— Support for Your WellBeing
Jockey Nutrition
Supporting Riders With Evidence-Based Nutrition Guidance
The Jockeys’ Guild recognizes that proper nutrition is fundamental to rider safety, health, and performance. With the physical demands of race riding—and the strict weight requirements imposed across the industry—jockeys face unique challenges in maintaining strength, energy, and long-term wellbeing. The Guild is committed to supporting riders with safe, science-backed resources that promote sustainable nutrition practices.
The Guild is expanding access to education and tools that help riders make informed decisions about their daily nutritional needs, both in and out of competition.
New initiatives focus on:
- Guidance on healthy weight management strategies that avoid dangerous dehydration or rapid-cutting practices.
- Access to sports nutrition experts familiar with the demands of professional riding.
- Encouraging balanced eating patterns that support muscle recovery, energy, and overall health.
- Helping riders understand the long-term effects of extreme dieting and the importance of sustainable habits.
Collaboration With Industry Partners
The Guild is currently working with medical and sports-science professionals, as well as racing industry partners, to develop nutrition education that is practical, athlete-focused, and aligned with modern health standards. This collaborative approach ensures riders receive the most current information on:
- Hydration strategies
- Safe supplementation
- Meal planning on the road
- Fueling for race-day performance
- Preventing long-term health complications related to weight-making
OUR COMMITMENT
As part of the Guild’s broader focus on whole-body health, we are prioritizing resources that help jockeys stay strong, safe, and competitive throughout their careers. By elevating nutrition education and promoting healthy, sustainable habits, the Guild aims to protect riders’ physical wellbeing and support them in meeting the demands of the profession without compromising long-term health.
Meet Jockeys' Guild's Sports Nutritionist
Alyson Onyon
Alyson Onyon, MS, RDN, CSSD, serves as the Sports Nutritionist for the Jockeys’ Guild, bringing elite performance nutrition expertise to support jockey health, safety, and peak performance. She is currently the Director of Performance Nutrition at Syracuse University, where she leads comprehensive nutrition programming for all varsity sports and develops nutrition education initiatives while advancing advocacy to promote lasting athlete wellness.
With seven years at Virginia Tech, where she advanced to Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Nutrition, Alyson oversaw nutrition services for 22 teams and helped develop innovative fueling programs and athlete dining operations. Her experience includes individualized counseling, weight management, hydration strategies, and race-day fueling—key areas that directly align with the unique demands of jockeys—while consistently advancing nutrition education and advocacy across teams and organizations.
A graduate of Cornell University and former Division I student-athlete, Alyson understands the discipline and pressures of high-performance sport. As a Registered Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, she is committed to delivering practical, science-based guidance that supports the Guild’s initiatives around rider wellness, injury prevention, and sustainable performance through ongoing nutrition education and advocacy.
