Courtney is 30 years-old, from Warrington. She is a Sports Journalism MA student at Liverpool John Moore’s University. She has been obsessed with horse racing and football from a young age, though coming from a working-class background meant she lacked the facilities to pursue either as a professional sport. She is also an Animal Biology graduate and owner of seven cats. Her first racecourse experience was Southwell, at a free student racing day.
Their journey has been shaped by significant personal hurdles, including growing up with chronic illnesses and facing bullying that impacted her self-esteem. Today, she lives with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), navigating the ‘’up and down’’ days the condition brings with a resolve to prove anything is possible.
She is particularly passionate about bringing more young people into racing by educating and communicating in ‘’plain English’’ to make the sport more accessible.
She is excited to use their placement to develop as a journalist and inspire others to believe that their background or health should never be a barrier to success. She is excited to learn about all aspects that contribute to bringing Sky Sports Racing to people around the world.
It totally smashed my self-doubt and left me with real, everyday confidence.
Stepping into horse racing as someone who only ever watched the sport on television brought a wave of anxiety, but that fear was completely dismantled right from the start at The racing media academy. The week’s program at The British Racing School was intense and pushed me out of my comfort zone, yet I never felt alone thanks to the constant support from Lee and Abby, who guided me through every step of the journey and helped me find a welcoming, lifelong community. That training naturally translated into my placement with Sky Sports Racing, delivering some of the most surreal and rewarding moments of my life when I saw my own work appear on live broadcast. Being trusted to sit in the producer’s chair and take control of a live broadcast and attending Royal Ascot behind-the-scenes stands out as easily some of the most nerve-wracking yet exhilarating experiences I will ever have.
Anyone thinking about applying to the Racing Media Academy should absolutely take the leap, because if my experience is anything to go by, you will have an absolute blast.
