Andrew Elliott has spent the last 14 years switching his time between the UK, mainly based with Karl Burke, and the Middle East where he is currently based in Bahrain riding for the Royal stable. He was champion jockey in 2018 and has won all the major races there. Whilst riding he has continued to develop his other passion in life for art and drawing and after speaking with JETS, he has completed a tattooing course with a view to eventually setting up his own business as a tattoo artist.

Where did your passion for art come from?

At school, I was always good at art and my teacher said I should use it in my career but I had my heart set on racing but I’ve always kept it going. I like doing portraits and do a lot of pencilwork.

How did you take advantage of JETS to help you develop your skills?

Last year I broke my shoulder and ended up at Jack Berry House where I spoke to Phil about what other interests I had and that I could develop to help me prepare for the future. I have a few tattoos myself, so we looked into courses and thought I should give it a go as it could be a really good career to work towards after racing.

How easy was it to find a Tattooing course?

It was all very straightforward, I found a course in Manchester and paid the deposit and then gave them JETS’ details who paid the remainder. It was a ten day course, it was very useful and at the end of it I needed to design my first piece which my wife kindly agreed to be the guinea pig for. It wasn’t perfect but I was pleased with my first attempt and I now have a qualified certificate.

How useful will the contacts you’ve made in racing be for your new business?

I thought it might be difficult to find clients but I’ve already got around 20 people, many from round home in Yorkshire who I ride out with, who’ve said that they would use me and are happy for me to use them as guinea pigs! I’ve got my own machine so I’m just going to practise and build up experience and different designs over the next twelve months so when I get started, I feel I’ve got plenty of work to step into and I can hit the ground running.

How have you found developing a dual career alongside your riding?

It’s been really rewarding. I ride out in the mornings and here in Bahrain I’m only racing a couple of days a week so I’ve got plenty of time to practise my drawing. I use orange peel or pig skin (amazingly available in local supermarkets) to practise on. I use up so much energy from horseracing and when I have frustrating days I find the drawing is a great escape from racing and a way to turn negative energy into something positive.

How are you feeling about the future?

I’m planning to do a refresher course when I go back to the UK and my plan is eventually to get a studio where I can work in the afternoons and still ride out in the mornings. I’m looking forward to developing my style and once I’m in the right area, I think it could be a really successful business.