Winter is usually the busiest time of year for jumps jockey Emily Farr, but she decided to sacrifice the majority of New Zealand’s jumps season this year to head home to Wales where she felt she was most needed.
While racing is the centrepiece of Farr’s life, there is one thing that is more important to the 33-year-old rider – family. With her father suffering from dementia, and her mother bearing the brunt of caregiver duties, Farr felt it was time to head home and help ease the burden for her family.
“My Dad has had dementia for a couple of years now and coming around Christmas time we knew things were getting a bit difficult for my Mum at home where we run a big farm,” Farr said.
“There came a point where I said I would go home and help out and that meant putting my life on hold here (New Zealand). Everyone I had a connection with through the upcoming jumps season all understood and were very supportive.
“I went home and helped my Mum out with my Dad and tried to get him into a home, but we couldn’t get him to settle so he is in hospital now. He has been in hospital for the last 25 weeks and I don’t think he will come out. It has been tough.”
Farr said it was difficult going home to see the toll the illness has had on her family.
“They (parents) have been together for 37 years so trying to get Mum to have a bit of independence and come out of being the carer for my father has been a very tough,” she said.
While family was the catalyst to head back to Wales, Farr said racing was never far away, and she enjoyed keeping her hand in the game while at home.
“I have got really good friends at home and I did a lot of riding over there,” she said. “I was very lucky to work for Christian Williams, who is a National Hunt trainer, and he works horses on the beach. I kept busy and I was schooling horses every week and riding in National Hunt yards.
“It was great to get my eye back into the UK way of racing as well. I got to take a lot of horses to the races and still be involved as well as trying to watch races in the middle of the night and trying to keep up with everything over here (New Zealand).
“It was just great to be with family and friends, catching the end of the point-to-point season as well as taking in the summer racing and being involved in British racing. I went to Cheltenham and Aintree, and did all the big meetings. I went over to Ireland for a couple of weeks, it was great. I did a lot in four months.”
Farr found it hard to return to New Zealand but did so at the behest of her mother.
“I have felt comfortable over the last month or so being with Mum and she told me ‘your life is back in New Zealand and you are coming to the end of the jumps season, it is time to go back and sort things out’.
“I have come back and still have my job at Wexford Stables with Andrew (Scott) and Lance (O’Sullivan), and they were very pleased to have me back. I jumped straight back into work, I ride about 15 horses each morning between them and Waikato Stud.”
While enjoying being back riding work, Farr said it took her a bit of time to make the decision to return to race riding.
“It took me three weeks to decide whether I thought it was best for me to come back and ride over fences due to everything that is on my plate,” she said. “But I am fit enough and strong enough, and I am in a good place mentally.”
Farr said she knew she made the right decision when the Matamata-based rider went to Hawke’s Bay last weekend before riding at Woodville on Sunday, where she placed aboard the John Wheeler-trained Red Ned in the Pat and The Late John Shannon (3000m).
“I went down to see Paul (Nelson, trainer) on the weekend, schooled a couple of horses and then rode at Woodville, and Paul and John were very happy with the way I rode.”
Farr’s week got even better when she was awarded the plum ride on the Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal-trained Nedwin in the Peter Kelly – Bayleys Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) at Te Rapa on Sunday.
The 10-year-old son of Niagara took out last year’s edition of the jumping feature with Aaron Kuru aboard, but with the Australian-based hoop unable to cross the Tasman, Nelson elected to hand the reins to Farr.
Farr has a perfect record with the gelding, having won aboard him at Otaki last year in their only start together, and she is excited to renew their partnership this weekend.
“I am very privileged to have the call-up,” she said. “I rode him in a high-weight, and he did that very well for me.
“We thought Aaron Kuru might be able to come over, but due to other issues he couldn’t, and with Jay (Kozaczek) getting hurt at Woodville, Paul said he would like to put me on.
“I know what sort of calibre the horse is and how well he did it last year, and how great trainers Paul and Corrina are. I am really excited.”
Farr also has three other rides on the 10-race card, including The Anarchist in the Ben and Ryan Foote Racing Great Northern Steeplechase (6500m), Jakama Krystal in the FCM Steeplechase (3900m), and Zeefa Zed in the ALSCO Uniforms Hurdle (2800m).
“The Anarchist probably didn’t like the ground at Woodville, but he stayed on very well and Paul (Nelson) is very happy with him and thinks he will stay the distance in the Northern.
“Jakama Krystal probably should have won on Sunday but made a bit of a mistake and lost Lemmy (Douglas, jockey). I have had a good strike-rate on her before with a first and a second. It is good to be back with Jess and Peter (Brosnan, trainers). I think she is a very good chance.
“Zeefa Zed is coming back to the hurdles. I rode him in his first ever jumps start, so it is good to be back on him. He has learnt a lot now, and he has had a bit of experience. He has had a lot of bad luck and placings since, so it will be good to get back on him.
“I am very happy with the four rides I have got, and I think they are all very good chances.”
