What’s It Like To Be A Jockey?

“What’s it like to be a jockey?” is the primary question driving Jockey Presentations. A jockey presentation is where each piece of jockey equipment is shown to a group. Interesting facts about how and why it is used, how it came about, and other fascinating details about the piece are explained. It is then passed around the room while more items continue to be demonstrated. You could say it is a Jockey Show and Tell!

As each article is being presented, the audience asks questions about the equipment which they are examining, or the piece that is currently being shown, and the discussion continues in this way. Near the end, the number of questions invariably needs to be limited as the discussion usually continues past the designated end point. There is much interest in horse racing, and horses, in general.

“Janice served as as engrossing component of a workshop for 40 Older Girl Scouts, addressing non-traditional careers for women… Her laid-back but commanding presentation style, as well as the hands-on materials and fascinating subject matter she provided, greatly enhanced our workshop…”     ~Emilia Crotty, Program Specialist, NYC Older Girl Scouts

Girl and Boy Scouts at the Freshman Center in Brentwood, NY

A sampling of Jockey Presentation venues:

• Anna House Middle School Career Day
• North Shore Towers VIP Club
• Cohen Children’s Medical Center
• Ronald McDonald House of NY Fundraiser
• South Queens Boys and Girls Club
• Northport Veteran’s Administration Night Out

The topics of the Presentation vary with each talk and each group. The questions have been about the horses themselves, the weight of the jockeys and how they keep their weight down, how much the jockeys get paid, how to bet on the races, how the horses live on a daily basis, such as what do they eat, how and when they are fed, and what happens with all that manure? The topics are numerous, and there is always an abundance of interest and inquiry on the subject of  jockeys and horses.

The items presented are jockey saddles, a jockey helmet, the helmet cover, jockey boots, whip, vest, jockey pants, silks, rubber bands, and goggles. Another aspect covered is, how do jockeys change goggles in a race once the goggles get dirty?

Northport Veterans Administration Jockey Presentation