Irish success in the horse-racing industry is remarkable considering the size of the population. Jockeys and trainers are becoming household names and the bloodstock industry is going from strength to strength.
Colm McCormack is one of the many young people eager to break into the industry. At the age of 16, he has already completed a year as a trainee jockey in the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) in the Curragh in Kildare.
"I applied to come here after the Junior Cert," says Colm. "I did a week of trials and was asked to come back for the course in August."
Trainee jockeys must be between 15 and 18, and weigh nine stone or under. A reference from school and a health check is also necessary.
While Colm had experience of riding ponies in hunts and gymkhanas, he had never sat on a racehorse before. "In the first term, I spent three months working in the yard. We'd practise riding on retired racehorses, getting used to riding short and all that."
Colm then started working for trainer John Oxx. The apprentices split their time between the stables in the morning, and FETAC courses in the afternoon.
The day begins at 8am. The trainees are kept busy into the evenings with options like PE and art. "You really need to want this. You need to be so dedicated to it. You have to want to be the next Frankie Dettori," says Colm.
Colm will stay with John Oxx for the next while. Oxx, however, deals with racing on the flat exclusively. Colm, being bigger than the average jockey, hopes to be involved in jump racing so he will probably move to another trainer's stables after this year.
"Just being out riding the horses is a great buzz. I liked school but I couldn't go back. Hopefully it'll all be worth it and I'll ride an old winner or two!"