Fed: Jockeys want a better deal

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2008
Fed: Jockeys want a better deal

CANBERRA, Aug 29 AAP - Australia's jockeys will launch a national campaign today calling
on the racing industry to provide protection for the country's 860 professional riders.

The Australian Jockeys' Association (AJA) is seeking a one per cent increase in prize
money to fund an insurance and personal accident scheme for jockeys.

"Australian jockeys are among the lowest paid in the world," AJA chief executive Paul Innes.

"They ride because they love the sport but they deserve basic protections.

"That's why we are asking for a small proportion of the racing industry's prize pool
to be set aside for the jockeys who put their lives on the line when they saddle up."

Mr Innes said the one per cent increase in prize money would be directed to the AJA
and used to cover jockeys' compulsory public liability premiums, fund a national personal
accident scheme for jockeys, support jockeys and their families in financial hardship
due to death, illness and injury through the National Jockeys Trust and fund other welfare
programs.

"Australian jockeys are taking this issue very seriously." he said.

"It would be a shame to see it disrupt something like the Spring Carnival."

According to the AJA, 89 per cent of jockeys had at least one fall during their career
that required medical attention while more than half of jockeys earn less than $50,000
per year.

In the past nine years, jockey numbers have dropped 43 per cent.

"If jockeys are not provided basic protections more of them will leave the sport, putting
the ongoing viability of the industry at risk," Mr Innes said.

"Behind the glamour of the racing industry there is a side the general public don't see.

"Our jockeys put their lives on the line each time they race.

"They shouldn't also be expected to risk financial ruin each time they race."

The AJA will launch its campaign at Caulfield race course this morning.

Champion jockey Shane Dye, who suffered life-threatening injuries and required emergency
brain surgery following a horror fall in Hong Kong in 2006, said insurance for jockeys
was almost unobtainable.

"Insurance is hard to get because there's a lot of falls and there's not enough jockeys
to insure," he told ABC Radio.

"It's a small array of jockeys around Australia and that's all they can get.

"It's not a big working force where you can go insure 50,000 people or something like that."

AAP sm/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: TURF JOCKEYS

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