The North American Racing Academy (NARA) is an accredited college in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

. It offers the only college degree program in the United States focused on producing

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

History

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

jockey and two-time

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

winner (1987 and 1994)

Chris McCarron Christopher John McCarron (born March 27, 1955, Boston, Massachusetts) is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. He mounted his first horse ever at 16.5 years old and was racing professionally by 18. At only 19 years o ...

is credited with the idea of the school's creation in 1988 after he addressed a school for professional riders in Japan.North American Racing Academy - About Us - NARA Background
/ref>

played a hands-on role in the school until his retirement in December 2014. He continues to be involved in NARA providing a capstone class to the graduating class. Many countries that have

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racing In sport, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific goa ...

require anyone applying for a jockey's license to have completed a course at a recognized school for jockeys, but the United States does not. In 2006, the North American Racing Academy was formed as part of the

Bluegrass Community and Technical College Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) is a public community college in Lexington, Kentucky. It is one of sixteen two-year, open admission colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). It was formed from the ...

, which is accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

. While the program is the only college level program in the United States for jockeys, there are programs in racetrack management at the

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of ...

and the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...

Mission

The goal of the school is to provide the Thoroughrbed racing industry with a competent trained workforce. While initially focusing on jockey training and development, the school has expanded with the horseman pathway that provides graduates with the skills to work in training barns,

farm management Agricultural science (or agriscience for short) is a broad multidisciplinary field of biology that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. Profession ...

, and

breeding Breeding is sexual reproduction that produces offspring, usually animals or plants. It can only occur between a male and a female animal or plant. Breeding may refer to: * Animal husbandry, through selected specimens such as dogs, horses, and rab ...

operations. The mission statement is: "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."North American Racing Academy - About Us
/ref>

Facilities

The equine part of the curriculum is taught at the Thoroughbred Training Center, and coursework is taught at the

(BCTC) in

.International Federation of Horseracing Authorities : News
/ref> The main offices of NARA are also located at the Thoroughbred Training Center, which is owned and operated by

Keeneland Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for it ...

Curriculum

Coursework includes riding and

horse care There are many aspects to horse management. Horses, ponies, mules, donkeys and other domesticated equids require attention from humans for optimal health and long life. Living environment Horses require both shelter from natural elements like ...

as well as with courses in

nutrition Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient n ...

, fitness, finance, communication, rules of racing, and technology. The students aren't allowed to bring their own horse, instead everyone rides retired

racehorses provided by the school.North American Racing Academy - About Us - NRA FAQs
/ref> The program lasts two years and graduates are awarded an associate degree in Equine Science.

References

External links

*
Plan of future campus
{{authority control Education in Kentucky Two-year colleges in the United States Private universities and colleges in Kentucky Educational institutions established in 2006 Universities and colleges in Lexington, Kentucky Jockey schools 2006 establishments in Kentucky Horse racing in Kentucky