MAGHERAMOURNE JOCKEY WINS 2012 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Stephen Crawford from Magheramourne has won the 2012 world championship for amateur jockeys riding in sixteen jump and flat races in thirteen countries across the world.
The event was organised by FEGENTRI (Fédération Internationale des Gentlemen-Riders et des Cavalières) otherwise known as the International Federation of Gentleman and Lady Riders.
FEGENTRI was founded in 1955 by a number of enthusiastic amateur riders from France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland. Many nations have joined FEGENTRI since 1955 and today the membership consists of 25 different countries.
The main purpose of FEGENTRI is to promote international races for amateur riders.
FEGENTRI organises two World Championships, one confined to gentlemen riders and the other to lady riders, comprising races run in different countries around the world. World Championship races for gentlemen-riders are run on the flat as well as over jumps, whereas the races for lady riders are restricted to the flat.
The best amateur riders of each member country of FEGENTRI qualify to participate in the World Championships. They are all “amateurs” and therefore do not receive any fee for riding in races.
Stephen was selected to ride for Ireland and won the first race of the event in Qatar in February 2012. Throughout the year he rode in thirteen countries including: Qater, Ireland, Oman, Germany, Spain, Belguim, Germany, Sweden, France, USA, England, Switzerland finishing in Italy in November.
He won four of the sixteen races – in Qatar, Germany, France and USA - with four third places, one fourth place, three fifth places, one sixth place, one eighth place, one ninth place and one tenth place. Eleven riders took part in the event, riding horses provided by the host country in each case.
Points were awarded according to finishing position in each race. Stephen accumulated 127 points, 46 points ahead of his nearest challenger – Angelo Gasnier from France. Christopher Roberts from Sweden was third and Michael Ennis from Great Britain was fourth. Stephen won both the flat and jump championships.
Stephen is assistant trainer to his brother Stuart at their Magheramourne stables. He has worked for Aiden O’Brien at the world renowned Ballydoyle yard and for Martin Pipe, Jamie Osborne and Nigel Twiston-Davis.
Steven also won the Aintree Champion Bumper on 9/4/2005 on The Cool Guy trained by Nigel Twiston-Davis.
http://www.horseracebase.com/horseracinghistories.php?number=10He also won the Irish Cambridgeshire (Grade 2 ) in 1998 on Lady Oranswell trained by P J Flynn at the Curragh. See Race History in pointer below.
http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/racecards/25-08-2012/curragh/racecard/519822/irish-stallion-farms-european-breeders-fund-irish-cambridgeshire-premier-handicaphttp://www.fegentri.com/http://www.racingpost.com/horses/jockey_home.sd?jockey_id=75353#topJockTabs=jockey_stories&bottomJockTabs=jockey_form
