YOUNG Limerick mother Niamh McNamara is taking strides to follow her dream to become a jockey.
The 30-year-old from Caher Road in Mungret will now take part in this year’s Corinthian Challenge Series in aid of Irish Injured Jockeys.
The series allows 15 riders the once in a lifetime opportunity to become jockeys for five months and ride on three of Ireland’s top racecourses.
The first of the races will take place in the newly-built Curragh on July 21. There will also be races on September 1 at Cork Racecourse and November 23 at Leopardstown.
“After having my son Harry in July 2018 I set myself a goal to take part in the 2019 Corinthian Challenge. Knowing that riding racehorses was one of my biggest passions I didn’t want it to slip away,” Niamh explained.
“When Harry was three-months-old I got back riding my horse Huckleberry Hill and I have been riding her everyday since.”
The young mother bought Huckleberry Hill from the Goffs Land Rover Sale in 2016 as a three year old. This year she won her first Point to Point at Rathcannon in County Limerick.
Over the course of the Corinthian Challenge Series in aid of Irish Injured Jockeys each rider must raise €10,000. Niamh’s father and his business partner Tommy Rowan of Macro Stainless Ltd have come on board as her main sponsors.
“I work here myself in marketing and accounts so I was absolutely thrilled. At Macro we all get on so well together and I am hoping that we can get a bus load up on the big day.
“Overall I am really looking forward to challenge — training, meeting some new people and most of all raising money and awareness for this great cause,” she concluded.
To keep up with Niamh’s progress and to show support log onto www.corinthianchallenge.com.
