Virtual Reality has been a technology that has threatened to revolutionise industries across the world throughout modern history. However, it has only been seen to best effect in recent years. It is helping to make strides in the worlds of education and health, while it is also being used more readily in sports.
Unlike in other sectors, VR is offering an unrivalled experience to a viewer when watching their favourite action, as the headset has the potential to put them on the field of play alongside their favourite stars, just as they would if they were playing a video game.
The technology continues to improve as a vast rate, and it is no surprise that governing bodies in some sports are finding new ways to implement the tech. But, how is the technology set to be implemented in the world of horse racing?
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Educational Tool
VR has been a ground-breaking piece of technology used in medical professions, with studying surgeons able to use the tech to demonstrate their skills and improve their knowledge.
Therefore, it is no surprise that this is a similar route that has been followed within the horse racing sector. Injuries are part and parcel of racing, and that is unfortunately something that will never change.
Therefore, it is incredibly positive that the lives of racehorses have improved over the last 20 years with the advancements made in the medical sectors. That shows no sign of stopping, as vets are learning more and more about horses through the implementation of VR.
It also offers trainee nurses and vets the opportunity to complete surgeries on horses to broaden their understanding on what should be done to heal previously life-ending injuries.
Educating Jockeys
It isn’t only in the medical profession that VR is being used to educate either. The technology is incredibly important when it comes to improving the skills of aspiring professional jockeys. Conditional riders are able to use VR headsets the compete in races and master their riding techniques.
This will also help aspiring riders when they are in races, as they can practise where to position their horse, and improve their decision-making in uncompetitive environments before taking to the track.
VR can give conditional jockeys different scenarios that they can complete, whether that be in more crowded fields or navigating their runner to avoid getting in a difficult position. Everything gained from the tech can then be implemented on the field where the pressure is really on.
Performance Analysis
VR is also vitally important for also the world’s best jockeys. It has the power to take riders back into races where they may have lost, and they can examine the mistakes that they have made.
The technology is able to generate the data of horses and jockeys to achieve this, and it can easily help riders to improve their overall performance levels. Education never stops in the world of racing, even for the very best of jockeys.
Therefore, using VR could help riders to examine and alter their riding techniques, while also optimising when they should be asking more from their runner and enhancing the communication between the jockey and their ride. It could also be a very important tool for jockeys ahead of big rides.
Setting up VR headsets for major races can help take any nerves away that a rider may be feeling. It can also help jockeys to fine tune their strategy, and assess if there are any chinks in the plan that the team have put together. This has also been a proven way for jockeys to deal with anxiety and manage their stress levels around the biggest events on the calendar.
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Fan Engagement
While VR is vitally important to safeguarding the important stars involved in the sport, it is also essential to the long-term future of racing. VR has the power to improve fan engagement in racing, and that could see new fans brought into the sport as a result.
The technology can enable fans to virtually attend race meetings from the comfort of their own home, seeing the sights around the racecourse and the parade ring in a 36-degree immersive experience.
VR could also allow viewers to get closer to the action on the track, as they can ride on board with their favourite jockeys, or the horse that they have placed a wager on. You can find more info about that here: twinspires.com/edge/racing/wagering/best-bets/
This provides the viewer with a profound insight into the challenging life of a jockey, offering fans an unparalleled, immersive experience of riding in one of the world’s most renowned races.
Furthermore, fans could go back in time and re-watch some of their most favourite moments in the sport as if they were there on track when history was made.
