ENGLISH TEXTS
in their communities, and support those who are suffering. The racing world has in turn taken up this subject. It is an issue that has always existed in our sphere, where competition, strict diets, and injuries exert sometimes unbearable pressure on participants. One must remember that Fred Archer, the legendary jockey and 13-time Champion Jockey during Queen Victoria’ s reign, took his own life at the age of 29. In the 19th century, such acts were silenced. Thankfully, that is far from the case today, but urgency remains after the deaths in 2020 of two recently retired jump jockeys: Liam Treadwell, winner of the 2009 Grand National with Mon Môme, and James Banks. Far from a“ nothing to see here” attitude, the Professional Jockeys Association( PJA) has tackled the subject head-on, offering a support network for its members. On its website, thepja. co. uk, one can read that 160 jockeys have sought help through the PJA. This support takes various forms: the association works with Sporting Chance, a mental health organization specializing in athletes, providing a 24 / 7 helpline all year round, personalized sessions with a mental health professional, support with addiction problems, and even guidance from a sports psychologist. To promote peace of mind that fosters good mental health, the PJA also supports jockeys in areas such as financial management, insurance, the acceptance and inclusion of minorities in racing, and life after a sporting career. The latter is overseen by the Jockeys Education and Training Scheme or JETS, a charity whose mission is to help jockeys prepare for a career after retirement from the saddle. This includes career counseling and coaching, training, scholarships, and mentorship. One of the recent success stories is that of Josh Crane, a former apprentice jockey and later a work rider at Godolphin, who retrained as an airline pilot thanks to JETS support. These support structures are tailored to high-level athletes, and British jockeys are indeed regarded as such. But this status also brings its share of challenges. Highly visible due to extensive media coverage, jockeys are often victims of abuse on social media, an issue also addressed by the PJA, which assists members in managing their accounts and officially reporting offensive messages. In addition to the PJA’ s initiatives, the Injured Jockeys Fund also plays an important role for jockeys and former jockeys in the field of mental health, offering various therapies and support programs, either virtually or on site at its regional centers in Lambourn, Malton, or Newmarket. The issue is not limited to jockeys, as tragically evidenced by a series of suicides in recent years among stable staff in England. The charity Racing Welfare takes care of this part of the popula- tion, multiplying initiatives across the country and online to support stable employees, not only during the famous Mental Health Week but throughout the other 51 weeks of the year.
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JACOB PRIT- CHARD-WEBB
� PAGE 58
By Cécile Adoniasy
” BEING SUPPORT- ED TO MOVE FOR- WARD BETTER.”
Galorama. When you were a jockey, did you have a mental coach to support you?
Jacob Pritchard-Webb. No, I didn’ t, and I wish I had. From a very young age, it was difficult. Whether it was a poor ride or a fall, even if it wasn’ t my fault, I blamed myself and felt guilty. And when you have a two-and-a-half-hour drive home, you’ re dehydrated, you haven’ t eaten, your mind can easily run free with all sorts of negative thoughts.
G. After your accident, did you consult a mental coach or a psychologist?
J. P-W. During the six months I spent in hospital in France, I was able to see a psychologist. Then I went back to England. For a year, I was very focused on my rehabilitation, which kept me busy
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