Course overview

The Sporting Excellence Professional Standard

Our Sporting Excellence Professional Apprenticeship (SEPA) is for talented young riders already on the pathway to race riding and wanting to achieve their ambition of becoming a professional jockey. The Sporting Excellence Professional Standard is also available to athletes in the disciplines of cricket, football, rugby league and rugby union, bringing jockey training and development in line with other top class athletes. It results in a nationally and internationally recognised qualification and closely aligns to the existing coaching and education provided for all claiming jockeys but in addition provides an extensive structure of training, coaching, education and added value specialist courses.

Benefits of the SEPA

  • Delivered face-to-face by a skills coach and industry professionals, with one to one online support
  • This exciting and innovative programme offers each student the opportunity to achieve their ambition of becoming a professional jockey and maximise their potential
  • It provides jockeys (and those intending to race-ride) with the opportunity to develop wider skills suitable for all-round personal and career development
  • It gives employers a structured programme for their claiming jockeys
  • There is input from a wide range of industry professionals
  • It enhances technical and tactical race-riding skills
  • It develops physical and mental attributes for optimum athlete performance
  • It supports each participant with a wide range of communication and lifestyle skills

Who is it for?

The SEPA is open to anyone between 16+, who is race-riding competitively, or is already on a pathway to do so.

If you are under 19 you must have attained Level 2 (or equivalent) in GCSE Maths & English before starting this programme. However, we may be able to offer functional Skills training at the BRS to assist with this if required.

Please contact alison.harper@brs.org.uk for more information.

About the Course

The course will cover the following topics:

  • Integrity
  • Horse Welfare
  • Physical and Mental Fitness
  • Media & Communication
  • Lifestyle
  • Career Planning

The SEPA will be delivered in yards and on racecourses, with an additional “off-the-job” element of training averaging around 6 hours per week.

Training will include:

  • Jockey coaching
  • Professional Jockeys’ Association webinars
  • Online learning activities
  • Fitness work
  • Time spent on the racecourse
  • Wider industry skills such as shadowing racecourse officials, developing media skills or other specialist training activities

Training will be delivered by:

  • Jockey Coaching Programme coaches
  • Personal Fitness trainer
  • Sports Performance Coach
  • Nutritionist
  • Communication Coach

The learner will be supported by their employer, jockey coach and skills coach, to develop the necessary practical skills and complete a portfolio of evidence to show the knowledge they have gained. This portfolio will include written work, small projects, videos, photographs, testimonies and other examples of practical skills and experience.

When the apprentice, employer and skills coach agree that the apprentice has completed the training, and the required additional study has been completed, they will arrange for the apprentice to undertake their End Point Assessment.

For more information, or to register your interest, please email alison.harper@brs.org.uk in the first instance

Course Costs

Government Funded

Tuition is free for UK residents aged 16-24 with non-Levy Employers in England (excludes Scotland & Wales)

Dates

This course is run at the pace of each individual student. Please contact Alison.harper@brs.org.uk to discuss next steps.

Selection Process

What happens next?

When you have registered your interest in the programme, the team will assess whether you are eligible, and will discuss with your employer as to whether you are on the correct pathway.

If you meet the correct criteria, you will be sent an application form to formally apply.

The SEPA lead at BRS (Alison Harper) will liaise with you and determine an appropriate start date.

Apply

Application forms are only sent following candidate review by the team at BRS.

Please register your interest or request more information by emailing alison.harper@brs.org.uk in the first instance.

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