Payments to injured professional jockeys in British horse racing (1996-2006).

The research paper examined the direct and indirect costs of injuries sustained by professional jockeys from horse racing in the UK over a period of 11 years (1996-2006). The costs were quantified through payouts made under the Professional Riders Insurance Scheme (PRIS).

Research Methodology

The researchers utilized a cohort study design. The study’s population consisted of professional horse riders in the UK registered with the Jockey Club. Data for the study were pulled from payouts made under the PRIS for injuries sustained by these professional jockeys. These injury records were found in the Jockey Club injury database spanning from 1996 to 2006.

• The number of injuries that resulted in missed days of racing was noted.
• The specific types of injuries were identified and categorised.
• The insurance payouts for each type of injury were calculated.
• The time taken by the injured jockeys to return to racing was recorded.

Results of the Study

Within the study period, 1328 injuries were recorded, resulting in jockeys missing an aggregate of 71,509 days of racing. PRIS made a total payout of 4,496,019 pounds for these injuries. Despite the majority of injuries being minor in nature,

• A third of the injured jockeys returned to racing within two weeks.
• 45% of the insurance claims received a payout of less than 1000 pounds.
• About half of the claims were related to fractures, with the clavicle being the most common site of injury.
• Joint dislocations commanded the highest insurance payouts and resulted in the longest time off racing.

Conclusion

The researchers concluded that horse racing is a high-risk sport, a fact that was reinforced by the expenditure of almost 4.5 million pounds on injury-related payouts in horse racing over the 11-year study period. The data collected and examined in this study serve to provide crucial information on the costs related to injuries in professional horse racing. Furthermore, the study forms the foundation for more detailed health economic analyses in the future.