Becoming a jockey requires courage and passion

Henry Muya’s life sounds like something out of a story book. He was born and raised within Lake Nakuru National Park, learnt to ride horses on Lord Delamere’s ranch in Naivasha, and at 18 years, he was competing in races in the UK with horses from some of the world’s most famous stables.

From the age of three, Muya’s father, a hotelier, would take him to visit Lord Delamere, who he worked for, for many years.

“The ranch had many horses, and my father would hoist me on their backs and then hold onto me as he walked the horses,” Muya recalls.

By the time he turned 10, he was show jumping at meetings and competitions in Gilgil, Timau, Limuru, and at Jamhuri Park in Nairobi.

“Show jumping was just a basic way of learning how to ride, my heart was into racing,” he explains.

By the time he celebrated his sixteenth birthday, he knew without a doubt that horse racing is what he wanted to do with his life; his father encouraged him, and he has never looked back since.

In 2001, after graduating from Greensteds International School, Nakuru County, Muya went to England to apprentice at some of the worlds’ most famous Stables, where he trained under some of the world’s greatest horse trainers. His first trainer was John Dunlop, a now retired, world famous British race horse trainer, who has trained over 3,000 winning Jockeys globally. His stable housed several horses, some owned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

“Dunlop was impressed with how I handled the horses; he said for a young man, I had good hands,” Muya recalls.

He mainly cared for the horses, but was fortunate enough to get racing opportunities in lower level races. He was far from satisfied though, eager for more racing opportunities at a higher level.

RACING PROFESSIONALLY

“I should have been patient, but I was young and hot-headed, and so I wanted more,” he says with a chuckle.

A year later, Muya left for another Stable run by David “Dandy” Nicholls another renowned British horse trainer, where he continued his apprenticeship for four years.

“I did well there, but I thought I wasn’t getting enough.”

Here, Muya raced a few times in some big races, such as the Goodwood Sprint, a famous horse sprint race, the Ayr Gold Cup, a prestigious horse race in the UK open, where he finished mid-division. He also raced at Ascot, a popular horse race in the UK open.

Muya fondly recalls his first opportunity to race for the first time in the UK. “I especially loved the Goodwood tracks because that was where I got my first opportunity with John Dunlop to race,” Muya points out.

 Muya moved on to another famous stable run by Bryan Smart, a top class British Horse Trainer. While there, he was fortunate to race with a “great” horse, called Tangerine Trees, which went on to win a Group One league race in France - the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp in 2013.

After 12 years away from home, despite his rising career in Europe as a Jockey, Muya began to miss home. In 2013, he returned to Kenya, where he now helps his father run the family stables in Soysambu and Elementaita, Nakuru County.

Muya still competes locally as a jockey; he has competed in every race in the 2016 season, most recently coming third in the Derby this March.

His day begins at 5am. He starts by exercising the race horses until 9am. He then heads home to shower and have breakfast.

After breakfast, he discusses business with his father. Afterwards, he heads to the Soysambu ranch to check on the horses, and then to the one in Elementaita, where they breed horses. Here, he pays close attention to the expectant fillies and the young foals. Before he calls it a day, he inspects the family farms and then returns to the stables for one last look at the horses.

“I can tell whether the horses are unwell just by looking at their tendons, joints and spine. Besides ensuring that they are in good health, I make sure they are well-groomed and free from ticks, and that their immunisation is up to date,” he explains. 

What does it take to be a professional jockey?

It takes winning 50 races. It is tough, and requires courage and passion. You will fall, you might break a few bones, especially your ribs, your legs or collar bone, but you have no option but to bounce back. You also have to maintain a specific weight in your specific weight category. Mine hovers between 49.5 – 50kg. 

What kind of diet regimen do you have?

I can eat whatever healthy food I am comfortable with, but I have to pay attention to how my body processes and stores the food. 

What steps does one need to take to become a jockey?

First visit the Ngong Racecourse on a weekday around 7am and observe the trainers, as well as how they exercise the horses.

Afterwards, seek out one of the trainers in any of the stables and express your interest in being a jockey. Should they give you an opportunity to learn from them, you will start off as an apprentice, which, in a large part, involves caring for the horses. 

How much does an apprenticeship cost?

It is free, so come and learn. Should you be taken in, accommodation and food will be provided. Besides looking after the horses, you will also be taught how to ride. Pay depends on the stable. 

To become a jockey, is it necessary to go to horse riding school before an apprenticeship?

Not necessarily. The purpose of horse riding schools primarily is to learn the basics of riding, and in most cases, riding schools use calm horses; being a jockey takes more than that. You need to fully understand the horse itself and learn different temperaments of horses from the beginning; an apprenticeship is where you get to do that.

Apprenticeship is done on location, at professional racing yards where you are exposed to horses with different characters. As you progress, you will be given a chance to care for, and train with various horses. This helps you adjust your riding skill accordingly. 

How did you manage to become a professional jockey at 18 years?

As an apprentice, I received lots of support from various people, and I am very thankful to all those who supported me in Nairobi, Naivasha and Nakuru. Moving out of apprenticeship is the hardest part. Trainers need to trust you to manage the horse.

There is also a lot of bullying and hazing from the experienced racers on the track, but this comes with the territory. You need to stay focused and cool and hold your own. By the time an apprentice reaches the 25 race mark, they are more comfortable on the track. 

Most people think that this is a sport for the rich…

Some of the successful jockeys at the top of the Kenyan league didn’t go to school – what really counts in this profession is drive and passion.

You don’t have to be rich for your dreams to come true. Everyone here has an equal chance, so no, horse racing in Kenya is not only for the big leagues. 

Horses are expensive, so is caring for them – where does this leave an ordinary Kenyan who dreams of owning one?

Every challenge has a way out. You can buy a good horse from Sh50,000 to Sh200,000. If you don’t have this kind of money, team up with a couple of friends and buy one. 

When the horse is ready to compete, you could double your money in races. There is a horse called Chilulu who was bought for Sh100,000, yet he went on to win races that won the owner Sh2 million. 

How does a jockey earn money in a race?

There is prize money set aside for every race. The first, second and third positions of the race win a percentage of the prize money. It is not a standard percentage though, since it varies from race to race, however, all jockeys in a race get a standard riding fee, win or lose. 

How many races does a jockey need to compete in to earn a decent income?

If there are nine races in a day and you win five of them, you earn the percentage placed on each of these races.

You need to ensure that every Sunday, 52 weeks a year, you are racing - the more you race, the more you improve and the higher the chance you get to not only win, but also earn a riding fee.

Remember the top positions earn a percentage of the prize money. The prize money ranges from Sh20,000 for small races, to Sh1 million in the big races, for instance the Derby.

If you win the Derby on that day, you get 10 per cent of the prize money - that’s Sh100,000. 

How exactly are races organised?

Horses are placed in different categories called ratings. The best horses are rated at 40 and above. Middle range horses are rated between 27-35, others between 15-20.

The lowest range is between 0-10.  Good horses; middle to top range, are also rated according to weight. A good horse is a top weight of 54kg, while a lower rate horse gets a lower weight. 

Which jockey do you look up to and aspire to be like?

Silvestre De Sousa from Brazil. We met and worked at Dandy Nicholls and Bryan Smart stables together.

He has won the Dubai World Cup, as well as very many Classics races. He once worked for one of the best in the world, Godolphin and Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai. We started off together, but what he has gone on to achieve is unbelievable. 

What do you love most about being a jockey?

It is my life. This is not just partly how I earn a living, it is also part of what makes life worth living. When I am stressed, I spend time with my horses; they calm and comfort me.

I love horses and I love racing. It is as simple as that.

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