How VR can help jockey hopefuls in reaching their goals

2022 Victoria Derby odds: Horseracing can be dangerous for both the jockey and the horse but this sort of virtual reality experience lets you get up close as much as you can while being in a totally safe environment. Virtual reality technology has come a far way since its initial inception in the early 90s when clunky gloves and goggles provided a somewhat immersive but limited look into a 3D world with partial success.

The tech was still in its baby stages and companies such as Nintendo and Sony jumped on the newly-hyped bandwagon too soon it seems. Now, the virtual Reality Tech has come a long way since the 1990s and the public are now able to legitimately have realistic experiences, whether it be horse racing, fighting, or 1st person shooters.

Getting a feel for the real thing

Not everyone has what it takes to become a jockey. As a career, it requires a vast amount of training as well as skill, stamina, and, most importantly, a certain size and weight. Production companies such as JockeyCam have developed VR technology that allows people to have a first-hand experience of what it is like to be on a racehorse and be able to compete virtually against other like-minded racegoers.

Virtual reality horseracing has become a surprisingly popular phenomenon with people seemingly wanting to experience what they see when they watch a horse race. Some pundits might think they can work the 2022 Victoria Derby odds to their favor if they play enough of these virtual games, perhaps getting the upper hand on others.

Using VR to enhance experience

There is a certain satisfaction the VR tech provides, that gives you a better understanding of how the sport works. It is easy to watch a race from the stands and when there in person it is quite a different experience to someone watching a race on TV at home, but it is not the same as being on the horse and actually jockeying the race. Any jockey will tell you this.

What they will also tell you if they have tried the current VR tech is how close it is to the real thing. The only thing to remember is that although the VR has become increasingly realistic over the years, it is not exactly the same as the real thing so don’t exit this experience thinking you can handle a real-life racehorse in a group of other equally proficient racehorses.

A taste of what’s to come

Jockeys are often underrated when it comes to victories with much love rightly going to the horse and the trainer. So, it seems like the VR version of horse racing could be an eye-opener to any potential future jockeys and gives them a glimpse of what could be in their future. The only downside is that this technology is somewhat limited and a lot of jockeys, especially in Australia, grow up in rural areas where tech like this is not readily available.

The main thing to take away from this is that although not a perfectly true reconstruction of being a jockey, it gives the everyday person a glimpse into what it is like to be a commander of a thoroughbred, all the while providing entertainment and immersion that would have not have been possible just a decade ago. Even the most hardcore of pundits recognizes the skill and tenacity it takes to be a race-winning jockey and that is why they are taken into account when deciding on a winner.