Top Australian Jockey Joins Te Akau for Cup Week

Te Akau Racing is delighted to confirm that top Group 1 winning Australian jockey Joshua Parr has been engaged to ride in New Zealand for the tangerine team during NZ Cup Week at Riccarton.

Parr (35) is among the best of his ilk in Australia, having ridden over 1000 winners - including 68 stakes' wins. Earlier this year he was impressive in scoring a Group One double aboard Duais (Shamus Award) in the Australian Cup (Gr. 1, 2000m) and Tancred Stakes (Gr. 1, 2400m).

Son of respected, leading jockey Steve Parr - for as long as he can remember, becoming a jockey wasn't a career choice, it was destiny.  It first materialised when Parr was just a four-year-old and went to Royal Randwick races with his parents.

"We were walking from the infield car park and across the course proper and my mum and dad tell the story of this starry-eyed kid of four who wouldn't shut up about Royal Randwick and how I was going to ride there one day,'' Parr said.

If you believe it, they say, you can be it!

Josh began his career in 2003 as apprentice to Kylie Gavenlock at Gosford and, after 20 months with Gai Waterhouse, he finished his apprenticeship with leading trainer Peter Snowden, for whom he has ridden over 200 winners.

Parr has also ridden over 50 winners for trainers Mark Newnham, Gerald Ryan, Gai Waterhouse and Bjorn Baker.

Josh is married to Amanda Parr and they have two daughters, Bonnie and Sadie.

Parr is regarded as a very genuine person who shows raw emotion when it comes to winning thoroughbred races, while also being deemed a great rider and even better bloke.  Media commentaries all highlight his determination, ambition and professionalism.

During an interview with Ray Thomas in 2021, Parr said: “My entire life I have been a very ambitious person, from childhood I was always setting goals that I have tried to reach, and to be brutally honest, I've always wanted to be the best jockey.”