Listed in: Equine Schools and Educational Programs , Horse Racing

North American Racing Academy   [ MAP ]
3380 Paris Pike
Lexington,KY 40511
Contact Person: Jessica Stith, Admissions Assistant
Email Address: NARAinformation@kctcs.edu
Website: http://bluegrass.kctcs.edu/en/NARA/About_Us.aspx
Phone: 859-293-0209

NARA is the first professional jockey school in the United States. It teaches students the fundamentals of professional race riding and horse care with courses in nutrition, fitness, finance, communication, rules of racing, and technology. Located at the Thoroughbred Training Center and The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, NARA has partnered with Bluegrass Community & Technical College to offer an associate degree and certificate programs in Equine Studies.

about


Mission

The mission of the North American Racing Academy is to develop and operate a world-class racing school that will provide students with the education, training and experience needed to become skilled in the art of race riding, proficient in the care and management of racehorses, and knowledgeable about the workings of the racing industry as a whole.


Vision

To create a foundation of education and training geared toward the principles of horsemanship, sportsmanship, competition and integrity. To develop life skills and provide students with a basis of knowledge in areas such as general education, substance abuse, nutrition, fitness, personal finance and technology. To create a network linking NARA and its curriculum to horsemen in need of more qualified employees and to other racing industry educational outlets.

Goals and Objectives

To create a foundation of education and training geared toward the principles of horsemanship, sportsmanship, competition and integrity.
To provide students with a broad background of racing industry knowledge, thus providing them with a head start in building non-riding careers in racing (e.g., trainer, track management, racing official).
To develop life skills and provide students with a basis of knowledge in areas such as general education, substance abuse, nutrition, fitness, personal finance and technology.
To create a network linking NARA and its curriculum to horsemen in need of more qualified employees and to other racing industry educational outlets, such as the racetrack management programs at the University of Arizona, the University of Louisville, and the ROAP (Racing Officials Accreditation Program).
To develop an international student exchange program enabling NARA students to spend time at sister racing schools around the world and vice-versa.
"A school for training jockeys is desperately needed in the U.S. We see so many riders come here from other countries where they are required to attend and graduate from a training program only to compete very successfully here in the States. I am firmly convinced their success can be directly attributed to their education and training. The U.S. racing industry will benefit tremendously from the establishment of NARA."

-Steve Cauthen,
Hall of Fame jockey (Triple Crown-winning jockey, Affirmed, 1978)