Analysis of Anthropometric Measurements and Somatotype Profile in Apprentice Jockeys

Introduction: Body composition and somatotype characteristics are among the factors affecting performance in apprentice jockeys. This study aimed to determine the differences between apprentice jockeys with different anthropometric measurements and somatotype profiles. Methods: Male apprentice jockeys (n=46) from the Jockey Club of Turkey who were being trained at Ekrem Kurt Apprentice Training Centre were included in the study. The mean age of the study group was 16.39 ± 1.07 years, and the students were evaluated in two groups: 1st-grade and 2nd-grade students. Anthropometric measurements were taken, body composition was determined, and somatotype profiles were calculated by the Heath-Carter method. Pairwise comparisons of non-normally distributed quantitative data were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. In addition, effect sizes were analyzed using Cohen's d effect size (ES) classification for pairwise comparisons. Results: The study determined the endomorphic component of apprentice jockeys as 2.32 ± 1.55, the mesomorphic component as 3.54 ± 1.00, and the ectomorphic component as 4.45 ± 1.05. In addition, no significant difference was found between the endomorphic, ectomorphic, and mesomorphic components in the comparison between the groups (p>0.05). In addition, according to the results of body composition measurements, the body lean mass (kg) of 2nd-grade students was higher (p=0.001). Conclusions: Apprentice jockeys are lean and thin in terms of body type, which explains the predominance of the ectomorphy component, which is characterized by low fat and moderate muscularity. Somatotypes, considered among the important components of performance in athletes, are frequently used in talent selection, especially in children and adolescent athletes. More studies are needed to determine the physical suitability of adolescent athletes for the jockeying profession.