Apprentices celebrated for their achievements
Four up and coming jockeys have been acknowledged at the 2025 Apprentice Jockey Celebration Evening, with Sheridan Clarke claiming two of the five awards handed out at tonight’s ceremony held at Moonee Valley Racecourse.
Clarke took out the RV Elite Apprentice Jockey and the Mikaela Claridge Sportsmanship Award among the class graduating from Racing Victoria’s (RV) Apprentice Jockey Training Program.
The Mikaela Claridge Sportsmanship Award is the only peer-voted prize and signifies that, in the eyes of Clarke’s fellow apprentices, she demonstrated sportsmanship and offered encouragement, guidance and approachability through her words and deeds both on and off the track.
Hannah Edgley, Jaylah Kennedy and Jordyn Weatherley were the other award winners on the night.
Edgley received the Victorian Jockeys Association’s Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in Training award, which recognises excellence in all aspects of an apprenticeship, including on-track performance, dedication to personal development and industry ambassador qualities.
Kennedy was awarded the Victorian Wakeful Club Scholarship. This scholarship recognises a female apprentice jockey’s excellence in her studies and professionalism both in and out of the saddle. The Ballarat Cup-winning apprentice also received a $1,000 grant to complete further study or to assist with her career development.
Weatherley was awarded the Andrew Gilbert Sports Science Award. The award, named in honour of Victorian apprentice jockey Andrew Gilbert who suffered a fatal fall in 2001, recognises the achievements of an apprentice in the fields of health and fitness.
Edgley and Clarke were also joined by their fellow apprentices, Matthew Chadwick, Maddi Kiss and Lachlan Overall, to be congratulated for completing four years and graduating from the Apprentice Jockey Training Program. The graduates were lauded for their hard work and determination in front of their family and friends.
RV Chief Executive, Aaron Morrison, said “The five graduates are to be congratulated for completing our Apprentice Jockey Training Program. They have worked hard to build a foundation for a rewarding career in the racing industry and we look forward to following their pursuits.
“We also acknowledge the excellence of our award winners who have demonstrated their qualities on and off the racetrack and have been duly recognised.”
The ceremony at Moonee Valley Racecourse also saw 12 new members formally welcomed into Victoria’s new Apprentice Jockey Squad (AJS). They are Ashley Alford, Alice Kennedy, Bree Temple, Brydie Blackshaw, Cassidy Hill, Chelsea Thompson, Dylan Dean, Hayley Norman, Jade Smith, Liana Wood, Tayla Cameron and Zac Moore.
The AJS will serve as a pre-apprenticeship program and focus on riders who have demonstrated the potential to progress to race riding within the next 12 months.
Once an AJS member has demonstrated the readiness and skill levels required to take the next step, including being approved to ride in official trials by the RV Rider Skills Panel, they can officially transition to the Apprentice Jockey Training Program and be licensed as an apprentice jockey.
The AJS members began their studies today under the guidance of RV’s workforce development team including apprentice jockey coaches Darren Gauci and Alf Matthews.