Teen is on track for horse racing career
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A YOUNG Sutherland lad is out of the starting gates and cantering down the first straight towards his dream of becoming a jockey.
Reece MacLeod is successfully over the finishing line of a 14-week foundation course at the British Racing School at Newmarket and has now been accepted for a two- year traineeship at a Yorkshire yard.
And the former Dornoch Academy pupil is so thrilled at the apprenticeship offer that he has thought up a novel way of thanking all those who have helped him along the way.
He has created a life-size model horse out of hay on a field near Skelbo and the structure has already attracted much comment.
Reece (17) was given advice and guidance in turning his passion for horses into a career not just from his family, but also from his school where he went through the Employability Award – a programme led by Sutherland Community Partnership and aimed at preparing pupils for work.
Financial support was also forthcoming thanks to a grant from Royal Dornoch Golf Club Community Fund.
Reece said: “I’ve always been passionate about horses, just like everyone else in my family and joining the course was a dream come true for me.
“I wanted to thank everyone who made it possible for me to go to the British Racing School and decided I’d do this by building a racehorse out of hay with my colours on it.
“Going through the Employability Award when I was at school really helped me get on this path, supporting me through the process to prepare my cv and make an application on the course.”
Reece’s family is well known in the competitive horse world. Dad Donald and mum Lorna have long shown their Shetland and Exmoor ponies at agricultural events the length and breadth of Scotland and Reece and his three siblings were introduced to horses early.
In the past four years alone Reece has won more than 81 trophies as a young handler and exhibitor and too many rosettes to number.
High Life Highland youth worker Yvonne Ross, who is based at Dornoch Academy, said: “It’s brilliant to hear from Reece how the support during his school career has really helped him to follow his passion.”
Chief Inspector Jamie Wilson, who is chairman of Sutherland Community Partnership, said Reece’s story underlined the value of the Employability Award programme.
And Neil Hampton, general manager of Royal Dornoch said the club had been delighted to have been able to support Reece.
Reece is due to start his apprenticeship at the Yorkshire yard later this year.
