Survey reveals mental health, financial concerns among jockeys

Ten percent of jockeys describe their mental health as “poor” and a third of them described having challenges in their daily lives over the past month due to feelings of sadness, depression, or anxiety, according to responses to a recent nationwide anonymous survey of riders.

Those results were discussed as The Jockeys’ Guild and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority hosted a symposium at Keeneland on Tuesday regarding the critical issue. The mental health of riders has come into the spotlight because of the death by suicide of two young riders earlier this year – Avery Whisman, 23, and Alex Canchari, 29.

“The Jockeys’ Guild appreciates all of the jockeys who took the time to complete the survey,” said Terry Meyocks, president and CEO of the Guild. “The number of responses just reiterates the importance of mental health and wellness for our athletes. We also appreciate all of the input and interest by industry participants in this first step in addressing jockeys’ mental health. It is a very complex topic and it is necessary to have discussions like today on the best way to move forward. The ultimate goal is that we as an industry will be able to support and find solutions for, not only the jockeys, but everyone in our industry.”

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Speaking at Tuesday’s symposium, along with Meyocks and HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus, was retired jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva, who spoke on his lifelong struggles with mental wellness and his struggles with various addictions before eventually finding help through therapy. A keynote address was delivered by former NFL player Randy Grimes, who has shared stories of his addiction to prescription drugs and who advocates for substance abuse counseling.

Following Da Silva and Grimes's remarks, FGS Global, an independent research company, shared the broad strokes of the anonymous survey of jockeys to evaluate their mental wellness needs and what kind of resources and support services would be most impactful across the Thoroughbred industry. The distribution of the survey was announced by the Guild and HISA in late April; according to FGS Global, 230 jockeys across the country responded.

An overwhelming majority of jockeys, 93 percent, reported concern about financial stability and providing for their families. A lack of financial security and the lack of a livable wage were also cited among the biggest pressures consistently faced, surveyed jockeys said, along with making weight and the pressure to win.

The barriers to seeking help most often cited by jockeys included the fear of losing work, and a general stigma around asking for support.

Potential resources that survey respondents expressed the most interest in included nutritional support services to help safely maintain weight, access to a sports psychologist, career transition resources for retirement, and personal finance assistance.

“HISA’s responsibility to oversee safety in racing certainly includes the mental well-being of its athletes,” Lazarus said. “The results of this survey serve as a reminder of the many challenges jockeys face. We are grateful to all the jockeys who shared their experiences and feedback, all of which will be crucial in our efforts to advance the well-being of current and future riders across the country.”

In a release, The Jockey's Guild and HISA said they plan to use the survey results and discussions from Tuesday's symposium to finalize and share more plans to develop and implement a network of resources to support rider mental wellness.

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