Life at RACE is very different to anything I was ever used to.  It’s the complete opposite to my home comforts.  And at 15 years of age I was doubting to myself if I could stay away from home for so long, but now this is my home.  I have always been around horses and have always wanted a career within the Horse Racing Industry, so applying to RACE was the obvious choice.  I found out about RACE from a person who had gone through its doors two years before.  Unfortunately, I was too young to apply at the time.  I found out all I could about RACE and the more I did, the more I could imagine myself attending the Apprentice School on the edge  of the Curragh.

I received my letter back about the trials; I was attending the third summer trial in July.  At least I knew someone else that was on my trial, so I wasn’t by myself.  That week was one of the hardest weeks of my life.  When we first went in everyone was nervous about it and we had to meet everyone.  We were constantly being watched and judged on our behaviour.  We weeded the gallops and cleaned all 36 stables out completely.  The trials are so much harder than the course just to see could you handle it.  I luckily got in, but that was the hardest I’ve ever worked.

On the 14th of August, I made my two hour long journey from Roscommon to Kildare.  I didn’t sleep at all the night before, and I was buzzing with excitement.  I jumped out the car and made my way to the back of the line with the people I was to spend the next ten months with.  I met the girls from the trial and we were called to be weighed in.  That night was spent getting to know all the new faces and catching up on things with the ones we already knew. 

The next morning we were up at seven to go and collect our gear and get shown around the premises.  After about three months some people are selected to go out to trainers yards for work experience.  We stay there for the rest of the course, but only go out full time in April because we have the FETAC Level 1 Certificate to complete.  We do six subjects which are French, Communications, Maths, Racehorse Care and Exercise, Computers and Personal Effectiveness.  At night we also do Simulators, Art and P.E.  Another course runs for seniors who stay on at RACE after the course, which I am planning on doing next year, if I can get around my parents!

That was four months ago, and I still love it as much as when I started.  But this course isn’t for the faint hearted, and you have to be fully prepared and committed before even thinking about applying.  But its worth waking up at 5 on a cold frosty morning and looking out over the Curragh and knowing that this is what you want to do for the rest of your life, and you are one of the lucky people who have got a chance.  If you give it a go, put your head down and work hard, it will be the best ten months of your life.