The Valley - Saturday 31st July 2021

THE RISE AND RISE OF JAMIE KAH By Ben Caluzzi Jamie Kah has been around horses her entire life. Soon after she could walk, she could ride, and being legged up onto her family pony by the age of one was just the beginning of her affinity with thoroughbreds. Despite this, her passion for race riding didn’t come from her immediate family. Yes, she inherited her competitive edge from her parents John and Karen who represented Australia as speed skaters in the Olympics, but her incredible ability in the saddle wasn’t directly derived from those rich bloodlines. In fact, Kah’s non-racing parents admit that had they had known more about the dangers of being a jockey, they might not have been so accepting when she first entered the caper. Jamie Kah’s stairway to success has been unique. Growing up in Mount Pleasant in South Australia, she learnt the fundamentals of horse riding and competed in various Equestrian events throughout her childhood. By the age of 14 she began working in John MacMillan’s stables, and only a year later she had convinced her parents to let her leave school and become an apprentice. Timing, balance, strength, focus, and diligence. There are many elements that make a good jockey. From very early on it became apparent to MacMillan that Jamie had some of these qualities already, but the two things that shone brightest was her quick-learning ability and her sense of feel. Feel is an understated mastery when it comes to unpacking a jockey’s toolbox. It is not uncommon for the ordinary Joe to think race riding is primarily about strength and vigor. Whichever jockey rides the hardest, strongest race, uses his shillelagh best and of course, has a capable horse will win, right? Wrong. There is a reason why Jamie Kah is getting the best out of her horses, better than anyone else currently in the state. Horses ‘run for her’ because she consistently finds the perfect rhythm and balance when she is riding them. She is at one with them. She understands pressure and release as well as anyone, she understands the optimal length of her reign at any given stage in a race, her horses conserve