to the South African Jockey Academy (SAJA)
26 February 2007
KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Ina Cronje will be visiting the South African
Jockey Academy tomorrow, 27 February 2007.
The SAJA trains apprentice jockeys and equestrian riders. Both apprentices
and equestrian riders have the unique opportunity of combining their academic
studies with their riding career. SAJA is a grade 10 to 12 school, registered
with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. It also administers a National
Groom School and offers a one-year post matric course, mainly aimed at
equestrian riders.
Additional to mainstream academic subjects students also study equine
studies, stable management and first aid.
Date: Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Venue: Summerveld (Shongweni/Assagay)
13h00 to 14h00: Lunch
14h00: Tour of SAJA: Classroom visit, riding lesson
14h25: Equiciser demonstration
15h00: MEC to address learners and staff
15h30: Tea at the national groom school
16h00 to 16h30: Tour of national groom school
Editor's Notes
The South African Jockey Academy (SAJA)
The SAJA was established in 1958 to train apprentice jockeys. After much
success and growth on the apprentice side, an equestrian division was
introduced in 1998. Both apprentices and equestrian riders have the unique
opportunity of combining their academic studies with their riding career. SAJA
is a Grade 10-12 school registered with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of
Education. We also offer a one-year post matric course mainly aimed at
equestrian riders. Year 2006 saw our pupils achieve a 100% pass rate in the
senior certificate examination, with 25% of the subject symbols being As and a
further 25% being made up of Bs and Cs.
A typical equestrian day starts off with stable duties at 05h30 where pupils
carry out the basic mucking out and grooming tasks followed by riding lessons
and then some breakfast. The academic timetable starts at 10h30 with lunch at
13h00 and the school day ending at 15h00. Thereafter it is back to the stables
for more riding lessons followed by feeding and grooming of the horses. Supper
is served at 17h45 after which the pupils enjoy some leisure time before prep
which is between 19h00 to 20h00 when the day ends and the pupils retire to
their respective dormitories.
Apprentice training begins with riding lessons at the academy followed by
work ride sessions at the various training tracks. This prepares apprentices
for race riding. Track work is ridden from 05h0 to 09h00 each morning,
thereafter the apprentices attend school as detailed above. After school those
not yet riding work report to the stables for lessons and other stable duties
while those already riding in races report to the various training yards in
Summerveld to work for the trainers.
The apprentice training programme spans a minimum of five years after which
the apprentices receive a jockeys' licence from the National Horseracing
Authority of South Africa (NHASA).
Academic subjects at the academy are as follows:
* English primary language
* Afrikaans additional language
* Zulu additional language
* mathematics
* mathematics literacy
* business studies
* computer application technology (CAT)
* physical science
* life sciences
* equine studies
* stable management
* first aid.
Post matric subjects:
* first aid
* stable management
* stud management
* business management
* show management
* equine studies
* South African National Equestrian Federation (SANEF) modules.
The academy has 34 training horses for the pupils. There are a total of 25
apprentices and 13 equestrians at the academy in Summerveld, six apprentices in
Gauteng and four each in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. The academy also
administers the National Groom School which has branches in KwaZulu-Natal
(Summerveld and Ashburton) as well as Western Cape Province (Milnerton and
Philippi). There are 75 grooms in training in KwaZulu-Natal and a further 52 in
the Western Cape Province. There are plans underway to open another groom
school branch in Gauteng. This has been scheduled for July 2007.
Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
26 February 2007
