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Former Conditional jockey, Sam Welton (34) has won the top prize at the 2024 JETS Richard Davis Awards. Held at Warwick Racecourse, the annual awards highlight the career development of both former jockeys and current jockeys and showcase the services available to Professional Jockeys Association members to help prepare for their futures in order to secure a successful transition from riding.

Welton has liaised continually with JETS (Jockeys Education & Training Scheme) over the past ten years who supported him in gaining the Access qualification required to go to university. With the help of a JETS scholarship, he went on to achieve a 2:1 degree in Structural and Civil Engineering graduating in 2023. He is now working as a site agent for JN Bentley, a construction and engineering business which manages various multi million pound projects across the UK.

Sam, who is currently working on two projects in Yorkshire, said:

“I am very grateful to JETS for all the support they’ve provided me with. As well as the financial support, they have guided me through times when I’ve struggled personally or with my studies and so I feel very proud to have secured such a good second career in such a growing sector. I have so many opportunities to develop my career even further and have gained so much advice and guidance from my employers too. I think racing has taught me skills which have really helped me in my second career and winning this Award is proof that all the hard work has been worth it.”

Lisa Delany, JETS Manager, said:

“We are so pleased that Sam has found his ideal career within the construction industry. His journey to this point has not always been easy and he had to juggle working alongside his studies but we had every confidence that he would be successful and it’s wonderful to see him thriving in his current role. Racing has taught him excellent people skills and a strong work ethic which is clearly a great benefit to him now and we wish him all the best as he continues to develop further.”

Jump Jockey Alan Johns (35) has won the £2000 IJF Progress Award. Over the past two years Alan has developed a range of media experience alongside his riding. Last year he took part in the Jockey Ambassador training programme run by JETS, the PJA and GBR and has also taken advantage of JETS to carry out media training with Lydia Hislop, presentation skills with Jon Bacon at Speak the Speech and complete a drone filming course. With these courses under his belt, Alan has been able to secure work with both The Jockey Club and GBR and he has also been integral in growing the profile of his sponsor DragonBet and promoting the charity Welsh Jump Jockeys Derby.

The BHA Development Award, worth £1000, is exclusively for current jockeys and this year’s winner is Apprentice Elisha Whittington (26) who is based near Lambourn. Elisha also took part in the Jockey Ambassador training which gave her the confidence to carry out various school visits with Racing to School. She has also embraced her personal development working on a range of skills to help her maintain her focus both on and off the track. In recent months, she has developed a hair extension business, quickly establishing a healthy client base, which can easily fit around her riding commitments.

JETS first hosted the Richard Davis Awards in 1997 in memory of jockey Richard Davis who had started planning for his future before he tragically lost his life in a race fall in 1996.