My Racing Career – Will Hughes

Introduce yourself…
Hi, my name is Will, I’m 19 and from Birmingham. I have held a passion for horse racing from as early as I can remember through my dad and grandad’s shared interest in the sport. Throughout primary school I always had the ambition of working in racing, but as secondary school began that went away. However, A-Levels weren’t for me and after a year in retail I decided to apply for the BRS.
 
Which BRS course did you do and when?
I was part of course 329 with the legendary Miss Hobson. It was a 14-week course that went from January to April.
 
Did you have any racing experience prior to attending the BRS?
Before the BRS the closest I had been to a racehorse was at the races. I had never ridden or looked after a racehorse in my life, or worked in any other kind of equestrian yard, and essentially needed everything explained to me for several weeks.
 
Tell us about your career so far…
I am not much more than a month into my career so far after leaving the BRS so I’ve yet to achieve much. Even in just a month of working in a racing yard though, you can learn so many skills and meet so many people. You get the opportunity to ride out alongside professional jockeys and interact with them, many older members of staff in racing all have their own stories to tell on where they have been and who they have worked for, often all around the globe, and you can watch how trainers deal with their horses differently and what work they do to prepare them to run at the races.
 
What’s the best part about working in racing/doing the job you do?
For me, the best about my job is knowing that I’ll never have to go back to working in a shop or a retail environment. Being outdoors with such interesting animals keeps you on your toes every day and no two days go the same. It keeps you fit and active so you never have to feel guilty about not going to the gym because nearly all mornings are a workout in themselves.
 
What are your plans & aspirations for the future?
Right now, my plans are just to complete my level 2 and 3 diplomas, then with more experience and ability, use my job to travel the UK and hopefully abroad.