We are delighted to bring you an interview with Joel Belbin, Second Travelling Lad with Team Tizzard….
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself……
I am a 30 year old lad, who has been in racing since I left school. I have also ridden as a Amatuer and conditional jockey with very little success.
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What sparked your interest in horses?
I had no interest in racing or horses at school, I didn’t sit on a horse till I was 15 and it just took off from there.
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Do you have or need any training for your position?
I went to the British racing school and got an NVQ2 that’s all you really need.
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How did you find the position at the Tizzards?
I just fell into it really.
Can you tell us about your daily routine, both on normal days and race days?
A day in work consists of riding 4 horses, mucking out and grooming them. A day at the races will depend on the time I leave and wether I need to get the horses ready to travel or I have a member of staff coming with me who will do that whilst I get the racing kit ready and diesel the lorry up.
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What is the hardest part of your job?
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There isn’t really a hard part to the job if I am being honest, apart from watching people who don’t want to be in the job!
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What is the best part of your job?
Leading winners up and winning big races
There has been plenty in the news about a stable staff shortage, what is your view on this and as somebody who cares for horses on a daily basis, what in your opinion can be a solution to this?
Stop teaching the kids who are going to racing school the things that they don’t need to know…… Such as.. How to school horses over hurdles and take them through starting stalls cause that doesn’t happen straight away in a yard and it is giving them a false hope and when they come into a yard, some are thinking that they are the next best thing since sliced bread.
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The team has had plenty of highs and lows, how do you all mange both?
Unfortunately you just have to learn to deal and live with it.
Finally, thank you for your time, could you give our readers one horse they should put in their tracker for the rest of the season?
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We’ve plenty of nice horses in the yard, but Elixir Du Nutz who won the grade one Tolworth hurdle is a smart horse.
We would like to thank Joel for his time and wish Joel and the rest of Team Tizzard a very successful season and for the future.
Interview – Rich Williams
Photos – Joel Belbin & Elixir Du Nutz Courtesy of Francesca Altoft
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