Jockey Ben Macey has become the first individual in racing to achieve the Sporting Excellence Professional Apprenticeship, achieving a Distinction and having completed the qualification with the British Racing School.
The Sporting Excellence Professional Apprenticeship (SEPA) is an advanced, government-backed training programme designed for talented athletes competing within elite sports and has been offered within other major sports such as football, cricket, rugby union and rugby league for a number of years. SEPA has now been offered for the first time within British horse racing through the British Racing School, bringing jockey training and development in line with other top-class athletes and is for talented young riders already on the pathway to race riding and wanting to achieve their ambition of becoming a professional jockey.
Ben said, “I am thrilled to have completed the Sporting Excellence Professional Apprenticeship and I was really keen to do it because of everything it offered in terms of developing me as a jockey. It opened loads of new doors to me and helped me think about things in different ways – from how I approach fitness and nutrition and all the other elements of being a professional sportsperson. I also had the chance to speak to Ruby Walsh and talk to him about mindset and always being positive, as well as working with my jockey coach, William Kennedy.
“I couldn’t rate my experience on the Sporting Excellence Professional Apprenticeship more highly and to any budding jockeys out there I would definitely recommend it for all the additional benefits it has and can offer you. It’s helped me develop all my skills and knowledge so much and is such an important foundation for my career.”
Alison Harper, Lead Workplace Instructor at the British Racing School who has supported Ben said, “Ben has worked so hard throughout the Apprenticeship and to have been awarded a Distinction in all aspects of the course in his end point assessment (by UK Coaching 1st4sport) is testament to the professional that he is and the commitment he has shown to his development. Ben recognised from the start how the course would benefit him in terms of all-round personal and career development and it has been a pleasure to see him do so well.”
Andrew Braithwaite, Chief Executive of the British Racing School said, “We are delighted to offer the Sporting Excellence Professional Apprenticeship at the British Racing School and really pleased to see Ben do so well on the course. SEPA has been used in other sports, including other equestrian disciplines for many years ,and it is a fantastic addition to racing. It is an important programme in the development of good riders, which alongside the other programmes we deliver – including the Jockey Coaching Programme and Rider Development Programme – is so central to everything we do at the British Racing School.” In addition to Ben, there are currently 11 other young riders completing the SEPA with the British Racing School and due to take their end point assessment in the coming months.
