Epidemiology of jockey falls and injuries in flat and jump races in Japan (2003-2017).
Abstract: Jockey safety is of paramount importance from the standpoint of welfare and public perception. Thus, an understanding of the epidemiology and associated risk factors is necessary to implement measures to reduce the jockey falls (JFs) and jokey injuries (JIs). This descriptive epidemiological study investigated the occurrence of JFs and JIs in 715,210 and 25,183 rides in flat and jump races, respectively, from 2003 to 2017. In flat races, the incidence rates of JFs and JIs were 1.4 and 0.6 per 1,000 rides, respectively. In jump races, they were 44.4 and 18.1 per 1,000 rides, respectively. In flat races, 56.8% of JFs at corners resulted in JIs. In jump races, the major causes of JFs and JIs were lost balance and hampered by a fallen horse at an obstacle. Our findings provide a basis to design a future study analyzing risk factors for JFs.
©2020 The Japanese Society of Equine Science.
Publication Date: 2020-12-18 PubMed ID: 33376447PubMed Central: PMC7750638DOI: 10.1294/jes.31.101Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study provides an analysis of jockey falls and injuries during flat and jump races in Japan over a 15-year period, helping to identify commonalities and risk factors in these incidents to improve rider safety.
Objective of the Study
- This research aimed to explore the epidemiology and associated risk factors of jockey falls (JFs) and jockey injuries (JIs) in flat and jump races in Japan from 2003 to 2017.
- The intent was to provide necessary data to deploy safety measures for jockey welfare and improve public perception about the sport by reducing the instances of JFs and JIs.
Methods and Data
- The study was a descriptive epidemiological investigation, analyzing the occurrences of JFs and JIs.
- The sample size was vast, comprising 715,210 flat races and 25,183 jump races during the specified period.
Findings: Flat Races
- The research found that in flat races, the incidence rates of JFs and JIs were 1.4 and 0.6 per 1,000 rides, respectively.
- More than half of the JFs that occurred at corners (56.8%) resulted in JIs.
Findings: Jump Races
- In contrast to flat races, jump races recorded much higher incidence rates of 44.4 and 18.1 per 1,000 rides for JFs and JIs, respectively.
- The primary causes of JFs and JIs in jump races were a loss of balance and being hampered by a fallen horse at an obstacle.
Importance of the Study
- The study provides valuable insights into the risks associated with flat and jump horse racing, quantifying the frequency of falls and injuries among jockeys.
- The findings help to identify significant risk factors for JFs, leading to a better understanding of the areas which need to be addressed to improve jockey safety.
- By highlighting the higher incidence of JFs and JIs in jump races, the study implies that more stringent safety controls may be necessary in this type of race.
- The results pave the way for future research to further investigate risk factors and develop preventative measures.
Cite This Article
APA
Mizobe F, Takahashi Y, Kusano K.
(2020).
Epidemiology of jockey falls and injuries in flat and jump races in Japan (2003-2017).
J Equine Sci, 31(4), 101-104.
https://doi.org/10.1294/jes.31.101 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Racehorse Hospital, Miho Training Center, Japan Racing Association, Ibaraki 300-0493, Japan.
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi 329-0412, Japan.
- Equine Department, Japan Racing Association, Tokyo 106-8401, Japan.
References
This article includes 14 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Legg KA, Cochrane DJ, Gee EK, Chin YY, Rogers CW. Relationship between experience and head kinematics in race riding jockeys. Sci Rep 2025 Apr 26;15(1):14686.
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