My name is Dean Pratt and I’m from Lismore, Co. Waterford.  I always wanted to be a jockey since I was six. Every chance I got I watched both flat and national hunt racing but I always thought national hunt racing was more exciting.  For my birthday and Christmas every year I always wanted riding lessons but never sat on a horse until I was twelve.  I was at a riding school for two months and I learned how to do the rise and trot but I stopped going because I got bored of it.  I  didn’t ride again for two months until I rang a local racehorse trainer and asked him could I work with him because I wanted experience with horses.  I worked all that summer for free because I enjoyed it so much and I felt that I owed the trainer something for letting me work with him.  Every day I rode out the pony he had and helped around the yard.  One night I was watching the documentary on Shergar and during the break their was an advert about R.A.C.E and I was amazed that there was a course like this available to apply for. The only problem was you had to be fifteen and at the time I was only fourteen.  The following day I rang R.A.C.E  and I was sent out an application form for the trainee apprentice jockey course.  I dreamed of going there for a year until the time finally came around for me and my parents to go to an open day, I was fascinated by the facilities R.A.C.E had to offer and immediately sent in my application form. 

One month later I was sent back a letter saying that I was selected to go on a trial on the 17/7/05 for a week.  On the trial we were made work really hard everyday.  R.A.C.E takes in people that don’t know how to ride but can work hard and teach them from the start how to ride properly.  We finished the trial on Friday the 22nd of July and the following Thursday I got a letter to say I was accepted into the course.  I was overjoyed and there was a chance of my dreams coming true, I also felt lucky that I got in because there was three trials in total with thirty two on each trial and only thirty two got in out of ninety six.  The first two weeks were hard but I got into the swing of things eventually and have enjoyed it since then.  The three riding instructors at R.A.C.E taught me how to ride properly and from starting off not knowing how to ride they turned me into an average rider and I hope to progress to be a good rider.  I have been at R.A.C.E now for four months and I was sent to Martin Browne’s yard until the end of the course.  I really enjoy it here and everyone has good crack.