Scholarship - Beverley Racecourse | East Yorkshire | Events Centre | Sponsorship

About Paul

The Kyne-Wilson Scholarship was created by Beverley Racecourse, with the support of the families of Jamie Kyne and Jan Wilson who tragically lost their lives in a house fire in Norton in September 2009. Sally Iggulden, the Racecourse Manager at Beverley felt that a scholarship to nurture and support the talent of an apprentice jockey was an appropriate way to commemorate the lives of the two young jockeys. The scholarship includes sponsorship of a Yorkshire based apprentice jockey, help with riding equipment, fitness and help in other areas that the specific candidate requests.

The first recipient of the scholarship, which runs from January 1st 2010 to December 31st 2010 is Paul Pickard. Aged just 22 and apprenticed to Paul Midgley in Westow, near York, Paul has worked very hard to get to the position he is now in which is why he is the inaugural recipient.

Paul first got involved in racing at the age of 13, when his mother enquired into a summer job at Malcolm Jefferson’s Norton yard on his behalf. It started by painting stables and when the summer was up he started going in at weekends. Initially Paul was not interested in the riding side of the work, however Malcolm suggested that he should ride one of the horses in the lunging ring and from then on he wanted to ride all the time. It was here that he earned the nickname ‘Grafter’, as he was always doing something.

Paul’s first full-time job in racing with a license was with Declan Carroll at Sledmere. He had one winner from 58 rides, however it was here that Paul became friendly with his work colleague Jamie Kyne. Realising that a change of yard would be required for more opportunities, Paul approached Paul Midgley after riding for him one day to see if a position was available at his yard. Things went from strength to strength and in 2009 Paul rode 36 winners from 323 rides and finished fifth in the apprentice jockeys title, showing a profit of £23.58 if you had had £1 on every one of his rides in 2010.

Paul’s most memorable day to date was riding a double at York racecourse in July for his boss and while he hasn’t set any ambitious targets just yet, the 2010 apprentice title has got to be one aim. The other is to ride big winners, although he says, ‘any winner is good.’ Anyone with the nickname ‘Grafter’ has got to be a dead cert to put the effort into achieving these aims.