Champion jockey Nina Carberry has said that it was her husband Ted Walsh who convinced her to take part in this year's Dancing With The Stars.
The 37-year-old Irish Grand National winner is married to Ted Walsh Jnr, son of former jockey and Aintree National winning trainer Ted Walsh, and it was her husband who clinched her decision to take part on the show after her initial hesitation.
Speaking to the RTÉ Entertainment before Sunday’s episode of DWTS, Nina said, "I was reluctant because I have two kids at home, and I realised how much effort has to be put into actually trying to make me dance because I can’t dance and that was what I was really worried about. I didn’t really have the co-ordination.
"Ted said, sure you might as well do it. It will be a bit of fun for you, I’ll mind the kids so, only for him I probably wouldn’t have done it because if I didn’t have his support at home with the girls because I’m away every evening and it’s quite tough."
She added, "The show has been going on since the beginning of December, so it’s been relentless that way with the training and just getting the dances up and going.
"I didn’t realise at the beginning how much effort you have to put in. I realise now but it’s not forever."
Meath woman Nina, who is the daughter of late Irish jockey great Tommy Carberry, has been given great support from the horse racing community in Ireland. "I’d say they were all quite shocked when they saw me on the show," she says.
"I don’t think I disappointed them too much after the first couple of dances and they got behind me. Hopefully I can keep trying to make them proud and keep dancing well."
"Obviously you want to do well, and I can only do as well as I can. There are so many good people in the competition, they're just a brilliant bunch and it’s going to be hard to keep the standard up."
DWTS is a chance for Nina to show another side to her talents. ."Even my close friends were shocked that I was doing the competition and they were shocked every week that I was a different person and when I did the rumba I actually shocked myself.
"I was a different person so that’s been really interesting. I’m actually delighted that I can show different parts of me. I’ve been really excited about that."
However, her participation in this year’s DWTS may mean Nina will miss Cheltenham this year. "I don’t know if I’ll be out of the competition but Cheltenham is only four weeks away so it will be interesting to see how I get on in the dance-offs, but I might it this year if I stay in the competition. It will be disappointing to miss Cheltenham."
Asked if she and Katie Walsh paved the way for the success of Rachel Blackmore, Nina said, "It’s hard to say really but we both arrived at the same time, myself and Katie, and there weren’t that many girls who were riding before us.
"So, when the two of us came along we both rode winners at Cheltenham and we both rode Irish Grand National winners so it probably helped Rachel get the opportunity to show what she could do so we may have helped her a little bit and we hoped we made a difference."
This Sunday’s Dancing with the Stars is the first dance-off week and two of the couples with the lowest scores from the combined public and judges’ votes will dance again in a bid to make it to week 8 and avoid elimination.
She began the series as an early favourite to take home the glitterball trophy and Nina says she has felt the pressure.
"Obviously you want to do well, and I can only do as well as I can. There are so many good people in the competition, they’re just a brilliant bunch and it’s going to be hard to keep the standard up.
"I suppose it will all depend on what dances suit me well because it’s a competition at the end of the week you’re going to do well with the judges."
Alan Corr @CorrAlan2
Dancing With The Stars, RTÉ One, 6.30pm
