Dancing to Stardom

Former jockey Nina Carberry tells Andrea Smith about swapping the saddle for her dancing shoes.

Having topped the judges’ leader board for the first two weeks, it’s safe to say that Nina Carberry is currently dazzling the hard-to-please judges on Dancing with the Stars.

The former jockey trains every evening with her pro-partner, Pasquale La Rocca, and says it’s “full-on.” She felt she was “so bad” at the beginning, which made her panic and spurred her on to put the work in. It has paid off because Nina and Pasquale topped the leader board for their first two dances, and as of now, are tipped to go all the way in the show.

“I hadn't a clue where to put my feet as I was starting from scratch,” Nina laughs. “I knew it was going to be totally alien to me to learn how to dance because I was never a great person with rhythm. I was half terrified the first night we did the show and didn't know how I was going to get to the end of the dance.”

Having come from a world filled with horses, jockeys and trainers, Nina is enjoying getting to know the other celebrities and dancers. It’s good, she says, to have people that are at the same level of learning as herself. To be able to share her concerns about performing with them.

“It’s great that everyone is from all walks of life and it’s nice to chat to them and learn about their different experiences in life,” she comments.

Nina’s husband is former jockey Ted Walsh Jnr, who now works for Labstock Microservices, which brings in supplies for vets such as artificial insemination for cows and horses.

He encouraged her to take part in the show. “Ted was like, ‘Ah you need to do it - it’ll be brilliant fun,’ and he said he’d be there to mind Rosie (4) and Hollie (2) in the evening while I train,” she says. “It’s great to know that the kids are with him and happy while I’m out training. ”

Nina already knew Ted through his sister, jockey Katie Walsh, but she got chatting to him at Cheltenham in 2005 and their relationship developed from there. She fell for him because he was very friendly and confident, and she liked that he was interested in different subjects, and could talk about other things apart from horses and racing.

“It’s also nice to meet someone who understands the industry I’m in and how much we have to put into it,” she says. “Ted has had to sacrifice a lot as I was always going racing in my spare time and my holidays were very short.”

RACING FAMILIES

Their marriage in 2012 joined together two of Ireland’s most famous horse-racing families. Ted's dad is former jockey and Aintree National-winning trainer Ted Walsh and his siblings are jockeys Ruby Walsh and Katie Walsh.

Nina’s dad Tommy won both the Grand National and Cheltenham as a jockey on L'Escargot. He was the trainer of the horse Bobbyjo when it won the Grand National in 1999, ridden by her brother Paul.

“Dad was a brilliant jockey and trainer and he was a great help to me when I started riding and was there any time I needed advice,” she says.

Tommy died in July 2017, and it came at a strange time for Nina, as she had just given birth to Rosie.

“She was only a couple of weeks old,” she says. “Dad got to hold her hand, but that was about it, which was sad. It was a very weird time, to be honest, because your emotions are already high after having a baby.”

“Dad had a stroke and it hit his eyes, so he lost his sight. He also had dementia pretty bad towards the end. It wasn't an easy time seeing him suffering that much”, she adds.

Although she was ready to become a mum, Nina found it a bit daunting at the start. “You’re like a rabbit in the headlights, but Ted and I got there in the end,” she says, adding that Ted is really good with the girls.

As a jockey, Nina won her first race at Cheltenham in 2005, and became the second woman to win the Irish Grand National in 2011. In 2015, she won the Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree, and after a career filled with many spectacular wins, she announced her retirement from the sport in April 2018.

Has spending so many years in a sport that is all about winning given her a competitive edge in DWTS? Oh yeah,” she agrees. “Obviously at the start, I just wanted to get to the end of the dance and wasn’t thinking about anyone else, but when I did well, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is big adrenaline.’ I'd love to do well every week and want to learn all the different dances and really enjoy it and hopefully score well.”

RACING SUCCESS

Nina has five brothers, four of whom - Thomas, Paul, Mark, Philip - are older than her, and there’s one younger - Peter Jon. She learned to ride ponies from her big brothers.

“I suppose I had to keep up with them,” she says. “We’d all be jumping every day after school and there’s always been a camaraderie between us. One day I went pony racing and actually won one of the races, so I got the bug then and really enjoyed it. And then that progressed to my dad having a couple of horses ready to ride bumpers (a race designed to familiarise horses with running at racecourses).”

Nina says that ladies’ races played a big role in her life, and she is very grateful to them because they enabled her to show what she could do on the track when she wasn't getting the opportunity to do so in regular races. You had to prove your skills, she says, and they were a great stepping stone for her in her career.

“It isn't easy for any girl coming through because you have to prove yourself time and time again,” she says.

“Once trainers started trusting me and using me, I got more opportunities along the way. In our industry in Ireland, as long as you're good enough and are able to go well, you’ll get the chance, and you can see that with Rachael Blackmore, who has done brilliantly.”

The highlight for Nina was winning the Grand National on Organisedconfusion in 2011, particularly as the winners of Ireland’s biggest race included her dad (1975) and brothers Paul (1999) and Philip (2006). Her uncle, Arthur Moore, won the race as a rider himself in 1971, and trained Organisedconfusion.

“There’s a big history with the race in our family and for me to go on and win it for my uncle was amazing,” says Nina, who also worked for trainer Aidan O’Brien in Tipperary for five years.

“Fairyhouse is only up the road for me so it was a massive day and a dream come true.”

Nina is very close to her mum Pamela, and is grateful that she brought her around the country pony racing when she was a youngster, which really helped her gain experience. “She had a big family so it was hard for her to give the time but she did it,” says Nina.

Nina says that her mum is great for giving her advice and help around her two little girls, who love watching her dancing on TV. She decided to retire a few months after she had Rosie as summer racing commitments required her to be away from home most days, and many of her races would take place at 9pm.

“I didn't have Rosie not to see her,” she explains. “It was easier to leave her when she was a little baby, but she was starting to walk and talk and I just wanted to be more part of her life at that time. It was time to move on as I’d done as much as I could try and do and I also wanted to start up a business.”

CAREER CHANGE

Nina missed racing initially but she now has a business buying, selling and training horses through Broadmeadow Stables/ Nina Carberry Racing in Meath. It’s a risky business, she says, as horses are expensive creatures and if one gets colic, it can be gone in the morning, taking her investment with it. She loves it though.

Rosie and Hollie have both sat on ponies, but won’t be able to ride on their own until they’re a few years older. Nina will teach them if they are interested, but doesn’t mind at all if they aren’t.

“If they’re not interested, at least I won't have to worry that they’ve broken a leg or an arm,” she says. “I can only imagine how much my mum worried. I didn't have any bad injuries over the years like my brothers had, and while I broke a few collarbones, it wasn't too bad.”

Nina says that while injuries and disappointments aren't pleasant, she loved having a great career in the racing industry and now at 37, she can’t believe how fast it's all gone. She’s excited to be on a new path now though.

When we see couples dancing on the show, it is made to look so romantic, but Nina says it isn't like that in reality as it’s so technical. All she’s worried about is where her feet are, following the steps, and impressing the judges on the night.

“It's going to be hard to take criticism, but that comes along with anything you do,” she says. “I’m hoping I stay in for a few more weeks and get to learn a few more dances, but it's going to come up thick and fast now so I'm going to have to learn quicker as I really don't want it to end yet.”

Dancing with the Stars, 6.30pm Sundays on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

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