Growing up around horses, Jess’ interest was sparked on the pony racing circuit.  In 2018 she graduated to the point-to-point scene, making a big impression and winning several awards.  Her point-to-point riding record to date stands at an incredible strike rate of 37%, having 12 winners from 37 starts.  Largely riding her own horses, her training strike rate between the flags is a pretty impressive 33%, something she aims to continue under rules.

But there is more to boast about than high percentages.  During her first point-to-point season, Jess was crowned leading novice lady rider in Yorkshire and also won the national Princess Royal Trophy for novice women – a prestigious contest open to riders who, at the start of the season were under 21 and had not ridden a winner in point-to-points or under rules.

The following season she continued in the same vein of form and landed national novice ladies’ title with 8 winners.

With the pointing season coming to a premature end due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Jess found she had a little more time on her hands than she was expecting.

“It was always the plan to get a license and I was going to do my modules bit by bit but then lockdown struck so I thought I might as well get on and do them,” said Jess.

The young trainer credits Racing Welfare for their help in getting her to this stage, through their Careers Advice and Training Service (CATS).

“I didn’t know what was involved in getting the license and CATS were a big help.  I had to have an NVQ before I could do the modules and they also helped me apply to the National Trainers Federation for a grant to get through the modules.  I really couldn’t have done it without them.”

Jess, who is based at Yarm, studied a degree in textiles at Teeside University.  Living at home and attending university nearby meant she had time to ride her own horses as well as riding out for local trainers Rebecca Menzies and Kevin Ryan.

Her yard is located on the family farm, largely arable, with a small flock of sheep and run by her brother Charlie.  While it has required a few alterations to comply with BHA regulations the success of the point-to-pointers and pre-training shows they have everything they need to produce winners.

“I was spurred on in my pursuit of a license when some of the horses we had for pre-training went out and won early on.  I was delighted for them but at the same time it was quite hard, knowing we had put in the hard work.”

She currently has seven horses in training and is looking at putting a racing club together which will be made up of two horses, Luca Brasi’s Boy and Derrick Danjou.  While the horses are largely Jess’ department, she has help from her brother Charlie, mother Sarah and boyfriend Aaron Anderson, a jump jockey.

A website is in the offing but until then Jess’s training journey can be followed on Facebook and Instagram.

Photo credit; Tom Milburn Photography