Charity cricket match organised to help Jump Jockeys' mental health

Dr Philip Pritchard first came to racing over 40 years ago having enjoyed a successful time in rugby union for his local club Gloucester and admits to being astounded at how poorly jockeys, as professional athletes, were looked after at the time.

He’s committed much of those four decades to improving standards of care for jockeys and happily things are much improved, particularly in regards to physical health, yet when it comes to mental wellbeing he feels there is still more that can be done. 

He strongly feels that if designing a life pre-disposed to depression, then a life of a jockey would be it; long hours, often in solitude with a carefully controlled diet and a knowledge that simply working harder is not necessarily going to bring reward. 

For most of the population, the winter months are the toughest, with the short, dark days often in miserable weather. Yet, Dr Pritchard feels that conversely the summer months are the time where a national-hunt jockeys mental wellbeing are most at risk.

“Racing is less frequent, which means rides are harder to come by, this means that financial pressures can be more keenly felt and the welcome camaraderie that a jockey might find in the weighing room is in short supply,” he explains. 

In a bid to combat this he organises a selection of fun activities. Recently these have included a Scalextric tournament of an evening, while the summer weather lends itself perfectly to a few cricket matches, played under Lord Taverners Rules, where all bat and bowl. Teams vary from England v Rest Of The World to Oldens v Youngsters, but the aim remains the same – to get together, talk and enjoy ourselves, he states.

The next match takes place on Monday, June 8 (to capitalise on a day with no jump racing) at The Old Barn, Purton, GL139HY.

All are welcome to come and support, and to marvel at the wide array of batting and bowling techniques on display.

More information on Dr Pritchard’s work in racing can be found at www.theoldbarnclinic.uk