Outdoor Sports News - with PembrokeshireSport.co.uk

John jumps race-horses with real style

John Mathias is the talented young local point-to-point jockey who is the fourth generation of horse men from the family who have farmed at Norchard, near Manorbier, for many years – and recently showed his capabilities by taking on professional jockeys at Fontwell and Plumpton to win under National Hunt Rules on two successive days.
His horse on both occasions was ‘Kisha King’ and what made the double success all the more remarkable was the fact that the first race, at Fontwell (near Brighton) was a hurdles race won over two miles and six furlongs, whilst the latter race (40 miles down the road at Plumpton) was a  three miles and two furlongs steeplechase. There have been instances of back-to-back wins over hurdles or chases, but heads have been scratched amongst racing aficionados over whether success has been previously been achieved so close together in both. John was understandably delighted because they were his first successes under National Hunt Rules after 20 previous rides without a win – and were won for his boss Dai Rees, for whom John is head boy at the Rees stables near Clarbeston Road.

Impressive trophy

At 18 years of age John already has a very impressive record at point-to-point events all over South Wales and even further afield with 30-plus career winners achieved from about 100 races, a remarkable wins to races ratio since he started out just two years ago as an eager 16 year old. His reward was to receive the Wilkinson Sword Trophy awarded to the best youth jockey in the whole of Great Britain.
“It was actually a beautifully-crafted sword,” says John, “and it looked really nice on the wall at home. I was really sorry that I had to hand it back after a year. What made it doubly nice was the fact that my father, Philip, won it exactly 22 years ago and we are the only father and son ever to have won it.”

Family footsteps

Philip was a very good horseman in his own right as part of the Mathias dynasty which started when John’s great grandfather, Ivor, was a well-known and successful point-to-pointer, followed by his son Fred, who was a great character who was not only the National Champion Gentleman Rider in his time but achieved fame of a different sort when he sawed part of the crossbar off at Twickenham and brought it back to Pembrokeshire! Philip and his brother Richard were also very good horsemen and played rugby and football in their younger days.
The family tradition is further maintained because John learned to ride almost before he could walk at the Norchard Farm Riding School made so popular by his grandmother, Diana Mathias, with his first-ever pony being called ‘Wiston Crackerjack’. Mum Jan was heavily involved in Pony Club and local hunting whilst John’s sister Rachel (20) completes the family’s heavy involvement with all things equestrian since she rides well and is studying for a degree in Business Management for the horse-racing industry at Warwick University.
Phil had also won the West Wales Champion Jockey’s title and in only his second season John won the Hywel Williams Perpetual Challenge Cup for the West Wales point-to-point champion rider and won it again this most reason as proof of his all-round riding skills.

Early impact and winners galore

When John started out he made an almost immediate impact.
“My first-ever ride was on a horse called ‘Howdydoody’ at the Vale of Clettwr Races in February 2007 and I was very excited, rather than nervous, on the morning of the race,” recalls John, “ I couldn’t wait to get started and it was over almost before I knew it – and I came second.
“I rode the same horse in my second race, at Garnon’s in Herefordshire and was thrilled to come first against senior riders who had been around for some time. I had six winners in that season and that is when I received the Wilkinson Sword.”
The next season saw him gain seven winners and the West Wales Champion Jockey trophy – and he had quite unprecedented success this year when he won ten times in an amazing spell over a few weeks which saw him claim three winners at Lydstep on two successive weekends and then four winners from seven rides at the Carmarthenshire Hunt meeting at Erw Lon!
His treble at the South Pembs Hunt meeting saw him win at 6-1 on ‘Rosie’s Peacock’, followed by further success on ‘Pathian Prince’(5-2 Fav)) and ‘Kisha King’ (5-4 Fav) – and he just missed out on a four-timer when ‘Misamon’ came second. John was soon back at the same venue for the Tivyside Hunt meeting where he won three times via ‘Misamon’, ‘Kisha King’ and ‘Rosie’s Peacock’ – and then he won four races at Erw Lon when ‘Kisha King’, ‘Packtol Debrosses’ and ‘Tokpela’ were joined by 20-1 rank outsider ‘Balearic Star’!

Major influences

Ask John about major influences in his career so far and he would immediately focus on his parents, as well as Dai Rees for supplying some cracking rides from the stable where John is now head lad and does a range of jobs which not only includes riding the horses but mucking out, feeding and dealing with owners.
“Dai has been brilliant and I can’t thank him enough,” says a grateful young jockey who has had a few falls as well as his triumphs.
“The worst fall I had was at the Golden Valley meeting, where I rode Opal Ridge and when he made a mistake five fences out he fell back on me and I was out cold for a couple of minutes. It meant that I was stood down from racing for three weeks as a precaution and had to visit Dr Turner in London for a concussion test.”
Luckily, though, John was given immediate clearance and showed his true mettle as he was soon back in the saddle for his next ride, at Trecoed, near Fishguard, and won that race in style!

And finally . . .

When he was in Greenhill School, John played rugby as a second row or blindside flanker but now he has to focus very much on his riding because he is clearly a very talented young jockey who is not afraid to show his courage but also has that ability to calculate carefully, which only the top jockeys have as a second nature. At just 18 years of age he has the world at his feet in terms of racing horses but he is extremely modest about his achievements so far and sensible in the way he looks forward. John Mathias has already won a string of winners and PembrokeshireSport.co.uk is very confident that there are many more in the pipe-line – and we will follow his career with real interest as he flies the Pembrokeshire flag with some style!

** Pictures for this article were generously supplied by Alun Sedgemore/Sporting Prints, who supply excellent action pictures of sport and can be contacted on their website. **