Art is a winner for jockey Kate Southam

Perth jockey Kate Southam will be looking for a win at the Carnarvon races this Friday in Geraldton. But what does a successful hoop get up to when she’s not at the track? For Kate it’s art, hiking and travelling. “I really like art,” the 26-year-old said. “Plus hiking and the racetrack — that’s pretty much my life.” That might be a bit of an understatement: she has also travelled the world, and loves art and yoga. “I try and travel as much as I can,” Kate said. “Whenever I get a holiday. “I’ve done a lot of overseas travel. “I lived in Canada for 10 months, backpacked through America, I’ve backpacked through Vietnam and Vanuatu and the whole of Australia.” As an apprentice, her free time is a bit more limited. “Normally there isn’t a lot of spare time,” she said. “There’s different pressures and expectations going from riding trackwork. “It’s a lifestyle being a jockey. You’re a jockey 24/7, and in everything you do.” Part of that was maintaining fitness. “Every day I’ll do some form of exercise,” she said. “I try different forms of exercise like yoga. “You have to watch what you eat, what you put on social media because you are your own business, maintain an image, it’s just everything. “Once you leave the track you’re not really gone. “It’s a lifestyle and it’s very consuming, that’s why I guess not everyone does it.” That dedication is paying off: she’s had three firsts and six places in her last 10 starts, and scored a win over 1100m last Carnarvon meet on Aerolite, trained by Ron Cowl Jr. Racing & Wagering WA has moved the first three meets of the Carnarvon season to Geraldton to limit regional travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. After Friday, the next meet is set to run in the first week of June. Geraldton Turf Club manager David Wrensted said the early meetings on the Carnarvon calendar were mostly dominated by Geraldton trainers. Still, some had made the journey south from the Gascoyne. “There is a good representation of Carnarvon horses,” he said.