Local talent Brittany Button is one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a jockey.
The 24-year-old has been riding for local horse trainer Gerald Egan, and this experience has allowed her to secure a spot in a prestigious program.
Eleven aspiring jockeys, including Button, were welcomed into Racing Victoria’s Apprentice Jockey Training Program at Moonee Valley Racecourse on February 12 ahead of their four-year apprenticeship to become senior riders.
Button was excited to be accepted into the program and said her riding experience with Egan was crucial to her being accepted.
“(It’s) Absolutely amazing,” Button said.
“As (there are) only 11 of us competent riders, all the applicants were pretty amazing.
“He’s (Egan) the absolute best. I could not thank him enough.
“I was very lucky to get the job with him over 12 months ago after riding trackwork for many years.”
Along with the Benalla local, 10 other riders have been selected for the 2024 training program:
- Nadia Daniels (Pat Carey) — 18 years old
- Sage Duric (Phillip Stokes) — 21 years old
- Olivia East (Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr) — 22 years old
- Stephanie Hateley (Anthony and Sam Freedman) — 28 years old
- Samantha Kennedy-Roessling (Matt Laurie) — 20 years old
- Ruby Lamont (Michael Kent) — 21 years old
- Eliza Lloyd (Luke Oliver) — 23 years old
- Chris Pang (Leon and Troy Corstens) — 28 years old
- Hayley Spitse (Ben, JD and Will Hayes) — 21 years old
- Zoe Waller (Julien Welsh) — 18 years old
The cohort is the biggest since 2015, and Button says it is exciting to see the sport continue to grow.
“In the racing industry, we kind of all have the same passion,” she said.
“We’re all there for the horses and the sport, but it’s just kind of good seeing us all grow together, becoming jockeys, because at the start of the program, we’re only track riders, and now we’ve all kind of been inducted as jockeys.”
The selection process required the aspiring jockeys to prove themselves capable riders through the extensive application process.
The riders worked with Racing Victoria’s apprentice jockey coaches, Darren Gauci and Alf Matthews, throughout the application process.
Both have vast experience as former jockeys competing in Australia and overseas.
Button says she can’t wait to work with them throughout the training program.
“They’re absolutely amazing,” she said.
“The support that they’ve already shown us, they did throughout the whole selection period, (is incredible).
“You can see why they were such good jockeys back in the day.”
The aspiring jockeys will also learn and develop skills related to equine welfare, performance analysis, personal wellbeing, nutrition, physiotherapy, media, finance and business management from specialists in these fields.
Button would like to thank all the trainers and Benalla locals involved in the racing and equine industry who have given her support.
“I’ve done a lot of riding in Benalla,” she said.
“(I’d like to thank) Peter Donnelly. I’ve ridden for him and I got my first ever trackwork with him when I was 14.”
“And there’s a lot of other local trainers (who have supported me), too many to mention, but I just want to thank all of them.
“I still have got a lot of support from Andrew Dale from Wangaratta and Pete Smith and a lot of other Benalla trainers. They’re still supporting me to this day.”