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Jo tackles daunting challenge of Grand National fences

From the archive, first published Thursday 6th Apr 2006.

Jockey Jo Foster is under starter's orders for the ride of a lifetime as she prepares to make her debut over Aintree's fearsome Grand National fences.

Dreams were due to become reality for her today when she was due to partner Ikdam Melody trained at purpose-built racing stables on the family's farm at Burley-in-Wharfedale in the Fox-hunters' Chase.

With £20,000 to the winner, the race is billed as the amateur riders' version of the Grand National and is screened to millions live on television.

Jo, 33, of Ilkley, left nothing to chance as she prepared for the challenge of negotiating the gruelling two mile six furlong course, which included such fences as The Chair, Becher's Brook and the Canal Turn.

She has built Aintree-style gorse fences using Christmas fir trees grown on the farm so that both horse and rider can school over replica obstacles to get them used to the big test ahead of them.

Jo said: "It will be a lifetime's ambition to ride over the world-famous fences. It marks a tough challenge but one which I am really looking forward to."

Both Jo and Ikdam Melody boast plenty of racing experience to help them cope with the thrills and spills of negotiating the 19 jumps at an average of 30 miles an hour.

"They have either won, or been placed in, nine of the 13 races in which they have competed.

"Jo, a former pupil of Fieldhead School, Guiseley, is one of Yorkshire leading women amateur riders, notching up more than 45 successes in the last six years, over fences and on the flat.

As well as a jockey, she is also a qualified racehorse trainer having been recently awarded a permit to train a string of eight horses owned by her and her family.

In the next few months she is also aiming to gain her full public training license, having recently passed the exams and strict criteria necessary to qualify for this, enabling her to train horses for any individual or company.

Although she loves her riding, Jo is highly enthusiastic about her training career and has big plans for the future.

She said: "Bradford, Leeds and the wider area of West Yorkshire has a community with an unrivalled love of horse racing, yet there is only a handful of racehorse trainers based within the area.

"I am keen to attract more people into the sport as there is such a huge potential for expansion in this area.

"Syndicates are now a popular and affordable way for most people to share the thrills and excitement of racehorse ownership they once could have only dreamed about.

"The local cricket team have set up a syndicate with me and often come to watch their horse work on the gallops before heading to the local pub to make a necessary racing plans over a few pints!"

There are also huge tax incentives for businesses now to sponsor or own horses.

A day watching the company's horse run at the local track is a popular way to entertain clients or reward staff and with such a great selection of Yorkshire courses on the doorstep it seems a fantastic opportunity for me to now make a successful career doing the job I love.

"I love my riding and always will. It is the aim of every jockey to ride over the National fences so at least when I do hang up my racing boots to concentrate fully on the training I'll know I've fulfiled one life long dream. The next one being to train the winner of the National!"

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