no Beards or blacks

OK, I saw a jockey with a neatly trimmed beard the otherdday - first I can recall - why so - servitude perhaps? Surely not wind resistance , but the lack of any black or Asian jockeys is a sign of something else.
R Ffrench who mainly works in Dubai now is the only one I can think of - although plenty of Asian lads work in stables. .....?

 

Even in HK the local jockeys are very much 2nd tier. A local Chinese jockey gets a 3lb allowance against an ex-pat but win far fewer races. Don't think it's anything insidious......just never caught on as the thing a young Chinese wants to do.

 

Salem Golam

 

Sean Levey

 

Would the beard not just end up absolutely filthy and need washed after every race?

Ive also never seen a leprechaun ride a winner in Ireland!

 

possibly so , but no more than a face,hair etc-- eorgot about saleem --but ethnic minorities are in not very visible in british racing --i'm not counting persad in that --no trainers - three jockeys, any officials ? whenever i go racing i see few if any other than white faces..........im sure there are many different factors at work but like any sport you need role models for people to become interested/empowered---compared to say football / athlectics/ its quite startling

 

It's hard to have this discussion without resorting to stereotypes so will try and be careful. Is it not fair to say that in Britain the majority of trainers and jockeys are likely to come from rural communities or had a background which included some sort of country pursuit at weekends etc (including all types of horse riding)? If that's the case then I'd guess that it's not something that's especially prevalent among ethnic minorities. The same could probably be said for things like sailing and rowing.

Each to their own I suppose but I don't really see iot as an issue - if lots of blacks and Asians were complaining about discrimination in horse racing then it may be different but I can't say I've heard it.

 

It's quite simple. They aren't as good. Same in show jumping. Why? Maybe they don't have a history of horsemanship as a nation and there are relatively few who take an interest in horses. I don't recall one black child riding ponies at the top level.
Conversely, in football and athletics you find a high % of top professionals are black. How many have the build to be a jockey?

 

definately no bearded black jockeys ! --yes dan , while your points are valid and its a reflection of cultural pursuits/opportunity etc, how many white jocks come from non rural backgrounds? more than a handful thtas for sure---but yes racing along with politics is stacked high with patronage.

 

eerm thats not true though is it ron-- the champion german jockey for the last four years,many of the top american riders, mr skeete on the other hand is no driving a lorry...........that old chestnut about phisiology is poor

 

There will always be exceptions Rudey, but in general I am right. There just aint the interest. Can't speak for other countries but certainly true in UK and France. If you look at kids football training there are plenty of black children and they are bloody good. In ponies they are a very rare sight

 

Or swimmers. Rory McLeod is the only black snooker player on tour that I know of.

 

Or motorsport until Hamilton came along!

 

If someone has the desire and shows the potential then I dont see what skin colour would have to do with it.

 

Regarding the stable lad scenario I would guess that is down to a work ethic very few could match!

 

certainly with motor sport and the pony /show jumping world you need a fair bit of 'capital' funding --ski ing is not a thing many black people do i would guess, but darts and snooker --drinking sports ---?

 

oh here we go -----lazy blacks is it --err many stable lads are asian , long hours low pay.......

 

No rude, Im saying the native Brit would not match the work ethic of an Asian for the same money!

Dearie me!

 

Exactly