The British Horseracing Authority has today confirmed that Sue Ringrose, a longstanding Coach Educator for the BHA Jockey and Rider Coaching Programmes, has made the final three of the “Coach Educator of the Year” category at the prestigious UK Coaching Awards.
Sue has made the final three from 324 nominations from around the UK across all sporting disciplines and the award ceremony will take place at The Tower Hotel in London on Thursday 5 December.
By providing top class training to those who will then go on to train apprentice or conditional riders as well as racing grooms, Sue has been the backbone the BHA’s coach education in both the Jockey Coaching Programme and newly introduced Rider Coaching Programme.
Coaching is now provided to over 90% of the near 200 Apprentice and Conditional Jockeys, by coaches who have been trained by Sue.
As an outstanding and well recognised equestrian coach herself, she has been hugely effective in inspiring, enthusing and developing senior racing staff to train as rider coaches. These coaches will be central to the professional development of over 6,000 racing grooms announced last year.
UK Coaching, with HRH The Princess Royal as its Patron and Chaired by Atholl Duncan, oversees coaching activity across all sporting disciplines. The prestigious annual UK Coaching awards play a huge part in raising the profile of coaching. The awards honour great coaching from people and organisations, and demonstrates the role coaching plays in transforming lives and inspiring an active nation.
Gill Greeves, Vocational Training Manager at the BHA, said:
“Whether developing the coaching skills of a former Grand National winning Jockey or a 20 year old Racing Groom, Sue is able to share her passion for coaching with sensitivity, compassion, humour and a determination to showcase the best in horse and rider safety and welfare.
“I’m thrilled that her dedication, hard work and constant desire to improve has been recognised by the UK Coaching Awards and there would be no more deserving winner were she to win in December.”
Leighton Aspell, dual Grand National Winning Jockey, said:
“Sue Ringrose has recently helped me achieve my Level 2 Jockey Coaching qualification. Her enthusiasm and guidance helped me to develop the confidence and skills I needed to qualify as a Jockey Coach. She was a great support throughout the training programme and gave fantastic insight into the whole coaching process.”
Notes to editors:
1. Sue Ringrose has a career in the equestrian industry which spans 45 years. On leaving school she gained her equestrian teaching qualifications and spent several years supporting grassroots and competition riders.
As a keen equestrian competitor, she evented to a high level and trained international riders and horses. She used her coaching links to help fellow competitors to become successful. Gaining more advanced equestrian coaching qualifications and competing on the international stage, she became a British Eventing Accredited Coach. Sue recently achieved an MSc in Sports Coaching at Leeds University and has been Coach Educator for the British Horseracing Authority since 2014.
2. Sue Ringrose:
