work riders - what have we created?

when james maree start his work rider programs i was the first one to applaud and shout bravo for this. the upliftment of grooms into competant race jockeys make a lot of sense to me and i believe this is the most fantastic initiative. today i go past the trainer i have been friends with for over 20 years. he train horse for me and he is still training. he tells me he believe the time is come for stop the workriders program. i am shocked as he was supporting this program and he put i think at least 4 of his grooms/work riders through the programme. he tells me that the problem is now once the work rider is qualify that guy feel he is not the groom level and dont want to do groom work. this obvious cause some problem. the trainer say the bigger problem this days with the work riders is the majority dont even ride the work no more! the attitude is they get enough to get by riding on the work rider races and race days. the guys he trained also get poach by other stables who dont support the work rider program. he say that the work rider who leaves him now was getting the R800 retainer per week for just work riding. this is not enough and he ask for 1500 and only for work ride and nothing else. the trainer say he can get a normal jockey to do the same at less money. also when the work rider ask for more money it cause all type of problems with his senior groom and head groom be cause they to want more. this trainer has stop support the program now and will chose his jockey if he enter race with work riders.

another thing is where are the work riders go after so many years of getting this privelege? why we no see work riders get apprentice licence for to get "proper" jockey qualification? we see this happen before now we dont. the trainer say is because the work riders are content to get the one race a week and occasion work riders day, it is more than they earn as groom so the belief is they "score" by do less work. he say there is one or two exception but the majority of these guys are less help know than when they are normal groom/work rider before.

Sad to hear. As the saying goes, give them your hand and they want your arm.

Extremely short sighted approach.

who is short sight madji? the work rider the trainer or the people who train the work rider?

Flash Harry Wrote:

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> who is short sight madji? the work rider the
> trainer or the people who train the work rider?


Thw workriders attitude to progressing their livelihood. To take one ride a week, kick your patron in the teeth. Ratherwork harder, stand out from your peers. . .

to me i think solution is simple. the work rider when he qualify is put into trainer stable like the appies in the old day. the contract is signed for a fix period detail what is expected from both parties. if the work rider dont do what is expect like ride work for three days the week as example, he dont qualify to ride in the work riders races.

Sad to hear....unfortunately this is a trend that we see in all industries...it's the lack of passion....

Its the typical bad attitude a lot of south africans have, its the attitued that they expect things just be given to them. We are no longer the hard working country that was saught after a few years back.

i dont see the problem......supply and demand. if the programme continues then there will be so many "expert" work riders they will come back to mucking out stables.......i also dont see that its a prblem as some jockeys could do with looking over their shoulders.

so continue work rider programme, its a good thing for racing.

the problem .... who wants to deal with staff issues when it's the horses that we care about....

This does not just seem a ''workriders problem''??

Craig Eudey [ PM ]
Re: Treat JOCKEYS agents like s--t new
March 16, 2013 10:44AM Registered: 2 years ago
Posts: 1,711
The appies are a huge problem. Some need a good suspension from riding in races to get their minds right.(6 of the best would have been far better!). Last Monday morning when the bus arrived at the track at 5am, 1 got out and came to me, 5 went to wait for Alistair Gordon(his horses were just arriving and still had to trot) and 6 sat in the bus playing on their cell phones,talking sh1t and sleeping! They think that this game owes them a living and a trainer must give them a ride before they will go and ride work for him! Obviously there are exceptions but the worst offenders are the 3rd-5th years.

well sadly staff issues are not the divine right of horseracing.

i constantly train people up and they move on. its the way of the world. this happens across all workstreams. sometimes people move for an extra £0.20 p an hour. they rather move. but there are plenty looking for work so its simples while they are laerning their rate of pay reflects the fact that they have little experience and that they will probably move on.

the loyal ones get looked after and renumerated properly