16. Becky Smith
This latest article features Becky Smith, one of the country’s leading amateur jockeys. Although I’m far from being an expert in the sport, I do enjoy horse racing, and used to go to the odd meeting back in the late 80s, as well as threatening the local bookmaker with financial ruin courtesy of a daily 10p Lucky 15.
Back in 2016, my good friend Keith enabled me to ‘own’ a racehorse for a day. It was a wonderful experience; these racehorses are just magnificent animals – and athletes – and I also have so much respect for the skill (and undoubted bravery) of all the jockeys.
As I mentioned, my in-depth knowledge of racing is as limited as the number of winning betting slips way back when, but before trying to understand more about what it’s actually like to ride competitively (both on the flat and over jumps), I first asked Becky how she’d become involved in the sport – did she come from a horseracing family?
“No, my Dad was a rugby league coach. He coached the Leeds ‘A’ team for a little while – Leeds RL as they were then; or Leeds Rhinos as they are now – back in the 80s.
“I was only very little then, but there were always some fans who Dad would speak with from the dugout after the game. There was a couple called Derek and Tracey Pullein who had a riding school; I think they were chatting and my dad said: ‘I’d love my girls to do something like that’ – albeit before he realised how expensive having horses was! – and we got yomped off one weekend to have a riding lesson.
“My sister Gemma absolutely loved it. I absolutely hated it; but that was our weekends for the foreseeable and school holidays. We got our own ponies and I wasn’t really that bothered, but I think when we first went I was only about three, so it was all a bit too much; but whatever my sister was doing, I was doing as well, so we went off and started riding ponies … and got quite good at it!”
My ear (I only have one that works) pricked up when Becky mentioned rugby league; and I wanted to find out a bit more about her father, Norman.
“Dad passed away four years ago in March,” Becky explained, “but you wouldn’t believe the people he kept in touch with for years and years; he knew everyone ... everywhere we went when I was a kid, someone knew him; it was almost annoying when you were a child! I can even remember when we went on holiday to Greece or somewhere like that; we were just walking down a street and somebody knew him – so embarrassing!
“There were so many people at his funeral. He used to coach and play for the Milford Marlins; one of his friends sponsors the club and they’ve hashtagged ‘Stormin Norman’ on the back of their shirts. They sent me and my sister one through with his playing number on the back; he was literally like a God in that place and the legacy he left behind with his sport set us really good foundations for where we’re going in our sport.
“Dad loved racing. He was my biggest fan, but also my biggest critic. It wasn’t until I got a little bit older that I actually listened to anything that he said … in any sport! I played a lot of hockey and netball, and any sport I played, he always knew better! He used to drive me mad!
“I can always remember him saying to me once: ‘The only thing that’s going to fail you in any sport is your ears. And honestly, until I got into my early 20s, I didn’t know what he was on about!”
And how did Becky’s equine interest develop?
“In terms of the horses, we got really friendly with the Pulleins, almost like family; and my sister Gemma followed their daughters route into the racing world, which brought her to Micky Hammond’s – she would have been 15, so I’d have been about 10. My sister went to racing college; she stayed at Micky’s, and she’s still there now; and I just sort of followed suit.
“Gemma is my inspiration; she’s my rock, and my hero. She does so much for me so that I can shine; she really is my world…
“My mum passed away 15 or 16 years ago, I was doing my ‘A’ levels and my sister was already working and away from home; I didn’t know what to do, so I went to Ireland. The Pulleins put me up and got me a job working with a guy who had young horses, thoroughbreds and point to pointers; I went for a summer and came back five years later! That was a really good experience.”
I asked if that was the O’Connors, Paurick and Grainne; I knew it was, but I just wanted to show Becky that I’d done some preparation!
“It was the O’Connors, yes, and my time with them was really the foundation of my love of the sport. I loved horses, but I just wasn’t sure where I was going. I played hockey to quite a high level, then I got an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] injury around the same time Mum died, and I felt I was just wandering a bit. I went to the O’Connor’s and they got me back on the straight and narrow, then when I came back Micky offered me a job to ride as an amateur on the flat for the summer, and I just worked my way up.
“I’ve gone from working part-time and riding out, riding on the track a bit, I was Micky’s head girl for a few years, and now I’m in an assistant trainer’s position. It’s taken a lot of years, but I’ve sort of followed in my sister’s footsteps through our love of sport and horses. We’ve got a competitive mindset and whatever we were doing, there would have to be some element of competition.
“I think if I’d rehabilitated properly when I hurt my knee the first time round, and we’d had the help and the physios then that we have now, I would have probably stayed playing [hockey]. I don’t know if I’d have made the grade; and I suppose it was my mindset then that I wasn’t willing to find out. I was a little bit afraid of failure when I was younger.
“My Mum just wanted us to be happy, but with my dad being so successful and competitive, I wouldn’t call him a pushy parent - well, borderline! – he wanted us to be the best at whatever we did, so I think that mindset has helped take us to where we are now.”
Even now, I had started to realise that Becky was just about my perfect interviewee. Having grown up in Yorkshire, she’s got an accent I could listen to all day … and even better than that, she is as brilliant at giving long answers as I am rubbish at asking questions!
I just wanted to take a step back and ask Becky about her time in Ireland. To be planning to visit for a few months, but ending up staying five years would suggest she had fitted in really well and thoroughly enjoyed the environment and way of life…
“I couldn’t have been welcomed any better,” Becky readily admitted. “Obviously the Pulleins were there, they were settled and well-known; and it was a very small village where I went to live. My mum had only died the year before so I was still a little bit unsure of myself; but I suppose you have to grow up really quickly when something like that happens. I had a really solid group of friends and support network. Paurick and Grainne and his mother Jean and his brothers all took me in, and made me like a part of the family. I suppose I just got my head down and worked hard.
“It was very quiet and peaceful, but the job was hard. I wasn’t the best rider in the world, so I’ve got a lot to thank them for. I suppose it was nice being 19, going over to small village and making lifelong friends. I’m still in touch with them all now. I suppose I was leaving behind a bad time; I lost touch with some of my school friends, which over time you do regret a little bit; but under the circumstances I think I was really lucky.”
So had Becky been given the chance to ride competitively whilst over in Ireland?
“I did have a few point to point rides. It’s a lot different over there; I probably had 20 rides and a couple of winners, and a couple of rides on the track. I suppose it was because I’d worked hard that I was given the opportunities, but I wouldn’t have said it was a going to be a career path.
“I’m a late developer in terms of the racing side of the sport; I didn’t get that buzz until later on…
“But I think Micky had seen me in a hurdle race in Thurles, and he’d told my sister he’d liked the way I’d ridden and did she think I’d come back and ride in amateur flat races?
“I’d never ridden on the flat. I don’t think I’d even been in the stalls since racing college before my first ride; but things just fell into place really well for me. My boss encouraged me to go and get the experience, so I came back and that summer I rode out a bit for Kevin Ryan, and got the chance to catch up with some friends, which was nice. I was just riding out on a morning, so I was able to have that down time.”
Becky won the amateur lady jockey championship on the flat in 2018, having been runner up in the national hunt [jumps] championship that same year [the 2017/18 season]. Becky was runner-up again, this time to Tabitha Worsley in 2018/19, so it’s obvious she is a hugely talented rider across both codes. Does she have a preference? And how easy is it to transfer between the flat and national hunt disciplines?
“There might be an occasion when you have to pick whether you’re going to ride on the flat or over jumps, but the switch itself is easy; you’re just race riding whether there’s an obstacle in front of you, or you’re jumping out of the stalls. It’s not something that I find difficult.
“I love my jumps racing because that’s what I’ve been brought up with, but in terms of riding on the flat, I just did it for the first couple of years to keep fit during the summer. I enjoyed it; I had a couple of winners, but nothing exciting. But then it just picked up; it took a long time because it’s only a couple of years ago that I had my most successful season in both codes. I’d had 15 winners over jumps and 11 on the flat, and held the title for the most winners ridden in a season on the turf. The whole year was an absolute fairy tale for me.
“At the time I was trying to ride the double. It’s never been done before in a season – in fact I don’t think it’s ever been done by anyone at all – and I was just really unfortunate that I bumped into Paige Fuller, who’s now excelling as a professional jockey. Honestly it felt that whenever we both went racing, we rode a winner. I was two-up, she was two-up; I think she won by maybe three or four winners in the end, then she turned professional.
“I’m still striving to win the jumps championship – that’s sort of my retirement goal. If I lifted that trophy, I’d certainly be ending on a high.”
Does Becky’s level of success help secure more rides?
“I’ve been around a while and people will ring me with rides, especially on the flat; but I’m so lucky to be attached to Micky. He gives me so many good rides. Jo Foster’s been very loyal to me since I started riding for her. When he was training, Richard Ford gave me my first winner against professionals over fences. So yes, I’ve been lucky with outside rides, but if you’re happy where you are and feel supported, you stay loyal … well I certainly do, and it’s worked out so far!”
As someone whose riding career had ended after hanging on for dear life to a donkey called Bobby on Blackpool beach back in the early 70s, I wanted to try and understand something of a jump jockey’s mentality. Whilst I’m sure it can be an exhilarating experience, there’s always that possibility that horse or jockey could sustain serious injury … how does Becky deal with the mental side of the sport?
“I think if you started thinking ‘what if’, that’s probably your time to finish racing. We’ve all been there when people have had career-ending injuries, we’ve all seen people have horrific falls; and I think if you start thinking about that then that’s when your mindset’s going to be wrong.
“You can call it mental toughness, but there’s a strong support network in the weighing room, especially from the senior jockeys. If you have a fall and you’re maybe a bit shaken up, you’re not going to tell anybody; but when one of the jockeys turns round and asks if you’re alright, or says that you didn’t do anything wrong, the horse just fell; all of a sudden everyone’s around you, and their mindset actually helps you as well.
“Even if you’re having a really bad time, there’s always somebody to turn to. Like Micky, he was second in the championship when he was a jump jockey – he could have been a champion jockey but for a lot of injuries – he’s a really level-headed and kind person, but he’s also straight to the point about situations.
“He’s always there if I need to talk; and if I ride a winner for somebody else, he’ll be the first one on the phone.
“Then there’s Brian Hughes, Sean Quinlan, Richie McLernon, there’s so many you could name; but for me, Alain Cawley, who rides for us, is someone I could ring anytime night or day, or knock on his front door, watch the racing, and go through races with him…
“We always used to go to Wetherby over Christmas with my dad; it was our treat to go racing for those two or three days. We used to go and watch the Charlie Hall [Chase] in October and the Castleford [Chase] was another we liked to watch.
“I rode [Eragone] in the Castleford for Micky this year, my first ride in the race. I rode the horse at Carlisle and he didn’t run very well, but at Wetherby I finished second and was beaten half a length. I switched to the inside and then came back out to the outside … and my instructions were clear to stay on the outside.
“So I got beaten by half a length and it was heart-breaking. I was driving home and just couldn’t see past the end of the steering wheel; I felt numb the whole way home. I just rang Alain and said I know I should have won, but can you go through it with me. He said no problem and told me things that I could have done; it just put me in a better frame of mind.
“Then maybe about a week later, Micky sat down and watched the race with me, I thought the horse had done well after his run at Carlisle, but Micky told me I should have won, I threw the race away, and should have done what he’d said … and that’s the element of passion in what we’re doing.
“I just sat there and told him there’s nobody here that would want to win the Castleford more than me … anyway the horse that had beaten me went out and won a Grade 1 race by about seven lengths; and Micky just said: ‘Well at least the form’s standing up!’
“I didn’t think I’d ride the horse again, and for a few days I was in quite a bad frame of mind. I ride the horse every day, I’d put my heart and soul into him; and I just had to pull myself together – it was me that had messed up. I had to get over it, and if somebody else was going to ride him, that’s fine.
“Micky left me on the horse though, and I fell two out when going on to win at Wetherby last time out. He would have won, but there was nothing you could do about it; it was just one of those falls, he didn’t get his feet out of the ground. We ended up getting quite a heavy fall, but I’d redeemed myself; even though he fell, he was going to win on the bridle.
“My mindset coming in from getting beaten by half a length to then actually falling off it, and feeling a bit sorry for myself – I actually had a delayed concussion and didn’t feel very well for a few days – was totally different. I’d given him a good ride. So mentally, you have to keep yourself in the right mindset…”
Becky paused. I was primed and ready to ask another of my searching questions, when she set off again. Honestly, she was making my ‘job’ so easy – and hugely enjoyable.
“But aren’t we lucky as sports people now that we have all these psychologists and people to talk to. I know mental health is a massive thing and we’ve seen it first hand; but our sport can be so cruel sometimes. You can swap jockeys after one bad run, even if you won the three times before that. It’s very fickle, but people are paying for that pleasure and that hobby I suppose; but equally I can see how some people can struggle with their mental health as a result.”
We also discussed the subject of being trolled on social media, something that Becky has experienced first-hand. “I know if I’ve given a horse a terrible ride, but I know even more if I look at my phone and I’ve got ten notifications on Twitter,” she smiled rather ruefully.
Fortunately comments from presumably disgruntled punters no longer bother her, but the ability to be abusive to a stranger from the comparative safety of a keyboard clearly isn’t restricted to horseracing; and it’s disgusting that athletes involved in essentially any sport on which it’s possible to place a bet are somehow considered ‘fair game’.
Becky did share a couple of genuinely uplifting stories to show that there is a positive side to social media, but it was high time I asked Becky about a horse on which she’s been particularly successful. The horse is called Stormin Norman and she’d mentioned that name in connection with her father earlier in the conversation. That surely couldn’t be a coincidence.
“Yeah,” Becky grinned, “he’s named after my dad!
“I think I’ve ridden four winners on him now. Actually, I don’t think … I have ridden four!
“The story goes that Dad used to go to the pub on a Friday, or Monday … well he went to the pub a lot! They lads there used to say ‘put a pound in the pot and one day we’ll have enough to buy a racehorse’ – not that they ever did put money in a pot, but anyway…
“But then sadly Dad passed away and his mates all came good. They got in touch and said a bunch of us want to buy a horse. We told them it wasn’t that easy, but we’d have a go. Kate Walton who works with us, her sister Liz worked at Guy Reed Racing Stud and she had a couple of two-year olds for sale. Kate took my sister Gemma over to the stud to have a look.
“There was a Sir Percy gelding out of a mare called Roses, who had been quite successful for Alan Swinbank; there was a Mount Nelson filly, and something else, I can’t remember; but anyway, there’s a video of them careering round the field and Gemma sent me pictures of them all. The gelding just had this full white face, and he was so small; but one of my favourite horses at Micky’s is by Sir Percy, so we went for that one.
“It didn’t cost a lot of money, so all the lads put in and bought this little guy. The name Stormin Norman was available, but I really had reservations about calling him that because if he was no good, it would be quite disheartening to have a really rubbish horse named after your dad!
“There was only one girl in the group, Janice, she was my dad’s karaoke partner, and she said to me if he’s really rubbish how much would it cost to keep him as a pet. I said I didn’t really know, but she just said she’d pay for him to be your pet if he’s rubbish … so long as we can call him Stormin Norman. So that was the deal!
“He showed a little bit of promise first time out. I suppose we ran him on the wrong ground and he got a little bit weak after that, so we gave him a freshen up and there was a race at Market Rasen, where he’d had his debut and run well; and Micky said we’ll get him ready for that.
“The day came, he ran and he won in a photo finish by maybe a nose over a horse that I later won on over hurdles; but it turned out when we pieced everything together that it was a year to the day since my dad’s funeral; and he had no.6 number cloth, which was Dad’s playing number.
“If you’d written that, people would never have believed it. It was a really special day, my sister was in absolute floods of tears – we couldn’t do anything with her – and I was so calm; and it wasn’t until we got home that we realised that we’d actually achieved my dad’s dream with all his pals.”
Just a brilliant story; but Becky was in full flow, so I’m handing you straight back!
“He just went from strength to strength after that. We ran him on the flat and he won maybe third or fourth start at Ripon. Franny Norton who was one of Dad’s favourite jockeys rode him
“I’d ridden in Abu Dhabi, and Dad had flown out to surprise me because I was riding in the final. Franny Norton was on the trip and they just hit it off – they were a nightmare together – and Dad used to always ask about him when I was racing. We had another horse in the race, which I’d led up, but when Stormin Norman crossed the line, I ran over to Franny and he just patted me on the back and said: ‘That one’s for Dad, kid!’
“Then I went to the Carlisle Ladies Night, where it’s an all-ladies riding card, and won on him there. Winning a race on ladies night would have been right up Dad’s street; he’d have loved that…
“First time out over hurdles, it would have been Mum’s 70th birthday; he’d nearly tailed off jumping two out and just sprouted wings, flew home and won. The horse is an absolute fairy tale in himself. I take absolutely no credit for him – he’s just got a bit of Dad in him I think.”
When I watch the closing stages of a race, albeit through untrained eyes, I look out for the jockeys who are just sitting tight, as those around them start riding their horses along to keep up with the pace of the leaders. Again, probably a naïve question, but how readily does Becky get a sense of how her horse is travelling, both in itself, but also in comparison to those around it? I referenced a race that Becky had won, where her horse simply cruised past the opposition with Becky almost motionless in the saddle.
“If you’re travelling well and the horse is feeling strong and full of running, that’s the best sensation ever…
“I’ll know the horse you’re talking about; that was Ladronne who finished second to Norman in that national hunt flat race. He just literally cantered past everybody and won, and it was probably the easiest winner I’ve ever ridden!
“There are times when you know you’re travelling a bit better than certain horses. When Norman won his maiden hurdle at Sedgefield, I honestly thought jumping two out if I finished seventh, that would be great. He didn’t seem to be enjoying himself; he’d taken to hurdles okay, but it maybe wasn’t what he liked doing best … but he’s just a one off. He does as he pleases and I just sit on top; that’s how me and Norman work!
“You always have a sense of where you are; sometimes you’re unfortunate, you think you’ve got everything covered and something will come flying from behind you. That’s the way racing is; but I think the more experienced you get, the more you get a feel for a horse … and obviously the more you ride certain horses, you get a better feel for them.”
And if the horse is not quite good enough on the day?
“The horse will tell you itself. If you’re asking it to go forward and giving it a little tap down the shoulder with your stick and a shove along and they’re not responding, you’ve got to listen to what your horse is telling you.
“Sometimes you they give you the sense that they’re not really trying, or maybe they’re just not good enough or not feeling 100 percent. Other times, you get off, scratch your head and have no idea what’s wrong with the horse, but you know if you’re struggling, you look after the horse.
“We’re in it for winners, but obviously the horse’s welfare always comes first.”
Going back to that win on Ladronne, there must be a point in a race when, as a jockey, you realise you’re becoming increasingly likely to win. All jockeys are ‘professional’ in what they do, whether or not they’re paid for their services, but if you’re going to win, or lose for that matter; can the horse get a sense of how the jockey is reacting to a certain situation?
I know the question hasn’t been put particularly well; trust me, it was phrased considerably worse when I actually asked it!
“I think they get a massive feeling and if you’re in that [winning] position the less you do the better. Just keep a good rhythm and it sounds stupid, but don’t forget to breathe. The horse feels everything through the reins; they go into the horse’s mouth, it’s sensitive, so the calmer and more relaxed you can be with them, the calmer they’ll be.
“At the end of the day, they’re conforming with what you’re asking them to do, so give them that sense of confidence and I’m sure it makes a massive difference.”
These past months have being challenging to say the least, but as a final question, what is next for Becky Smith?
“I think the Covid year as we’ll call it has been difficult for everybody, but it’s given me a bit of time to freshen up and rethink, and realise how much I really miss it. I was banned for the first week after amateurs stopped racing, so that didn’t bother me, the second week was quite nice because I knew once I’d finished work, I’d be going home, that was me done for the day. Me and my partner Claire have just bought a house and we’ve been doing it up, and it was great to be able to get things done. By week three it was starting to annoy me, and then week four … well I was just so bored of it!
“In my first season riding over jumps I think I rode one winner, and ever since then I’ve wanted to win the championship. The first year I came close I was leading the championship until April and I didn’t even know; it just wasn’t on my radar … but it’s on my bucket list now!”
This was interview no.16, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them – reconnecting with friends, and speaking to new people, all of whom share the drive, determination and ability to excel in what they do. As I suggested earlier though, this was the interviewing equivalent of being on the bridle coming up to the last fence … Becky is an engaging, insightful, fascinating and funny young woman and I hope I’ve been able to capture all of those things in the article.
There might not be much I can do to help Becky achieve her racing goal, but I reckon if I resurrect my Lucky 15s and select rival horses in races where Becky is riding, I might just be able to tip the odds in her favour.
© Richard Kirby and Becky Smith 2021
Back in 2016, my good friend Keith enabled me to ‘own’ a racehorse for a day. It was a wonderful experience; these racehorses are just magnificent animals – and athletes – and I also have so much respect for the skill (and undoubted bravery) of all the jockeys.
As I mentioned, my in-depth knowledge of racing is as limited as the number of winning betting slips way back when, but before trying to understand more about what it’s actually like to ride competitively (both on the flat and over jumps), I first asked Becky how she’d become involved in the sport – did she come from a horseracing family?
“No, my Dad was a rugby league coach. He coached the Leeds ‘A’ team for a little while – Leeds RL as they were then; or Leeds Rhinos as they are now – back in the 80s.
“I was only very little then, but there were always some fans who Dad would speak with from the dugout after the game. There was a couple called Derek and Tracey Pullein who had a riding school; I think they were chatting and my dad said: ‘I’d love my girls to do something like that’ – albeit before he realised how expensive having horses was! – and we got yomped off one weekend to have a riding lesson.
“My sister Gemma absolutely loved it. I absolutely hated it; but that was our weekends for the foreseeable and school holidays. We got our own ponies and I wasn’t really that bothered, but I think when we first went I was only about three, so it was all a bit too much; but whatever my sister was doing, I was doing as well, so we went off and started riding ponies … and got quite good at it!”
My ear (I only have one that works) pricked up when Becky mentioned rugby league; and I wanted to find out a bit more about her father, Norman.
“Dad passed away four years ago in March,” Becky explained, “but you wouldn’t believe the people he kept in touch with for years and years; he knew everyone ... everywhere we went when I was a kid, someone knew him; it was almost annoying when you were a child! I can even remember when we went on holiday to Greece or somewhere like that; we were just walking down a street and somebody knew him – so embarrassing!
“There were so many people at his funeral. He used to coach and play for the Milford Marlins; one of his friends sponsors the club and they’ve hashtagged ‘Stormin Norman’ on the back of their shirts. They sent me and my sister one through with his playing number on the back; he was literally like a God in that place and the legacy he left behind with his sport set us really good foundations for where we’re going in our sport.
“Dad loved racing. He was my biggest fan, but also my biggest critic. It wasn’t until I got a little bit older that I actually listened to anything that he said … in any sport! I played a lot of hockey and netball, and any sport I played, he always knew better! He used to drive me mad!
“I can always remember him saying to me once: ‘The only thing that’s going to fail you in any sport is your ears. And honestly, until I got into my early 20s, I didn’t know what he was on about!”
And how did Becky’s equine interest develop?
“In terms of the horses, we got really friendly with the Pulleins, almost like family; and my sister Gemma followed their daughters route into the racing world, which brought her to Micky Hammond’s – she would have been 15, so I’d have been about 10. My sister went to racing college; she stayed at Micky’s, and she’s still there now; and I just sort of followed suit.
“Gemma is my inspiration; she’s my rock, and my hero. She does so much for me so that I can shine; she really is my world…
“My mum passed away 15 or 16 years ago, I was doing my ‘A’ levels and my sister was already working and away from home; I didn’t know what to do, so I went to Ireland. The Pulleins put me up and got me a job working with a guy who had young horses, thoroughbreds and point to pointers; I went for a summer and came back five years later! That was a really good experience.”
I asked if that was the O’Connors, Paurick and Grainne; I knew it was, but I just wanted to show Becky that I’d done some preparation!
“It was the O’Connors, yes, and my time with them was really the foundation of my love of the sport. I loved horses, but I just wasn’t sure where I was going. I played hockey to quite a high level, then I got an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] injury around the same time Mum died, and I felt I was just wandering a bit. I went to the O’Connor’s and they got me back on the straight and narrow, then when I came back Micky offered me a job to ride as an amateur on the flat for the summer, and I just worked my way up.
“I’ve gone from working part-time and riding out, riding on the track a bit, I was Micky’s head girl for a few years, and now I’m in an assistant trainer’s position. It’s taken a lot of years, but I’ve sort of followed in my sister’s footsteps through our love of sport and horses. We’ve got a competitive mindset and whatever we were doing, there would have to be some element of competition.
“I think if I’d rehabilitated properly when I hurt my knee the first time round, and we’d had the help and the physios then that we have now, I would have probably stayed playing [hockey]. I don’t know if I’d have made the grade; and I suppose it was my mindset then that I wasn’t willing to find out. I was a little bit afraid of failure when I was younger.
“My Mum just wanted us to be happy, but with my dad being so successful and competitive, I wouldn’t call him a pushy parent - well, borderline! – he wanted us to be the best at whatever we did, so I think that mindset has helped take us to where we are now.”
Even now, I had started to realise that Becky was just about my perfect interviewee. Having grown up in Yorkshire, she’s got an accent I could listen to all day … and even better than that, she is as brilliant at giving long answers as I am rubbish at asking questions!
I just wanted to take a step back and ask Becky about her time in Ireland. To be planning to visit for a few months, but ending up staying five years would suggest she had fitted in really well and thoroughly enjoyed the environment and way of life…
“I couldn’t have been welcomed any better,” Becky readily admitted. “Obviously the Pulleins were there, they were settled and well-known; and it was a very small village where I went to live. My mum had only died the year before so I was still a little bit unsure of myself; but I suppose you have to grow up really quickly when something like that happens. I had a really solid group of friends and support network. Paurick and Grainne and his mother Jean and his brothers all took me in, and made me like a part of the family. I suppose I just got my head down and worked hard.
“It was very quiet and peaceful, but the job was hard. I wasn’t the best rider in the world, so I’ve got a lot to thank them for. I suppose it was nice being 19, going over to small village and making lifelong friends. I’m still in touch with them all now. I suppose I was leaving behind a bad time; I lost touch with some of my school friends, which over time you do regret a little bit; but under the circumstances I think I was really lucky.”
So had Becky been given the chance to ride competitively whilst over in Ireland?
“I did have a few point to point rides. It’s a lot different over there; I probably had 20 rides and a couple of winners, and a couple of rides on the track. I suppose it was because I’d worked hard that I was given the opportunities, but I wouldn’t have said it was a going to be a career path.
“I’m a late developer in terms of the racing side of the sport; I didn’t get that buzz until later on…
“But I think Micky had seen me in a hurdle race in Thurles, and he’d told my sister he’d liked the way I’d ridden and did she think I’d come back and ride in amateur flat races?
“I’d never ridden on the flat. I don’t think I’d even been in the stalls since racing college before my first ride; but things just fell into place really well for me. My boss encouraged me to go and get the experience, so I came back and that summer I rode out a bit for Kevin Ryan, and got the chance to catch up with some friends, which was nice. I was just riding out on a morning, so I was able to have that down time.”
Becky won the amateur lady jockey championship on the flat in 2018, having been runner up in the national hunt [jumps] championship that same year [the 2017/18 season]. Becky was runner-up again, this time to Tabitha Worsley in 2018/19, so it’s obvious she is a hugely talented rider across both codes. Does she have a preference? And how easy is it to transfer between the flat and national hunt disciplines?
“There might be an occasion when you have to pick whether you’re going to ride on the flat or over jumps, but the switch itself is easy; you’re just race riding whether there’s an obstacle in front of you, or you’re jumping out of the stalls. It’s not something that I find difficult.
“I love my jumps racing because that’s what I’ve been brought up with, but in terms of riding on the flat, I just did it for the first couple of years to keep fit during the summer. I enjoyed it; I had a couple of winners, but nothing exciting. But then it just picked up; it took a long time because it’s only a couple of years ago that I had my most successful season in both codes. I’d had 15 winners over jumps and 11 on the flat, and held the title for the most winners ridden in a season on the turf. The whole year was an absolute fairy tale for me.
“At the time I was trying to ride the double. It’s never been done before in a season – in fact I don’t think it’s ever been done by anyone at all – and I was just really unfortunate that I bumped into Paige Fuller, who’s now excelling as a professional jockey. Honestly it felt that whenever we both went racing, we rode a winner. I was two-up, she was two-up; I think she won by maybe three or four winners in the end, then she turned professional.
“I’m still striving to win the jumps championship – that’s sort of my retirement goal. If I lifted that trophy, I’d certainly be ending on a high.”
Does Becky’s level of success help secure more rides?
“I’ve been around a while and people will ring me with rides, especially on the flat; but I’m so lucky to be attached to Micky. He gives me so many good rides. Jo Foster’s been very loyal to me since I started riding for her. When he was training, Richard Ford gave me my first winner against professionals over fences. So yes, I’ve been lucky with outside rides, but if you’re happy where you are and feel supported, you stay loyal … well I certainly do, and it’s worked out so far!”
As someone whose riding career had ended after hanging on for dear life to a donkey called Bobby on Blackpool beach back in the early 70s, I wanted to try and understand something of a jump jockey’s mentality. Whilst I’m sure it can be an exhilarating experience, there’s always that possibility that horse or jockey could sustain serious injury … how does Becky deal with the mental side of the sport?
“I think if you started thinking ‘what if’, that’s probably your time to finish racing. We’ve all been there when people have had career-ending injuries, we’ve all seen people have horrific falls; and I think if you start thinking about that then that’s when your mindset’s going to be wrong.
“You can call it mental toughness, but there’s a strong support network in the weighing room, especially from the senior jockeys. If you have a fall and you’re maybe a bit shaken up, you’re not going to tell anybody; but when one of the jockeys turns round and asks if you’re alright, or says that you didn’t do anything wrong, the horse just fell; all of a sudden everyone’s around you, and their mindset actually helps you as well.
“Even if you’re having a really bad time, there’s always somebody to turn to. Like Micky, he was second in the championship when he was a jump jockey – he could have been a champion jockey but for a lot of injuries – he’s a really level-headed and kind person, but he’s also straight to the point about situations.
“He’s always there if I need to talk; and if I ride a winner for somebody else, he’ll be the first one on the phone.
“Then there’s Brian Hughes, Sean Quinlan, Richie McLernon, there’s so many you could name; but for me, Alain Cawley, who rides for us, is someone I could ring anytime night or day, or knock on his front door, watch the racing, and go through races with him…
“We always used to go to Wetherby over Christmas with my dad; it was our treat to go racing for those two or three days. We used to go and watch the Charlie Hall [Chase] in October and the Castleford [Chase] was another we liked to watch.
“I rode [Eragone] in the Castleford for Micky this year, my first ride in the race. I rode the horse at Carlisle and he didn’t run very well, but at Wetherby I finished second and was beaten half a length. I switched to the inside and then came back out to the outside … and my instructions were clear to stay on the outside.
“So I got beaten by half a length and it was heart-breaking. I was driving home and just couldn’t see past the end of the steering wheel; I felt numb the whole way home. I just rang Alain and said I know I should have won, but can you go through it with me. He said no problem and told me things that I could have done; it just put me in a better frame of mind.
“Then maybe about a week later, Micky sat down and watched the race with me, I thought the horse had done well after his run at Carlisle, but Micky told me I should have won, I threw the race away, and should have done what he’d said … and that’s the element of passion in what we’re doing.
“I just sat there and told him there’s nobody here that would want to win the Castleford more than me … anyway the horse that had beaten me went out and won a Grade 1 race by about seven lengths; and Micky just said: ‘Well at least the form’s standing up!’
“I didn’t think I’d ride the horse again, and for a few days I was in quite a bad frame of mind. I ride the horse every day, I’d put my heart and soul into him; and I just had to pull myself together – it was me that had messed up. I had to get over it, and if somebody else was going to ride him, that’s fine.
“Micky left me on the horse though, and I fell two out when going on to win at Wetherby last time out. He would have won, but there was nothing you could do about it; it was just one of those falls, he didn’t get his feet out of the ground. We ended up getting quite a heavy fall, but I’d redeemed myself; even though he fell, he was going to win on the bridle.
“My mindset coming in from getting beaten by half a length to then actually falling off it, and feeling a bit sorry for myself – I actually had a delayed concussion and didn’t feel very well for a few days – was totally different. I’d given him a good ride. So mentally, you have to keep yourself in the right mindset…”
Becky paused. I was primed and ready to ask another of my searching questions, when she set off again. Honestly, she was making my ‘job’ so easy – and hugely enjoyable.
“But aren’t we lucky as sports people now that we have all these psychologists and people to talk to. I know mental health is a massive thing and we’ve seen it first hand; but our sport can be so cruel sometimes. You can swap jockeys after one bad run, even if you won the three times before that. It’s very fickle, but people are paying for that pleasure and that hobby I suppose; but equally I can see how some people can struggle with their mental health as a result.”
We also discussed the subject of being trolled on social media, something that Becky has experienced first-hand. “I know if I’ve given a horse a terrible ride, but I know even more if I look at my phone and I’ve got ten notifications on Twitter,” she smiled rather ruefully.
Fortunately comments from presumably disgruntled punters no longer bother her, but the ability to be abusive to a stranger from the comparative safety of a keyboard clearly isn’t restricted to horseracing; and it’s disgusting that athletes involved in essentially any sport on which it’s possible to place a bet are somehow considered ‘fair game’.
Becky did share a couple of genuinely uplifting stories to show that there is a positive side to social media, but it was high time I asked Becky about a horse on which she’s been particularly successful. The horse is called Stormin Norman and she’d mentioned that name in connection with her father earlier in the conversation. That surely couldn’t be a coincidence.
“Yeah,” Becky grinned, “he’s named after my dad!
“I think I’ve ridden four winners on him now. Actually, I don’t think … I have ridden four!
“The story goes that Dad used to go to the pub on a Friday, or Monday … well he went to the pub a lot! They lads there used to say ‘put a pound in the pot and one day we’ll have enough to buy a racehorse’ – not that they ever did put money in a pot, but anyway…
“But then sadly Dad passed away and his mates all came good. They got in touch and said a bunch of us want to buy a horse. We told them it wasn’t that easy, but we’d have a go. Kate Walton who works with us, her sister Liz worked at Guy Reed Racing Stud and she had a couple of two-year olds for sale. Kate took my sister Gemma over to the stud to have a look.
“There was a Sir Percy gelding out of a mare called Roses, who had been quite successful for Alan Swinbank; there was a Mount Nelson filly, and something else, I can’t remember; but anyway, there’s a video of them careering round the field and Gemma sent me pictures of them all. The gelding just had this full white face, and he was so small; but one of my favourite horses at Micky’s is by Sir Percy, so we went for that one.
“It didn’t cost a lot of money, so all the lads put in and bought this little guy. The name Stormin Norman was available, but I really had reservations about calling him that because if he was no good, it would be quite disheartening to have a really rubbish horse named after your dad!
“There was only one girl in the group, Janice, she was my dad’s karaoke partner, and she said to me if he’s really rubbish how much would it cost to keep him as a pet. I said I didn’t really know, but she just said she’d pay for him to be your pet if he’s rubbish … so long as we can call him Stormin Norman. So that was the deal!
“He showed a little bit of promise first time out. I suppose we ran him on the wrong ground and he got a little bit weak after that, so we gave him a freshen up and there was a race at Market Rasen, where he’d had his debut and run well; and Micky said we’ll get him ready for that.
“The day came, he ran and he won in a photo finish by maybe a nose over a horse that I later won on over hurdles; but it turned out when we pieced everything together that it was a year to the day since my dad’s funeral; and he had no.6 number cloth, which was Dad’s playing number.
“If you’d written that, people would never have believed it. It was a really special day, my sister was in absolute floods of tears – we couldn’t do anything with her – and I was so calm; and it wasn’t until we got home that we realised that we’d actually achieved my dad’s dream with all his pals.”
Just a brilliant story; but Becky was in full flow, so I’m handing you straight back!
“He just went from strength to strength after that. We ran him on the flat and he won maybe third or fourth start at Ripon. Franny Norton who was one of Dad’s favourite jockeys rode him
“I’d ridden in Abu Dhabi, and Dad had flown out to surprise me because I was riding in the final. Franny Norton was on the trip and they just hit it off – they were a nightmare together – and Dad used to always ask about him when I was racing. We had another horse in the race, which I’d led up, but when Stormin Norman crossed the line, I ran over to Franny and he just patted me on the back and said: ‘That one’s for Dad, kid!’
“Then I went to the Carlisle Ladies Night, where it’s an all-ladies riding card, and won on him there. Winning a race on ladies night would have been right up Dad’s street; he’d have loved that…
“First time out over hurdles, it would have been Mum’s 70th birthday; he’d nearly tailed off jumping two out and just sprouted wings, flew home and won. The horse is an absolute fairy tale in himself. I take absolutely no credit for him – he’s just got a bit of Dad in him I think.”
When I watch the closing stages of a race, albeit through untrained eyes, I look out for the jockeys who are just sitting tight, as those around them start riding their horses along to keep up with the pace of the leaders. Again, probably a naïve question, but how readily does Becky get a sense of how her horse is travelling, both in itself, but also in comparison to those around it? I referenced a race that Becky had won, where her horse simply cruised past the opposition with Becky almost motionless in the saddle.
“If you’re travelling well and the horse is feeling strong and full of running, that’s the best sensation ever…
“I’ll know the horse you’re talking about; that was Ladronne who finished second to Norman in that national hunt flat race. He just literally cantered past everybody and won, and it was probably the easiest winner I’ve ever ridden!
“There are times when you know you’re travelling a bit better than certain horses. When Norman won his maiden hurdle at Sedgefield, I honestly thought jumping two out if I finished seventh, that would be great. He didn’t seem to be enjoying himself; he’d taken to hurdles okay, but it maybe wasn’t what he liked doing best … but he’s just a one off. He does as he pleases and I just sit on top; that’s how me and Norman work!
“You always have a sense of where you are; sometimes you’re unfortunate, you think you’ve got everything covered and something will come flying from behind you. That’s the way racing is; but I think the more experienced you get, the more you get a feel for a horse … and obviously the more you ride certain horses, you get a better feel for them.”
And if the horse is not quite good enough on the day?
“The horse will tell you itself. If you’re asking it to go forward and giving it a little tap down the shoulder with your stick and a shove along and they’re not responding, you’ve got to listen to what your horse is telling you.
“Sometimes you they give you the sense that they’re not really trying, or maybe they’re just not good enough or not feeling 100 percent. Other times, you get off, scratch your head and have no idea what’s wrong with the horse, but you know if you’re struggling, you look after the horse.
“We’re in it for winners, but obviously the horse’s welfare always comes first.”
Going back to that win on Ladronne, there must be a point in a race when, as a jockey, you realise you’re becoming increasingly likely to win. All jockeys are ‘professional’ in what they do, whether or not they’re paid for their services, but if you’re going to win, or lose for that matter; can the horse get a sense of how the jockey is reacting to a certain situation?
I know the question hasn’t been put particularly well; trust me, it was phrased considerably worse when I actually asked it!
“I think they get a massive feeling and if you’re in that [winning] position the less you do the better. Just keep a good rhythm and it sounds stupid, but don’t forget to breathe. The horse feels everything through the reins; they go into the horse’s mouth, it’s sensitive, so the calmer and more relaxed you can be with them, the calmer they’ll be.
“At the end of the day, they’re conforming with what you’re asking them to do, so give them that sense of confidence and I’m sure it makes a massive difference.”
These past months have being challenging to say the least, but as a final question, what is next for Becky Smith?
“I think the Covid year as we’ll call it has been difficult for everybody, but it’s given me a bit of time to freshen up and rethink, and realise how much I really miss it. I was banned for the first week after amateurs stopped racing, so that didn’t bother me, the second week was quite nice because I knew once I’d finished work, I’d be going home, that was me done for the day. Me and my partner Claire have just bought a house and we’ve been doing it up, and it was great to be able to get things done. By week three it was starting to annoy me, and then week four … well I was just so bored of it!
“In my first season riding over jumps I think I rode one winner, and ever since then I’ve wanted to win the championship. The first year I came close I was leading the championship until April and I didn’t even know; it just wasn’t on my radar … but it’s on my bucket list now!”
This was interview no.16, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them – reconnecting with friends, and speaking to new people, all of whom share the drive, determination and ability to excel in what they do. As I suggested earlier though, this was the interviewing equivalent of being on the bridle coming up to the last fence … Becky is an engaging, insightful, fascinating and funny young woman and I hope I’ve been able to capture all of those things in the article.
There might not be much I can do to help Becky achieve her racing goal, but I reckon if I resurrect my Lucky 15s and select rival horses in races where Becky is riding, I might just be able to tip the odds in her favour.
© Richard Kirby and Becky Smith 2021