The life of a jockey is not for the faint-hearted. They’re up before dawn most days and are constantly on the road – not to mention the dangers that come with racing a horse 10 times their weight at speeds of up to 70km per hour.
A life she wouldn’t trade for anything
But Jasmine Fawcett, who is quickly becoming one of New Zealand’s top racing talents, can’t imagine her life any other way.
“When I first started, I would wake up before my alarm because I knew I was going in to muck around with horses,” the Matamata local says with a smile.
“I would do it for free, but the money is a nice bonus.”
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While the 31-year-old has been riding since she was a child, it wasn’t until she attended the Karaka Millions race in 2016 that she realised she could turn her love of horses into a job.
A lightbulb moment at the track
“I’d had a few glasses of wine while I watched the race,” tells Jasmine.
“I thought, ‘I’d way rather be out there riding than drinking!’ “I thought it was a really difficult industry to get into. It wasn’t until that day I knew anything about racing and realised you could make money from horses.”
Jasmine’s lightbulb moment was a relief, not only for herself but also for her mum Tracy, 60. When Jasmine left school, she’d had no idea what she wanted to do and no interest in working. Her mother had given her an ultimatum.
“Mum said I had three options – get a job, study or travel,” laughs Jasmine.
“But I couldn’t just stay at home.”
Finding her path
Jasmine tried all three choices, but at 21, she was still living at home and no closer to figuring out what she wanted to do. Then a week after her day at the races, she approached a local stable and asked to come on board as an apprentice jockey. And she has never looked back.
“My first time riding at the trials was a pretty great feeling,” she recalls.
“I knew within the first week I was going to commit to this. “My dream was to have a job that didn’t feel like a job,” adds Jasmine, whose uncle is former All Black Kit Fawcett.
“My mum taught me to ride, so she’s obviously quite proud and happy I found my purpose. She was worried about me.”
On the podium and in love
Jasmine won a race in the first few months of her apprenticeship and her decade of dedication saw her finish eighth in the New Zealand national jockey premiership in 2024.
Racing has also helped her find love. Jasmine met her partner Jake Edens, 32, at a raceday three years ago and he has since become her agent. She’s happy in the knowledge she has her trusted partner advocating for her.
“He comes to all the important days and I’ve got a great sounding board right at home,” she says.
Although racing has changed her life, Jasmine admits there have been challenges along the way.
Many jockeys have a strong family lineage in the sport, so they already have a reputation attached to their name when they start their career. Jasmine, whose family are dairy farmers, has demonstrated her worth through her work ethic.
Proving herself in a tough industry
“I’ve had to make my name and prove to people that although I wasn’t born into it, I can work hard and I am just as capable,” she says.
“It makes it really rewarding.”
On top of that, there is lingering sexism in the sport. In NZ, women have only been allowed to race alongside men since 1978, after fierce campaigning by female riders who were relegated to the women-only Powder Puff Derby. The sport has come a long way since then, but female jockeys can sometimes still be overlooked.
“There is the perspective that men are stronger than women,” explains Jasmine.
“There are occasions when women are replaced on horses they usually ride for a male jockey. But not every jockey is going to suit every horse. Some female jockeys offer more compassion and some horses suit a gentler style.”
Sisterhood in the saddle
Happily, there is a supportive environment among the female jockeys.
“More women are coming up,” says Jasmine.
“We support each other and give each other advice. We are a tight unit in the jockeys’ room.”
As her riding profile continues to grow, so too does her prize pot. And Jasmine is ready to build her own racing dynasty while giving back to her biggest supporter.
“I thought it would be cool to have a racehorse,” she reveals.
“So I’ve bred a horse and given her to my mum as a way to say thank you for everything. Hopefully, she’ll be ready to race in the next year.”
