Death of young Jockey: “Mommy, I’m going to race” – grieving mother recalls son’s last words to her

The cries of a mother echoed throughout Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, as she tried to cope with the loss of her 19-year-old son, Kishawn Pereira, who lost his life following a fall during the Guyana Cup horse race meet on Sunday.
Struggling to find her words through flowing tears, his mother recalled the devastating moment she was told her only son was gone.

Pereira was riding Blinding Light in the H Class race over seven furlongs when the horse reportedly slipped, throwing him to the ground, with another horse, American Traveller, at its heels. American Traveller, ridden by jockey Bharrat Ramnarine, could not be pulled away in time, and Pereira’s fall proved fatal.
The incident occurred between the third- and fourth-furlong poles during the penultimate race of the day, which had nine horses at the start. By the fifth furlong pole, three riders, including Pereira, had fallen.
According to his mother she had been sitting by the roadside selling dog food when she received the heartbreaking news.
“I was sitting selling dog food on the road when my first son called me and said, ‘Mommy, did you hear what happened to Kishawn?’ I said no. He said, ‘Okay, we’ll call you back.’ By the time he called again, he asked if I was sure I didn’t know what happened. When I said no, he said, ‘You have a dead son.'”
Without hesitation, she said, she hired a taxi and headed straight to Berbice.
“I took myself, I hired a taxi, and went all the way to Berbice to find my son. It was so sad for me to see him lying dead on a stretcher. That very morning, he had left home saying, ‘Mommy, I’m going to race.’ Before he left, I told him, ‘Okay son, go safe. I bless you. May you come back safe.’ I never thought it would be the last time I saw him alive. When I heard he was dead, I broke down completely.”
“Who am I going to turn to now?”
Fighting through tears and emotions she admitted that she has no one to turn to now that her son is gone.
“Who am I going to turn to now? In the morning, I would wake up and cook for him. Now I have no one to look after. Nothing can bring back my son. Nothing can bring him back. All I have left are the memories, and I will never forget him until I see him again.”
The young jockey, a former student of Cummings Lodge Secondary, had been passionate about horse racing since the age of 16.
“When he was supposed to go to do CXC, he told me not to spend the money. He wanted to pursue riding. He used to get up, go to school, and then head straight to ride horses. How he got into horse riding, who encouraged him, and why he started – I can’t even tell you. All I know is that he loved it,” his mother said.

Collided
A series of unfavorable weather conditions contributed to the animal’s fall, which ultimately led to Pereira’s tragic demise.
Ariff Baksh, a representative of the horse stable for which Pereira rode, explained what happened at the Rising Sun Turf Club.
“We had to cancel some races due to the track’s condition, and although the promoter tried to fix it, it was still rough. Pereira had already ridden about five races that day. In this one, the horse tripped, and as it was trying to get up, another horse came and collided.”
In light of Pereira’s passing, Slingerz Racing Stable joined the entire horse racing fraternity in mourning.
“Horse racing, by its very nature, is a sport of great risks, yet the young jockey embraced it with unmatched passion, bravery, and commitment. More than just a talented jockey, he was admired and respected across stables and communities for his skill, professionalism, and infectious energy,” the stable said in a release on Monday.
The release continued, “His love for the sport was undeniable, and his presence elevated horse racing in Guyana. Slingerz Racing Stable held Kishawn in the highest regard, both as a competitor and as an individual. He embodied the spirit of perseverance and courage that defines this sport, and his loss will be felt deeply by all who knew him and shared the track with him. Kishawn Pereira’s name will forever be remembered within the annals of Guyana’s racing history, and his contribution to the sport will live on as an enduring legacy. On behalf of the owners, trainers, jockeys, and the wider Slingerz Racing Stable family, we express our deepest condolences to his loved ones, friends, and colleagues. May his memory continue to inspire those who ride with the same courage and dedication that defined his life.”
The first prize in that race was approximately $1.2 million, and Pereira had earned the title of Best Apprentice Jockey in 2024. The horse he rode, Blinding Light, was reportedly injured and has since been retired.