NextGen | Billy Aherne

Name: Billy Aherne

Age:   17

From: Conna, County Cork

 

 

I grew up around horses. My dad, Garry, is a farrier by trade and has always trained a few point-to-pointers at home, so horses were part of everyday life. He also did a lot of hunting and was particularly fond of drag hunting. When he was younger, he had ponies and did plenty of flapping, with my grandfather bringing him everywhere. Dad was always very drawn to cobs and breaking young horses, and dealing ponies and cobs, especially during quieter periods. Going around the fairs was a regular thing for him, and it’s something we still do.

 

I started out with ponies and did a lot of pony club with the West Waterford Pony Club. I did minimus and all the pony club activities early on and really enjoyed them, especially the show jumping, which I stuck with as I got older. I never did pony racing, as I was always more drawn to show jumping. I liked how meticulous it was — having to count your strides, sit up properly and really ride down to a fence. There was a lot more thinking involved, which I enjoyed.

 

I moved on to unaffiliated show jumping and later SJI, and I was lucky to have a very good 14.2hh pony, Glebe Plunkett Rose, who gave me great experience and confidence, particularly jumping around bigger tracks. I think show jumping gave me a brilliant grounding for point-to-pointing. It teaches you a lot about balance, position and riding correctly to a fence, and that has helped me a lot now, especially with my style over a fence.

 

I really enjoy producing young horses. I’ve had a good few ponies over the years and did a lot of producing myself - buying them, putting the points on them, getting them registered and measured, and doing everything that goes with it. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed and learned a lot from.

 

My mum, Noreen, has been a huge support, and my grandfather, John O’Mahony, owns horses as well. I’m the youngest in the family. I’ve one brother, Sam, who is more into farming and cattle, and a sister, Lucy, who rode ponies and did Pony Club. Horses were always just part of life at home.

 
 

 

I remember it well. I was about 11 and the horse was called Thunder Mike, who was owned by my grandfather. He was a small, quiet horse and ideal to get started on, just going around the gallop and learning the basics at home.

 

The feeling of riding a racehorse for the first time was completely different to ponies, and the adrenaline of going around the gallop was something I had never experienced before, which is probably when I really got the bug.

 
 

 

I’m in fifth year now at Coláiste an Chraoibhin in Fermoy.

 

I ride out at home every morning before school. Dad always has a couple of pointers in each year. We only have four riding-out at the moment, but there’s never a shortage of work to be done.

 
 

 

Last year during Transition Year I did my work experience riding out for Derek and Carol O’Connor in Galway, and that was a brilliant experience. There was a real homely feeling about the place and it genuinely felt like being at home. They were very good to me. My dad is good friends with Derek, so I was made feel very welcome from the start. I was riding nice horses and it was a great environment to be around. If I was doing something wrong, they would tell me straight away, but without giving out, which I really liked. You learn a lot just being around jockeys as well, because they’re always talking about horses, and you pick up little things all the time.

 

I went back up to Derek and Carol again for a few more weeks after that. Altogether it would have been four or five weeks, broken up over the year, and I really enjoyed every bit of it.

 

During the summer, when I was at home, I also rode out on Saturdays for Liam Burke, who is only five minutes away from us. That was another very good experience. He’s a wealth of knowledge and very honest, if you’re doing something wrong, he’ll tell you straight out, which is exactly what you need when you’re learning.

 

At the moment, every Saturday I ride out in Glenview for Paul Cashman. I live next door to Jimmy Mangan and his son Paddy, who used to be a jockey, is now head lad at Glenview, and Paddy picks me up and brings me up there. I really enjoy it. It has a similar homely feel to Derek’s place, there are good jockeys around, and you’re always learning something new, which is brilliant.
 

 

 

We train him at home and I ride him out every day before school. He’s a great horse to ride and a savage jumper, which is probably why we have him, to help me learn and gain experience. When you’re going to a fence and a horse travels for you and takes you into it, it makes your job a lot easier, and that’s what he does.

 

He’s kind of my horse in a way, because I get to ride him all the time, so it was great to get the opportunity. Charlie Moore, his owner, has always been very good to us. We’ve had horses for him before, including Holokea, who won a couple of times for us and actually won at Ballindenisk a few years ago before going to England with Mickey Bowen. We’ve always had a good relationship with Charlie and he’s great to deal with.
 

 

 

 

 

We were hopeful. It was his first run for us and everything had gone smoothly at home. He did everything we asked him to do and he is a very straightforward horse to train.

 

I was a small bit concerned about the ground beforehand, as I thought it might be a bit too heavy for him. I had a good chat with Damian Murphy, who rides out in Glenview, and he gave me plenty of advice about riding the track. Damian said that if a horse prefers nicer ground, you should keep out and try to get to the better ground where possible. That was in my head during the race and that’s the way I rode him. I tried to keep him wide and out of trouble, and it paid off.

 

When I went on, I was hoping I’d get there but I wasn’t fully sure. I just kept my head down and kept riding, stuck at it and got to the last, where he popped it nicely for me. I put my head down again and rode him all the way to the line. I was hoping nothing would come to me late on, and thankfully it didn’t.

 
 

 

Oh jeez, it’s hard to describe really, it’s an unbelievable feeling. It was savage to ride the winner, but coming back into the parade ring and seeing all the smiles and the joy on everyone’s faces is what really stands out. Seeing Charlie, my dad, my mam and everyone there so happy is something I’ll never forget.
 

 

 

Yes, most of them were. My mum, dad, brother, sister, grandfathers and friends were all there, which made it extra special.

 
 

 

We haven’t really discussed it in detail yet, but I’d imagine he’ll go for a winners’ race. He’s there to give me experience, and whatever route he takes, I’m just delighted to be learning with him.

 
 

 

He's fresh as a daisy. He's in flying form. He was out in the field bucking today.

 
 

 

I suppose racing was always in the back of my mind growing up. Dad trains point-to-pointers, so you’re at the races every Sunday, and whenever you came into the house the racing channel was on the television. You’re surrounded by it all the time, so it was probably inevitable. Mam might not have been too keen on the idea at first, but it was always something I was drawn towards.

 

Yes, I got my A1 licence when I was 16. I was riding out a mare at home called Sing My Story, who is owned by my grandfather and ourselves. I rode her every day and she gave me plenty of experience.

 

When I got the licence, my dad and my granddad thought it would be a good idea for me to get some track experience as well, so I got a few spins in bumpers. I ended up having six rides on her in one season, which was a real eye-opener for me. I learned so much, not just about riding in races, but about the whole routine; weighing out, weighing in, and how everything works on a raceday. It was a great experience and gave me plenty of confidence.
 

 

 

I’m in fifth year at the moment and I’m about halfway through it. I’ll be starting sixth year next year and then hopefully I’ll do my Leaving Cert. I’d really like to experience college. My brother and sister are both in college and they really enjoy it, so it’s something I’d like to do as well.

 

I’m still a bit undecided about what I want to study. I have an interest in construction or something along those lines, but I haven’t fully made my mind up yet. I know for definite that I’d like to give college a go before deciding on anything else.

 

A good education is important to my mam and dad, and it’s important to me as well. Racing will always be there, but having that education behind me is something I really value and want to get right. I’ll continue to ride as an amateur alongside college.

 
 

 

 

 

Derek O’Connor, without a doubt. I grew up watching him ride, and he has ridden a lot for my dad over the years too. Watching him over fences is something else - he’s a master at what he does.

 

My dad and Derek are good friends, so I’ve always known him, and he’s always been very good to me. He’s more than willing to give advice, and just watching how smooth and balanced he is over a fence is a massive learning experience in itself.

 

Of course, my dad has been a huge influence too.
 

 

 

I watch a lot of racing with my dad and we talk through races together, which helps a lot. I’ve also gotten good advice from people like Derek and Damien Murphy, especially about riding different tracks. I’m lucky to have people around me who are happy to help.
 

 

 

I absolutely love running and run 3 or 4K most evenings. I used to do athletics when I was younger and competed for a time, but once horses became my main focus, they naturally took priority. I still really enjoy running and try to keep it up as part of my routine.

 

I also play handball locally in Conna. I’m very into music as well and I’m part of a Comhaltas group, where I play the banjo and enjoy going to sessions when I get the chance.
 

 

 

For the rest of the season, I suppose the main thing is to stay injury-free. I want to gain as much experience as I can, meet new people, and keep learning. Overall, I just want to enjoy it and have fun - that’s why I took out my licence in the first place, to get good experience and enjoy riding.   

 

I’d just like to thank my dad and Charlie for giving me the opportunity, and everyone who has helped and supported me along the way so far.