Women In Sport: Aine O'Connor urges all not to 'be afraid to aim to be the best'

Áine O'Connor is an amateur jockey from Askeaton, but she lives in Kildare. She also works full-time for Equuip which is the education and training department of Horse Racing Ireland.

When did you start playing your sport?
I started riding ponies when I was very young, but I only did it casually as swimming took up the majority of my time. I’m the youngest of four girls and my three sisters had ponies so I would ride them every now and then until I was 11 or 12, then I started to take more of an interest in that than in swimming. I started riding racehorses for Seamus Braddish when I was 14 and from then I always wanted to be a jockey.

Did you as a child have any sports women that you looked up to?
When I was a child I always admired Olympic showjumper Jessica Kurten. As a teenager it was always Nina Carberry, she was and still is remarkable. I started riding out with her in Enda Bolger’s when I was 18 and I was in awe. I was lucky enough to ride against her for a few years before she retired.

What has been your most memorable moment in your sport?
I’ve had many great days in racing and although they probably weren’t high profile, they were very special to me because of either the horse or the trainer or owner, but my most memorable was winning the Clarke Chase in Uttoxeter on a horse called Drumcliff. He’s a horse that is adored by my sister Ciara and I, he was trained by my brother-in-law Harry and owned by Mr. McManus who has been very supportive of me.
When I pulled up, I got a thump in the back from my, at the time boyfriend, now husband, Niall. He was riding in the race as well and was just as delighted as I was. It was a great day.

What is the best advice a coach has given you?
Although I don’t have a specific coach, I would say I’ve had many mentors. Enda Bolger has been a great help to me since I started riding out for him over 10 years ago. One of my first days in his yard in Howardstown, I was schooling a horse called Mount Sion and being both brave and a little naïve I asked him to take off at a jump where I shouldn’t have, this resulted in both of us panned out on the ground. I was a little dazed but when I came too I had Enda standing over me telling me to “Get him back on his f-ing hocks”. It was probably as much of a life lesson as it was advice but I most definitely took it on board.

What is an important lesson you have learned in your sport?
That there are far more bad days than good days so don’t sweat the bad days and relish the good days. I think all sport is great to keep someone level-headed and racing isn’t any different.

What advice would you offer to any females looking to start sports?
Don’t be afraid to aim to be the best in your chosen sport. Three years ago I sat in on a Sports Psychology session with a group of 17-year-olds hoping to become jockeys. When the Sports Psyc asked them what their ambitions and aspirations were, every one of the boys said to be Champion Jockey or to win a Derby or Grand National, while the girls settled for getting a ride or a winner. They didn’t believe they were good enough to aim as high as what the boys were aiming for