Author: Lucy

Rugby fans experienced what it’s like to referee an international match, thanks to the new and improved RefCam.

The men in the middle wore the bespoke camera system for nine games in the Autumn Nation Series, providing viewers across Europe with a unique perspective of the action.

The JockeyCam team developed a new system for the series, including a purpose-built plate to hold the camera level. As well as improving the quality of the footage, this also speeds up the process of rigging up the referee before games.

The new system was approved for the autumn internationals after being rigorously tested in a number of Gallagher Premiership matches.

The results were a huge success with viewers of TNT Sports in the UK, TF1 in France and Sky Italia placed in the thick of the action, which featured the best players in the world.

Sam Fleet, JockeyCam Co-founder and CEO, said: “We were delighted with the performance of our newly developed referee camera at the Autumn Nations Series.

“The team have done a brilliant job of adapting the existing RefCam design and it was great to be able to showcase the results on the international rugby stage.

“Many thanks to our broadcast partners and event organisers, Six Nations Rugby, for giving us the opportunity.”

RefCam has previously been used for several high-profile rugby events, including the 2024 Guinness Six Nations and 2023 Summer Nations Series.

To find out more about RefCam, please get in touch.

JockeyCam returns to the international stage over the next week, as it captures live action from two of the biggest meetings in the global racing calendar.

Today (Friday) and tomorrow, race fans will be treated to point-of-view footage from the Breeders’ Cup World Championship at the Del Mar Racetrack in San Diego, California.

Jockeys will also don the helmet cam for all four days of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, which is centred around the world’s richest handicap – the Melbourne Cup, on Tuesday (November 5th).

JockeyCam CEO and Co-Founder Sam Fleet said: “It’s a privilege for JockeyCam to cover action from the Breeders’ and Melbourne Cup meetings.

“These are two of the most prestigious events in world racing, and we’re hugely grateful to all our partners for making it happen.”

The Breeders’ Cup is one of the biggest event in global horse racing, attracting the biggest names in the sport. It’s also one of the richest two days in sports, with $34 million paid out in purses and awards over the weekend.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival, held at the Flemington Racecourse, carries equal prestige, hosting dozens of races over the four days of action (tomorrow, Tuesday 5th, Thursday 7th and Saturday 9th). The big four are the Victoria Derby, VRC Oaks, Mackinnon Stakes and the jewel in Australia’s horse racing crown, the Melbourne Cup.

JockeyCam will be there to bring you spectacular live footage from both – keep an eye on our website and social media accounts for highlights of the action.

JockeyCam is thrilled to announce the addition of seasoned jockey Jason Benbow to its team. With an illustrious career spanning 22 years, Jason has ridden over 750 winners.  A defining moment in his career came in 2004 when he secured a Group-1 victory in the Emirates Stakes aboard Sky Cuddle.

In November 2022, Jason sustained a fractured right femur during a race at Murray Bridge, which prompted him to explore new avenues within the racing industry. His transition from the track to the administrative and production side of the sport marks an exciting new chapter in his career.

Reflecting on his journey, Jason Benbow said: “Being a jockey is more than riding a horse; you need to be an excellent communicator with all industry participants. During my career, there was no shortage of injury and hardships, but during this time, I was able to focus on other aspects of my professional development. I see this role as a great opportunity for me to transition into the production side of the sport.”

Jason’s connection with JockeyCam began in 2019 when he worked alongside the team as part of the production for Network 10 during the Melbourne Cup coverage. “I am very grateful that in 2019 I was lucky enough to work alongside the JockeyCam team. Since then, the technology has come forward in leaps and bounds. If Formula One is anything to go by, the viewer’s experience is paramount, and I believe that JockeyCam can change the landscape of how we view races,” Benbow added.

Nathan Horrocks, Co-Founder of JockeyCam, stated, “We are delighted to welcome Jason Benbow to our team. His deep understanding of racing, combined with his passion for helping audiences both within and outside the sport appreciate the skills required by our human and equine athletes, makes him an invaluable addition. Jason will not only expand our team into Australia but also play a crucial role as our JockeyCam team continues to enhance the viewing experience for racing fans around the world.”

JockeyCam co-founder Nathan Horrocks joined world racing’s leading figures this week after being invited to speak at the Asian Racing Conference in Sapporo, Japan.

Nathan’s presentation featured the pioneering work of JockeyCam and sister-company Equine Productions, which has helped engage, entertain and educate racing fans around the globe.

The week-long conference, organised by the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and the Japan Racing Association (JRA), is one of the most influential events on the international racing calendar. Now in its 40^th year, the conference attracts and engages the foremost leaders and thinkers in racing and sports, helping shape global and regional agendas to advance the racing industry.

Nathan, a former jockey turned award-winning director and producer, tapped into his twin passions of racing and filmmaking to engage audiences in the conference’s pop culture session – ‘Bringing racing’s stories to life’.

Nathan’s talk also included a demonstration of how JockeyCam can be used in story-telling, in both documentary format and live broadcast, revealing in-the-saddle decisions taken in every race. Nathan also talked about the development work the company is conducting in GPS technology, live-tracking and multi-screen distribution, allowing audiences to control and create their own narrative of every race.

Nathan said: “It was a privilege to speak at the Asian Racing Conference.

“This event is at the cutting edge of the world racing industry, attracting some of the most prominent members of the international racing community.

“To showcase the work of JockeyCam and Equine Productions on such a platform – and highlight the role we’re playing in advancing the sport – was fantastic, and we’re hugely grateful for the opportunity.”

JockeyCam will be an ever-present for the summer season at the breathtaking Del Mar track near San Diego, California.

The team announced its return to the 44,000-capacity venue by capturing spectacular footage of Stylishlyacclaimed passing Glorious Life to win yesterday’s Maiden Special Weight race.

JockeyCam Co-Founder Nathan Horrocks said: “It’s fantastic to be back at Del Mar again. And, as with all the tracks we cover, we’re grateful to the support from jockeys and connections for allowing us and FanDuel TV to put fans in the saddle for the best seat in the house.”

The summer meet at Del Mar comprises eight weeks of racing and JockeyCam – on behalf of FanDuel Racing – will provide point-of-view action on every race day.

Del Mar’s iconic seaside oval is the second biggest horse-racing venue in the western United States and is known for its slogan – ‘Where the surf meets the turf’.

JockeyCam is bringing fans live footage of every race at Royal Ascot this week.

As well as the historic course’s big screen, pictures are being used by 100 broadcasters around the world, including NBC Sports and FanDuel TV in the US and ITV and Sky Sports Racing in the UK.

While live JockeyCam has previously been involved in the prestigious meeting, this level of coverage and breadth of audience makes 2024 a ground-breaking year.

And, once again, the spectacular point-of-view footage delivered the goods.

JockeyCam beautifully caught the moment Australian sprinter Asfoora – piloted by Oisín Murphy – went through the gears to win the King Charles III Stakes. The helmet-mounted camera was being worn by Tom Marquand, who was third on Big Evs in Tuesday’s Group 1 race.

Among the other highlights, Clifford Lee’s cam captured a barnstorming finish in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, as Auguste Rodin (under Ryan Moore) held off challengers Zarakem and Horizon Dore to win.

Royal Ascot is considered racing’s most glamourous fixture, with more than 250,000 racegoers expected to attend over the five days. There are seven races each day, with a total of £10m prizemoney up for grabs.

Northampton Saints fans got to join the players for their Premiership rugby final celebrations thanks to JockeyCam.

Saints’ hooker Curtis Langdon donned the camera after the final whistle of his side’s 25-21 victory over Bath at Twickenham.

The footage gave viewers a taste of the on-pitch festivities, before showing the players receiving their medals and gathering on the podium to lift the trophy.

This move strengthens JockeyCam’s relationship with the sport world of rugby union. Last year, the company’s live RefCam system won approval from World Rugby, which allowed the technology to be used by match officials in elite-level matches.

And this year, match officials wore the technology to get fans closer to the action during the Guinness Six Nations.

The unique insight provided by JockeyCam played a key role in the post-Derby analysis at the weekend.

Footage captured from the helmet of jockey Kieran Shoemark highlighted a crucial moment in Britain’s richest flat race at Epsom Downs.

The action showed winning jockey Ryan Moore committing to the inside after getting bumped on the turn for home. City of Troy then showed his acceleration to get out of trouble and eventually win by two and three-quarter lengths.

The full race can also be seen here.

The same day, JockeyCam gave Derby Festival viewers the opportunity to ride in the fastest five-furlong race in the world. Hollie Doyle wore the helmet cam as she piloted Enchanting to fourth in the Betfred 3YO Epsom ‘Dash’, run on the course’s lightning-quick five-furlong track.

JockeyCam attended the Derby festival for the QIPCO British Champions Series and The Jockey Club. The two-day event also featured Group 1 races, the Oaks and Coronation Cup, both run on the same course and distance as the showpiece Derby.

Take a look at our showreel to find out what JockeyCam has to offer.

JockeyCam put 5.5 million race fans in the winning saddle at the weekend as Jaime Torres clinched the prestigious Preakness Stakes.

Torres piloted Seize the Grey to victory in the second Triple Crown race of the year, held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Preakness was Torres’s first-ever Triple Crown run, and NBC viewers got to experience the action from his perspective thanks to JockeyCam.

The Triple Crown also includes the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Victory in all three races is considered the greatest achievement in thoroughbred racing.

This win came hot on the heels of JockeyCam’s triumph in the Kentucky Derby, where five of the top seven finishers wore the helmet cam.

JockeyCam’s speedway-modified unit was worn by Sheffield Tigers’ captain Kyle Hawarth for his team’s meeting at home to Ipswich Witches on Monday night.

Ipswich’s narrow win is one of 17 live fixtures – broadcast by Eurosport on behalf of Saint Media – in which ‘RiderCam’ will be used to provide viewers with point-of-view action this season.

The JockeyCam has been adapted slightly for the motorcycle sport, but the internal components are the same as used by jockeys. Kyle (blue and yellow) is pictured wearing the RiderCam during Monday’s British Speedway Premier meeting. (Image courtesy of Charlotte Flanigan Photography). 

This is the third season running where ‘RiderCam’ has been used in live Eurosport broadcasts.

Ex-international speedway rider Mark Lemon – who is now manager of both Belle Vue Aces and Team Australia – recently praised JockeyCam’s contribution to the sport, describing footage as “the closest you get to the real thing”.