The Professional Jockeys Association

What The Professional Jockeys Association does

The Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) is the sole recognized trade body representing professional jockeys in British horseracing, founded in 1969 as the Jockeys Association of Great Britain and rebranded in 2008. Operating from Newbury, UK with 23 employees, it serves over 400 jockey members across Flat, Jump, Conditional, Apprentice, and All-Weather disciplines. The PJA negotiates collective terms with racing authorities (BHA, ROA) and runs five annual jockey championships plus the Lesters Awards ceremony.

The PJA delivers a comprehensive welfare and insurance portfolio spanning seven service categories: Starting Out (career entry and coaching), Healthy Mind (Sporting Chance mental health, sports psychology), Healthy Body (physiotherapy, nutrition, concussion management), Playing Fair (regulatory appeals and compliance), Peace of Mind (travel, career-ending, PRIS, legal expenses, Bupa private health insurance), Money Matters (PJAPS pension via Aegon, savings plan, tax guidance), and Racing Matters (racecourse access, international riding support). Members contribute £1.30 per ride towards group schemes, with commercial partnerships — particularly with Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing — heavily subsidizing insurance provision.

Revenue is generated through membership per-ride contributions, media partnership income, sponsorship administration fees (acting as guardian of jockey commercial rights subject to BHA approval), and event sponsorship (e.g., World Pool headline sponsorship of the Lesters). The technology footprint is intentionally light: a WordPress website, Mailchimp newsletters, Google Tag Manager analytics, and Weatherbys-integrated financial transactions for prize money and riding fees. The organization is privately held by its members, governed by an elected Board of Flat and Jump representatives, with no external parent, PE, or VC ownership.

Name

The Professional Jockeys Association

Legal name

The Professional Jockeys Association

Website

https://thepja.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Professional Jockeys Association is the sole trade body for over 400 professional jockeys in British horseracing, delivering collective representation, group insurance, welfare support, championship management, and career development services from Newbury, UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Trade Association

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Jockeys, Drivers & Officials (Licensing/Representation) (MPAEADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Racing Associations, Governance & Integrity Services (MPAEADAL), Training, Stables & Equine Services (MPAEADAI), Racecourse Hospitality, Sponsorship & On-Track Experiences (MPAEADAM)

Keywords

• Professional jockey trade body
• Horseracing member services
• Jockey insurance schemes
• Jockey racing championships
• Jockey welfare training

Headquarters

HQ city

Newbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions: Jockeys contribute £1.30 per ride towards group insurance schemes and member benefits. This funds essential insurance coverage including career ending insurance, travel insurance, PRIS, and other group schemes.
2. Commercial Partnerships: Partnerships with media companies (Racing TV, Sky Sports Racing) generate income that heavily subsidizes essential insurances for members. Income from these media partnerships is a significant revenue stream.
3. Jockey Sponsorship Administration: The PJA acts as guardian of commercial rights for jockeys, facilitating sponsorship arrangements with brands for clothing, vehicles, and promotional activities. Sponsorship arrangements are registered with and approved by the BHA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Professional Jockeys Association is a trade body for professional jockeys in British horseracing, providing group insurance schemes, welfare support, regulatory representation, commercial sponsorship administration, racing championships (Flat, Jump, Conditional, Apprentice, All Weather), and the annual Lesters Awards ceremony. Membership is funded by a £1.30 per ride contribution toward group insurance, supplemented by commercial partnerships with media companies such as Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing.

Product overview

The Professional Jockeys Association is a trade association offering a comprehensive suite of services to professional jockeys in British horseracing. The portfolio spans seven core service areas: Starting Out (jockey development and training), Healthy Mind (mental health and performance support), Healthy Body (physiotherapy, nutrition, and injury management), Playing Fair (regulatory compliance and appeals), Peace of Mind (insurance schemes including travel, career-ending, and legal expenses), Money Matters (financial services including pensions, savings, and tax guidance), and Racing Matters (racecourse access and facilities). Additionally, the PJA manages the Championships programme across Flat, Jump, All Weather, Apprentice, and Conditional racing, and organises the annual Lesters Awards ceremony. The association also facilitates a commercial sponsorship programme for members and coordinates with the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) and JETS (Jockeys Education and Training Scheme) for welfare and career development support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jockey Membership Annual trade body membership for professional Flat, Jump, Conditional, and Apprentice jockeys in British horseracing. Provides access to group insurance schemes, welfare support, championship participation, commercial sponsorship administration, and regulatory representation. Funded by a £1.30 per ride contribution toward group insurance schemes.
• Championships Programme Season-long jockey championship competitions across five categories: Flat Jockeys Championship, Jump Jockeys Championship, Conditional Jockeys Championship, Apprentice Jockeys Championship, and ARC All Weather Championship. Tracks wins, rides, strike rates, level stakes, and prize money standings throughout each racing season.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~£16m invested into jockey pension pots since 1984
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Horse PWRcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHorse PWR is designed to open doors to the sport and talk about the Thoroughbred - their purpose, the lives they lead, and the high welfare and safety standards that underpin British racing. The partnership supports PJA's mission of promoting welfare and responsibility in horseracing.
• Racing TVcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRacing TV is a British television channel dedicated to horseracing with 35 racecourses as shareholders. Media partner providing 50% discount on subscription for all PJA members. Title sponsor of PJA/Racing TV Pro Am Golf Tournament. Income from this partnership enables heavy subsidization of essential insurances for members.
• Sky Sports RacingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner devoted to horse racing broadcasting domestic, European and international horse racing events. Jointly with Racing TV, the income generated heavily subsidizes essential insurance provisions for PJA members.
• Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF)coreOthersIJF helps any rider who holds or has held a British Professional or Amateur licence, including spouses, partners, children or dependants. Operates three rehabilitation centers offering physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, and nutritional advice. Linked on PJA homepage as key partner.
• JETS (Jockeys Education and Training Scheme)coreOthersJETS provides jockeys with life-long career development, career advice and guidance, and funding for training and CPD opportunities. Founded 1993 to assist jockeys with training, CPD and career transition.
• Sporting ChancecoreOthersMental health support service linked on PJA homepage. Part of dedicated suite of services to help jockeys with mental health, wellbeing and resilience since 2016.
• Arena RacingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArena Racing sponsored the champagne reception at The Lesters 2024 awards ceremony. Contributing partner to annual awards event.
• World PoolcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHeadline sponsor of The Lesters 2024 awards ceremony. Described as fantastic partners not just for the event but for the sport as a whole.
• Racehorse Owners Association (ROA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerROA funds the career ending insurance policy as of January 2022 via a small surcharge on owners per ride. PJA negotiates riding fees annually with ROA.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• National Association of Broadcasters: Industry trade association for US broadcasters. Loosely comparable in operating model — membership-funded body monetizing group rights on behalf of constituents — though not in sport. Useful comparator for understanding the trade-association business model the PJA operates.
• Racehorse Owners Association (ROA): UK trade body representing racehorse owners and a key negotiating counterpart of the PJA on riding fees and career-ending insurance funding. Adjacent stakeholder body in the same racing ecosystem rather than a competitive peer.
• Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF): UK charity operating three rehabilitation centres for injured riders. Closely intertwined welfare partner of the PJA rather than a competitor — both serve the same jockey population through coordinated services.

Direct peers

• Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA): UK trade body for professional cricketers providing commercial rights management, welfare, education, and member benefits. Directly comparable membership-funded athlete association with a small permanent staff supporting a defined player population.
• Rugby Players Association (RPA): UK trade body representing professional rugby players across welfare, education, and commercial representation. Same athlete-union operating model as the PJA — funding via small deductions from earnings, member services, and collective bargaining with governing bodies.
• Professional Footballers' Association (PFA): UK trade union for professional footballers, providing collective representation, welfare support, education, and member benefits funded by a percentage of player wages. Closely analogous model to the PJA in another professional sport — membership dues, regulatory negotiation, and welfare infrastructure.
• Irish Jockeys Association: National trade body for professional jockeys in Ireland, providing welfare, insurance, and representation services. Direct structural peer to the PJA — same sport, same membership-based model, same function in a closely adjacent racing jurisdiction.

Broad incumbents

• British Horseracing Authority (BHA): Statutory regulator for British horseracing. While not a direct competitor — the PJA negotiates with the BHA on members' behalf — the BHA operates broadly across the same sport and provides the licensing and disciplinary framework within which jockeys operate.

Regional players

• Jockeys' Guild (US): US-based organization representing flat and steeplechase jockeys with a focus on health, welfare, and benefits. Regional peer performing a comparable function to the PJA within the North American racing industry.
• Australian Jockeys' Association: National trade body representing jockeys in Australian racing, providing similar welfare, insurance, and representation functions. Geographic peer serving an equivalent role in the southern hemisphere racing jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-professional-jockeys-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Professional Jockeys Association