SEAN BOWEN has realised his boyhood dream after being crowned Champion Jockey, rounding off a remarkable season of dedication, success and resilience.

The 27-year-old from Pembrokeshire clocked up an astonishing 75,000 miles over the season, with 902 rides and 180 winners to his name — a journey that ended with him making history as the first Welsh champion since Fred Winter in 1958.

Earlier this year, Bowen reached 1,000 career wins, but his sights were firmly set on claiming the championship crown.

“Reaching 1,000 wins was an incredible milestone, something not many jockeys get to experience,” Bowen said. “But becoming Champion Jockey has been my real dream for the last few years. I gave it everything after missing out last year.”

Bowen’s previous attempt at the title ended in heartbreak after a Boxing Day knee injury derailed his campaign while he was leading. This season, he was determined not to let history repeat itself.

“I knew I had to start fast and keep the pressure on,” he said. “Harry Skelton pushed me hard around Christmas, but I managed to rebuild the lead. It’s been relentless, but every mile, every ride, was worth it for this.”

The physical and mental demands of the season were immense, but Bowen remained focused.

“It’s tough, not having a day off, always chasing rides. I’ve kept myself fit, but it takes just as much strength mentally. I hate the idea of someone else winning on a horse I should have been riding — that keeps me moving, even if it means driving across the country in a day,” he said.

Family at the heart of success

Bowen paid tribute to his parents, Peter and Karen Bowen, both respected trainers, who supported his career from the very beginning.

“Mum and Dad sacrificed so much, driving thousands of miles just so we could race ponies. Seeing how hard they worked made me want to work just as hard,” he said.

He also praised his partner, Harriet, for standing by him through the challenges of the racing calendar.

“Harriet has been amazing. I barely see her during the season. We’re getting married in July, and I can’t wait for some proper time together on our honeymoon.”

Finishing on a high

Bowen’s final week of the season couldn’t have been scripted better. He rode a remarkable five winners at Ffos Las — his home track — a career first that left him “over the moon.”

“That five-timer was something special — in front of my family and the Welsh crowd too. It’s a day I’ll remember forever,” he said.

He followed it up by winning the Irish Grand National aboard Haiti Couleurs, trained by Rebecca Curtis — another proud moment for Welsh racing.

“Winning the Irish Grand National was the biggest moment of my career,” Bowen said. “To win for a Welsh trainer and beat the Irish on their turf made it even sweeter.”

To put the icing on the cake, he capped off the season with victory in the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, riding Resplendent Grey for trainer Olly Murphy.

From childhood dreams to standing at the top of the sport, Sean Bowen’s journey has come full circle — and he is not done yet.

A PEMBROKESHIRE teenager is making a strong impression on the local darts scene, as the sport continues to grow in popularity among young players inspired by stars like Luke Littler.

Jake Barrington, who plays in the Haverfordwest Darts League, has been enjoying a string of successes. Over the weekend, Jake won £165 by claiming victory in the junior tournament held at the Milford Arms, Milford Haven, adding to the £50 he won at another local competition on Friday.

Jake’s dedication to the sport is helped by a high-tech practice setup at home, which allows him to play online matches against players from across the country. Using cameras and sensors, the system records scores and connects with opponents in real-time. Over the past year, Jake has won hundreds of pounds through local competitions and online matches.

Speaking to The Herald, Jake’s father, Andrew Phillips, said: “That’s all he does — play darts. He absolutely loves it. The system we have at home has helped him massively and he just keeps getting better.”

The rise of young players like Jake is part of a wider trend, with teenage stars such as Luke Littler inspiring a new generation to take up the sport. Jake’s achievements in Pembrokeshire show just how strong local youth darts is becoming.

With his skills continuing to develop, Jake Barrington looks set to be a name to watch in the years ahead.

Main photo caption:

Jake Barrington with Rachel Bevs, tournament organiser

NEEDING a win against Division 3 Cup finalists Cardigan at Cwmamman Park on Friday night to avoid relegation, Amman United fell short in their final league game of the season—despite producing one of their better performances of late. Their fate is now out of their hands; a win for Llangadog at Haverfordwest this Saturday would confirm United’s relegation.

Before kick-off, a guard of honour bid farewell to veterans Gavin Lewis and Steve Harries, who both retired on the night.

Cardigan’s impressive centre opened the scoring with a 10th-minute penalty after some early sparring. Amman bolstered their squad with three permit players, including Penybanc loanees prop Steff Morris and flanker Jake Anthony, who both impressed. Wing Dylan Matthews, along with fellow backs Rhys Howells and Luc Rees, looked threatening early on, while number eight Alun Lewis put in some trademark brilliant tackles.

However, a desperate “own goal” gifted Cardigan the first try. Some Keystone Cops-style defending under their own posts ended with a blind, sloppy pass being pounced on by a gleeful attacker who raced over the line.

Amman responded almost immediately, with a fine attacking move finished by scrum-half Lee Evans crossing in the corner.

Cardigan were briefly reduced to 14 men after a yellow card for “handbags” in midfield, but the visitors continued to look dangerous and a superbly-struck penalty on the stroke of half-time gave them a 13–5 lead at the break.

Amman started the second half positively. After strong surging runs from Dylan Matthews and captain Rhydian Jones, Alun Lewis finished off a well-worked try.

Retiring veteran Steve Harries came off the bench for a final hurrah, while Cian Lewis, Aled Myers and Ethan Edworthy all put in solid shifts for the Reds.

However, Cardigan showed why they are heading to the Division 3 Cup final against Newport Saracens, dominating the final quarter. Relentless pressure near the Amman try line eventually told, with a neat cross-kick setting up their winger to score in the corner, followed by a superb conversion from the touchline.

Amman were briefly let off the hook when another Cardigan try was ruled out for crossing, but the visitors’ pressure soon yielded a penalty and another late try to stretch the lead to 30–10.

To their great credit, United never gave up, and centre Luc Rees managed a last-minute try. A fourth Amman try would have secured a valuable bonus point—but time ran out on their brave effort.