Great Britain abroad in 2013.
A: If applying for the Fegentri individual championship representation, you will need:
B: If you are unable to commit to a whole Fegentri season and/or weigh more than above, you might like to be considered for the Fegentri World Cup of Nations and wear the Union Jack colours. Weight can be up to 10 stone 7 lbs. Trips include:
The AJA will cover travel expenses and host countries will pay for accommodation abroad.
C: Lady riders who can ride at 9 stone and have ridden at least 2 winners can apply to take part in the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship Series for Arabian Horses. For 2013 races will take place in:
D: Other international invitation races (ie China, Russia) might arise at any time.
All members will be mailed an application form: appformfegentri2013.doc
11-11-2010
The inaugural running in Great Britain of the Tri Nations Challenge was held today at Ludlow, following France’s hosting of the first race in the series back in July at Pompadour when Miles Seston was victorious for Great Britain. After a strong entry of 17 runners, disappointingly only 5 were declared.
Miles Seston (GB), Jean-Philippe Boisgontier (F), Richard Harding (I), James Carroll (I), Florent Guy (F), M Jean de Bretizel (President French amateur club)
Many congratulations to France’s Jean-Philippe Boisgontier who rode his first winner in Great Britain when partnering Neil Mulholland’s game JUST THE JOB to produce his 3rd win from 4 runs this month.
Picture credits: AJA
