Tracy Piggott is the daughter of 11 times Champion Jockey Lester Piggott, British born former Jockey and Broadcaster. She is best known for her work as a Sports Broadcaster on RTÉ for over 25 years.
After leaving school, Tracy travelled to the US and spent 3 years working as a ‘Galloper’ in Florida, Kentucky, New York and Los Angeles. She returned to the UK to work in her mother’s Bloodstock Agency buying and selling horses. In 1986, she came to Ireland and spent 4 years working with trainer, Tommy Stack and has lived here ever since.
Tracy started her broadcasting career in 1989 having won the Peter Mark Ladies Race in Leopardstown in August 1988. Her first broadcast was the 1989 Derby at the Curragh. She worked concurrently for the BBC covering many race meetings across the water including the Cheltenham and Aintree National Hunt Festivals, Royal Ascot, Goodwood and many more over a four-year period until she decided to focus solely on Irish broadcasting.
She was also the main pre and post-match Reporter for eight seasons on Rugby’s Six Nations, Autumn Internationals and Heineken Cups on RTÉ in addition to anchoring five Olympic Games for RTÉ Sport; Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London. She also hosts the live coverage of the annual RDS Horse Show in Dublin.
Previously, Tracy presented RTÉ’s Sports Stadium for a number of years in the 1990’s and also a Sports Quiz Show series and Chat Show.
Her skills are not restricted to horseracing and presenting. In July 1998, she swam across Galway Bay in 7.5 hours. She swam underwater and raised €216k for the John Durcan Leukaemia Trust. In 2000, she cycled from San Diego to Charleston, South Carolina with Sean Kelly and 24 other riders. They covered 2875 miles in 25 days, averaging 130 miles a day, in aid of the National Council for the Blind.
She learnt to Water Ski, sail (sort of) and do the Trapeze in Turkey for No Frontiers, RTE’s well-known travel series, as well as taking on a beautiful two-day trek in Tracks and Trails.
Never afraid to try new challenges, Tracy was one of the few to be awarded 5 Stars in the first series of The Restaurant; although she was pipped at the post a few seasons later in a cook off with Kevin Myers...she blames her Fig Tart! Her love of food and cooking was evident when she took part in Celebrity Masterchef.
She still has a great love for horses and tries to fit in riding when possible. In 2012, she spent time in Texas learning about Horse Therapy and how they can be so helpful to children with Autism.
Another one of Tracy’s big passions is her Charity, Playing for Life, which she set up in 2005. The charity aims to promote self-development through sport and education in impoverished African communities. Sport is used as an educational tool focusing on HIV/Aids awareness, self-respect, social integration, and participation and team skills. The Charity has built schools, community centres, sports halls, training centres and health centres.
Tracy is also a Pilates Reformer instructor and enjoys keeping fit and spending time outdoors.
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