It’s been an absolute whirlwind of activity at the Academy as the 2015 intake of 1st Year Apprentices have arrived. Ashton Arries, Louis Burke, Calvin Habib, Keenan Herbert, Daniel Kotzen, Dylan Lerena, Sandile Mbhele, Khanya Sakayi, Denis Schwarz, Ranely Sewduth, Liam Tarentaal and Kaylin Thomas make up the group of twelve 1st year apprentices, who have big dreams of emulating their jockey heroes.
All the 1st year apprentices have been assigned a horse, which they will have to take care of for the entire 1st year of their apprenticeship. They have hit the ground running, learning how to muck out a box, groom their horse and assist the senior apprentices to tack up for the afternoon riding lessons.
They have also had a tour of the Summerveld Training Centre, where Riding Master Laurence O’Donoghue, explained to them some of the different aspects of work riding while watching the senior apprentices. They were also fortunate to observe some horses being put through the starting pens.
It’s early days yet and there is a long road ahead of them, but this group of 1st year apprentices are definitely eager to learn and have taken to their new duties with great enthusiasm and we will keep you posted as to their progress into their new careers.