Rally champion to raise funds for injured jockeys
A Galway native and former national rally champion – who also scaled mountains and ran Ultramarathons for charity – is undertaking his biggest challenge yet…. to become a horseracing jockey and ride on three of Ireland’s most famous tracks.
Rally driver Frank Byrnes is opting for a different type of horsepower as he takes on the Curragh, Navan and Leopardstown in order to raise funds for the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund.
The Oranmore businessman – Managing Director of Frank Byrnes Autobody Repairs Ltd – has been awarded his jockey’s licence by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.
And this will enable him to participate in the 2018 Corinthian Challenge Horse Racing Series in aid of the Irish Injured Jockeys and to race on some of the most famous race tracks in the horse racing world.
In order to obtain the licence, Frank was examined thoroughly on all aspects of horsemanship and equine care at the Irish Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) based at The Curragh.
Intense preparation both through riding out at the facilities of Ranch Racing in Kilcolgan under their trainer Stephen Mahon and physically enduring road running combined with intensive gym sessions ensured that Frank was successful in the recent assessment.
The Irish Injured Jockeys provides support through financial means, assistance in recovery and, if necessary, retraining in a prompt and sympathetic manner to those jockeys past or present who are injured, unable to ride or generally in need. Raising public awareness with activities such as The Corinthian Challenge Series is a top priority so that the urgent need for extra funds is highlighted.
Between July and October, Frank will ride in three horse races on Ireland’s top racetracks.
First up is the Curragh on July 22 for the Kilboy Estate Stakes day. This will give Frank the opportunity to ride over the famous Derby track which has seen horses like Nijinsky, Galileo and Montjeu win on its soil.
The second leg will take place in Navan on September 23, their first National Hunt card of the season – with the final leg on Tote Handicap Day in Leopardstown on October 27.
The Corinthian Challenge Series is the latest charity project which Frank has undertaken however, to date Frank and his Company have raised €100,000 for a variety of charities, both local and national.
These started in 2011 and 2012 with charity fun days on his premises, followed in 2014 by Santa’s Grotto!
Climb4Cancer was his 2015 initiative, where a group representing the Irish accident repair industry and their motor trade partners took on the gruelling four peaks challenge to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society by climbing the highest mountains in each of Ireland’s four provinces over three days.
Then 2016 saw his most arduous undertaking – Never Give Up – where through a set of endurance runs ranging from a marathon to two marathons back to back on the same weekend to the Wicklow Way 50 mile Ultramarathon, Frank highlighted awareness and raised funds for Oranmore Maree Coastal Search Unit of which he is a member.
Now Frank will be fundraising in aid of the Irish Injured Jockeys over the coming weeks and months. Donations can be made online HERE