Fegentri gives opportunities to amateur jockeys to enjoy race riding abroad. Last year both Serena Brotherton and Fletcher Yarham did a great job representing GB and Serena finished the season winning the Silver Spur for the Ladies as official runner-up to the World Champion – a fabulous achievement.
Fegentri offers a unique chance to see the world of international racing first hand and all travel expenses are met by the AJA with each host country providing accommodation. It presents challenges whilst combining your racing plans in the UK but you meet like-minded people, form friendships and enjoy unforgettable experiences.
Fegentri rules now allow up to 3 of both gentleman and lady riders to represent their country and take part in the FEGENTRI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR LADY RIDERS and the FEGENTRI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR GENTLEMEN RIDERS. In addition there is a jump element of Fegentri – The Gentlemen’s League – which gives limited opportunities to both Gentleman and Lady riders to ride over obstacles.
A main representative of each flat racing trio will be selected to compete for the title of World Champion (and be solely invited if within the top rankings from 1st October until the year end).
Applications are invited from amateur jockeys to take part and represent Great Britain abroad. Jockeys must have ridden a minimum of 5 winners (preferably under rules but can include point-to-points and Arabian races) with ladies able to ride easily at 58 kg (9 stone) and gentlemen ideally at 62 kg (under 10 stone ie 9 stone 12 lbs).
Please request an application form by e-mailing sph.oliver@btinternet.com and return together with two photos as stated on the form if you would like to apply. Please don’t hesitate to e-mail through any queries in the meantime. You can also visit the FEGENTRI website at https://www.fegentri.com
We are looking forward to our Annual General Meeting to be held in Stratford-upon-Avon on Monday 27th January. All AJA members are welcome!
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE AMATEUR JOCKEYS ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN LIMITED
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2023 Annual General meeting of the AJA will be held on Monday 27 January 2025 at 12 noon at The Terrace Room, The Welcombe Hotel, Warwick Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 0NR when the following ordinary business will be considered:
1. to receive apologies for absence 2. to consider and if thought fit to approve and confirm the Minutes of the previous AGM and to authorise the President to sign them 3. to receive and consider the report of the directors 4. to receive and consider the report of the Chief Executive 5. to receive and consider and if thought fit to pass a resolution adopting the accounts for twelve months ending 31 December 2023. The accounts are completed and copies will be available at the AGM. 6. The following director retires at the AGM in accordance with Regulations 26.1 and 26.2 and offers themselves for re-election: Fiona Needham (nominated by Bob Davies and seconded by Anthea Leigh). 7. to re-appoint Andrew Winterburn Chartered Accountants as auditors and to authorise the directors to fix their remuneration
Will amateur jockeys please note that plans are underway at the BHA for rules on safety equipment (helmets and body protectors) to be updated in 2024. Details will follow as soon as they are available but in the meantime all body protectors will have to be Racesafe’s RaceMotion 2.
Due to the costs involved, we are most grateful to the Injured Jockeys Fund who have kindly agreed to help with the purchase of one body protector per amateur jockey by offering a contribution of 50% based on the purchase price of £260.
To receive your claim form please e-mail jockeys@ijf.org.uk
Please will all jockeys note that going forward the points system for the All-Weather Championship will be scrapped. Only winning rides will count towards the championship, thus ensuring that the most number of winners ridden in the season will be reflected by the title holder. In the event of a tie, a countback will be used whereby the jockey with the most placed rides in addition to the most winners will be declared the champion.
Many of you are familiar with FEGENTRI which gives opportunities to amateur jockeys to enjoy race riding abroad. All travel expenses are met by the AJA and the host countries provide accommodation.
Fegentri rules now allow up to 3 of both gentleman and lady riders to represent their country and take part in the LONGINES FEGENTRI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR LADY RIDERS and the LONGINES FEGENTRI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR GENTLEMEN RIDERS. In addition there is a jump element of Fegentri – The Gentlemen’s League – which gives a few opportunities to both Gentleman and lady riders to ride over obstacles.
A main representative of each flat racing trio will be selected to compete for the title of World Champion and be solely invited if within the top rankings from 1st October until the year end.
The 2024 Fegentri General Assembly will be held in Kilkenny, Ireland on Saturday 17th February. Publication of this year’s calendar is currently awaited.
Applications are invited from amateur jockeys to take part and represent the UK abroad.
Jockeys must have ridden a minimum of 5 winners (preferably under rules but can include point-to-points) with ladies able to ride easily at 58 kg (9 stone) and gentlemen ideally at 62 kg (under 10 stone ie 9 stone 11 lbs).
Please request and return an application form by e-mail by 26th January to sph.oliver@icloud.com if you would like to apply. (This is also available on our Facebook page.) Please don’t hesitate to e-mail through any queries in the meantime. You can also visit the FEGENTRI website at https://www.fegentri.com
Please remember to contact BHA Licensing if you should ride a winner abroad, including Ireland, so that your tally of wins is kept up to date at both the BHA and Weatherbys. This is absolutely vital to make sure that you claim the correct allowance. Individual race conditions should always be checked as they can differ from the usual Rules which state:
Amateurs v professionals:
Claim 7 lbs up to 20 wins
Claim 5 lbs up to 40 wins
Claim 3 lbs up to 75 wins
Amateurs v amateurs (including Hunterchases):
Claim 7 lbs up to 5 wins
Claim 5 lbs up to 10 wins
Claim 3 lbs up to 20 wins
All amateur jockeys will have a received a letter with their riding permit confirming the number of wins recorded at the BHA and asking you to contact Licensing if your records are incorrect.
Licensing can be contacted via the BHA on 0207 152 0000 or e-mail licensing@britishhorseracing.com
CRYSTAL CASQUE (Jo Supple) beats DOUBLE TIME (right) in The LK Bennett Lady Amateur Jockeys Handicap
Ascot 8 Sep 2023 – Pic Steven Cargill / Racingfotos.com
Those of us familiar with Jo Supple were amused to see her described as inexperienced in Friday’s Racing Post considering she has 616 point-to-point rides to her name along with 82 winners as well as 9 successes in hunter chases, but to be fair this was only Jo’s second winner on the Flat in the last five years.
This was the inaugural running of the LK Bennett Lady Amateur Jockeys Handicap over a mile, and with a field of 11 going to post in 30 degree heat it appeared to be a very open race. Jo, who works for trainer Rod Millman, gave CRYSTAL CASQUE time to settle and get into a rhythm. Ultimately and with perfect timing they stormed home under Jo’s strong driving to score by half a length, snatching victory from Megan Jordan and Double Time in the final strides.
Jo drove the box to the races and after the race was interviewed by Hayley Moore (herself a dual winner of this race) and said “The only other winner I’ve ridden for Rod I drove to the races as well, so we might have to make a habit of it. Every winner means a lot because you know everything that goes into them. When it’s part of the team you work for it’s extra special. The only time I’ve ridden here before was in a hunter chase in 2010 on a horse called Door. He was tiny and the fences were huge, but we got round!”
Many congratulations to triathlete Jo and to all the Millman team on a great victory. Huge thanks to our new sponsors LK Bennett for they support and many thanks to the Ascot Executive for their loyalty since the first running of this race back in 1973 when sponsored by de Beers.
