Ready to Race

Chasing Dreams as a Teenaged Jockey

Story and Photos by Lizz Daniels

Middle School is where adolescents first begin their coming-ofage story. There is a magic about this period of life where first dances happen, and stress rears its head for the first time that can allow teenagers to blossom beyond their years and discover passions that carry them on through high school and into the real world. This very thing is happening in Seguin’s AJB where Eduardo Hernandez attends school.

At first glance, Eddy appears just like a typical quiet kid going about his school day, struggling with all the difficulties of school

life, but when the last bell rings each day –– his world changes.

“I like to hang out with the horses, ride them, run them, feel the breeze,” said Hernandez. “I started riding with Shetland ponies, the first one I rode was like two years ago. I feel like I have anxiety, and then chilling with them calms me down.”

Nowadays, Eddy isn’t just riding but is full-on racing quarter horses in one versus one match races where mounts can reach speeds up to 37 miles per hour. It’s an intense sport that requires mental and physical discipline along with countless hours in the saddle preparing.

When Eddy leaves school, he goes right to the barn where he and his horse train each day. Then, he travels across the state and even to Mexico to race on the weekends. And when he races –– he’s a professional athlete, often rubbing elbows with other more experienced jockeys who’ve raced on tracks like Retama.

“I get nervous with alot of people looking,” said Hernandez. “I like people watching me ride, but I get nervous a lot too. I feel like when I come to school after, I try to act like I’m still just a student. I try not to act how I do at the races.”

Behind the scenes supporting him is his family, particularly his mother Steyla Loyola.

“He does really good for his age,” Loyola said. “I’m his number one even if I’m not there all the time. I have a baby and he’s on a vent 24/7, so if I don’t have a nurse I can’t go –– even if I want to. But Eddy’s grandparents and his uncle and aunt, they’re always there. When the baby is in the hospital, I take advantage and will go on Sundays to see him.”

Performing at the level that Eddy does isn’t easy, and just like any teenager, he can get hyper-focused on his goals and forget about other important things....like school. Fortunately, AJB principal James Diaz caught wind of Eddy’s racing life and did what any good educator would –– he stepped in to see how he could help.

“So for us, Eddy is somebody who has missed in the past, like a lot of our kids,” said Diaz. “Having a relationship with Eddy’s parents and talking them through the process, we uncovered one of the big reasons he wasn’t here was because he was racing in Mexico and other places. He’s very much chasing this dream of being a jockey. He doesn’t make a big deal out of it because he’s not a loud person. So it’s taken a while to figure out how he ticks, what moves him, and what excites him.”

It didn’t take Diaz long to figure out what motivates Eddy is the thrill of the race. But, fortunately, he also saw the potential in Eddy’s skill and saw it as a career opportunity, unlike anything most students typically get to pursue.

“So when we talk about the pandemic, we talk about all the negative things that have happened, but it forced people to do different things,” said Diaz. “We have a student here who wasn’t in traditional American sports, who continued to race and spend time doing these things during the pandemic. It’s funny because now school is getting in the way of his dream. So how do we work with him on that? As we’ve taken more of an interest in his burgeoning career, we’ve got him to be more interested in school. It’s interesting because like many students, when he knows that we care about what’s happening in his life, he cares about what’s happening here. That’s really what it’s been.”

Eddy manages countless obligations while also pursuing his career as a jockey that requires him to walk a fine line between the adult world of racing and the teen world of school. With his horse El Agapito, he can chase his dreams while making important memories because horses and racing are what he loves.

“I want to do this until my last breath,” said Hernandez.

Eddy may only be a teenager, but he knows what he wants at the end of the day –– he wants to race, wants to win, and he wants to be the best. With the support of those around him, he continues to chase his dreams while making his friends, family, and educators proud. •