Is there workriders races anywhere else

they are pointless and should be done away with !

Whats wrong with promoting more work riders to pro jocks instead...

I also think some entries are not buzzers( only my opinion)

hibernia Wrote:

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> they are pointless and should be done away with !
>
> Whats wrong with promoting more work riders to pro
> jocks instead...

yay and nay....if that makes any sense....got its' pros and cons...

hibernia Wrote:

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> I also think some entries are not buzzers( only my
> opinion)


That favourite in the 1st @ Ken looked like it was in the race to test the going,across the width of the track, for future reference

I would appreciate it if the workriders were given a memento of sorts, trophy....to remember their wins....

Firstly, I agree with Bob on this one.

Secondly, Pirhobeta, the workriders are paid exactly the same riding fees and share of stakes as qualified jocks. On top of this, the workriders are paid much more than grooms as workriders for stables. Jocks are not paid to ride work. In our current Summer programme up in Gauteng, there are 25 individual meetings each offering a workriders race and also two full racedays just for workriders. Awards at end of series are handed out at the Equis Awards.

Why I am with Bob is -
1) I dont see one of these workriders ever in the mornings near my ring.
2) The overall quality is questionable.
3) There are a few who are good - they should be promoted !

At the inception of the Workriders School and series, the following was agreed upon -
1) The students/graduates were to be previously disadvantaged who were not previously allowed to go to the academy.
2) The Racing Trust would fund the school and the workriders races, the races would not form part of our programme flows and they would be extra racing opportunities for horses.

Now we have this -
1) The workriders races are part of our programme flows - skip a workriders race and you wait very long for a suitable race. For example, there is only ONE maiden colts/geldings race over 2000m between now and end April and it is a workriders race!
2) The Academy has been open to all for many years now and there cant surely still be previously disadvantaged workriders out there, under 45, who never got a chance to become a jockey.
3)There are workriders now who do not bother to workride or be employed in yards and all they do is ride in workriders races.

Make them jockeys, then.

And train grooms specifically to be workriders in yards, if they dont want to be or are not competent enough to be jocks.

Thanks for the feedback LouisG...Places it in some perspective....(tu) and provides knowledge that I never had....I actually screwed up regarding my comment...I meant to say that the grooms should have some sort of keepsake....