Although we know that when it comes to being a jockey there are some advantages to being on the smaller inside it is easy to assume that sitting on a horse and riding it to victory doesn’t take too many skills. When it comes to other sports such as soccer we tend to understand that players have probably had a passion for the game since a young age and train several hours a week in order to be at the top of their game, especially for large soccer events but not many people realise that actually jockeys often have a similar story under their belt. Betway recently caught up with West Ham United trio Mark Noble, Aaron Cresswell and Jarrod Bowen to talk to them about what it takes to be a jockey & if there are any similarities between that and being a successful professional soccer player.
The Comparisons Between Soccer and Horse Racing
Although the sports are clearly very different in the way that they are played out, there are definitely some similarities in the way that fans feel about the sport and about how professionals train for events. As part of the Betway initiative, the West Ham United players caught up with 2018 Cheltenham champion Katie Walsh to talk about what it is like to be a jockey and what it takes to be good. Walsh compared Cheltenham to other high-profile events such as the Olympics and said that winning Cheltenham felt the same as winning the Premier League.
Being Able to Stand Your Own
One thing that Walsh talked about was the needing to be strong and confident when you become a jockey. She talked about how things get very fiery and passionate on big event days such as Cheltenham and that there can often be rows and cross-words spoken. These aren’t usually personal and tend to be because everyone is nervous about the event and doing well; however, if you do want to be a successful jockey at events such as Cheltenham this is something that you will need to get used to dealing with. If you’re someone that is more sensitive in nature then it could be that being a jockey isn’t the right career path for you. Another thing that Walsh talked about was the fact that being a horse racing jockey is still a very much male-dominated industry – something that West Ham United players will be able to relate to; as women’s soccer is still kept separate from men’s.
A Thick Skin
In the video released by Betway the sporting professionals also talked about how good it was to celebrate a win and hear the fans roar is support from the spectator stands. However, they also touched upon those times when things didn’t go to plan and fans are left disappointed and just how tricky that can be to deal with; something to keep in mind if you are thinking of becoming a jockey or indeed playing professional sport in any capacity.
