Women
Jockeys in Canadian Racing
Hot-Walker, the sports-crime novel, explores the ins-and-outs of thoroughbred racing, including the introduction of Karen Sharp, woman jockey. A novel about life on the fast track during the 1960s, and the relationships of those living in Yorkville and working on the racetrack.
Looking back over the years when racing experienced a time
of introspection and growth, Jockeys' rooms at virtually every racetrack were
described as dark, dingy, overcrowded, lacking in recreational areas, without
proper reducing facilities, no eating and resting spaces, and very little room
to move about and work. The jockeys' rooms were not a priority to management
but the Jockeys' Guild and its representatives set about a campaign to improve
conditions both on and off the track. Jockeys still had very few rights when dealing with stewards. If a steward did not like a rider's looks, they could, and often did, tell that rider to go somewhere else to ride. There was still widespread abuse of a jockey's rights to work his trade.
The popular ‘big names’ and leading riders of the 1940s were Adams, Arcaro, Atkinson, Meade and Longden, who continued to dominate in the early 1950s but were joined by a new name; Shoemaker. After completing his sophomore year of racing with 388 victories, good for a tie in the leading rider standings, Shoemaker topped all riders in earnings in 1950 with over $ I-million.
Another fact to be reckoned
with for jockeys was women entering their ranks. Although women jockeys were barred from riding at
registered race meetings, in the mid-1900s, Wilhemena Smith rode as Bill Smith
at north Queensland
racecourses. She was nicknamed Bill Girlie Smith because she arrived on course
with her riding gear on under her clothes and did not shower on course. It was
only at the time of her death in 1975 that the racing world was officially told
that Bill was really Wilhemena. Subsequent inquiries revealed that William
Smith was actually a woman who had been born Wilhemena Smith in a Sydney
hospital in 1886. In an era when
women were clearly denied equality, she had become known as a successful jockey
in Queensland country districts as 'Bill Smith'.
Jockeys must be light to ride at the weights which are assigned to their mounts. There are horse carrying weight limits, that are set by racing authorities. The Kentucky Derby, for example, has a weight limit of 126 lb (57 kg) including the jockey's equipment. The weight of a jockey usually ranges from 108 to 118 lb (49 to 54 kg). Despite their light weight, they must be able to control a horse that is moving at 40 mph (64 km/h) or more, and weighs 1,200 lbs (540 kg). Though there is no height restrictions for jockeys, they are usually fairly short due to the weight limits. Jockeys typically stand around 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) to 5 ft 6 in (1.6m).
Hot-Walker, Life on the Fast Track (youtube) Book Trailer ... ebook coming soon .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izWWQh8Odqk
www.mallorysdesign.com
Hot-Walker, the sports-crime novel, explores the ins-and-outs of thoroughbred racing, including the introduction of Karen Sharp, woman jockey. A novel about life on the fast track during the 1960s, and the relationships of those living in Yorkville and working on the racetrack.
The popular ‘big names’ and leading riders of the 1940s were Adams, Arcaro, Atkinson, Meade and Longden, who continued to dominate in the early 1950s but were joined by a new name; Shoemaker. After completing his sophomore year of racing with 388 victories, good for a tie in the leading rider standings, Shoemaker topped all riders in earnings in 1950 with over $ I-million.
The modern
era of female jockeys began
as Kathy Kusner successfully sued the Maryland Racing Commission for a
jockey's license in 1968 under the Civil Rights Act. In late 1968, Penny Ann Early became
the first licensed female thoroughbred jockey in the US, and entered three
races at Churchill Downs in
November, but the male jockeys announced that they would boycott those races.
On February 7, 1969, Diane Crump was
the first female rider to ride in a Thoroughbred race in the United States at
the Hialeah Park Race Track in Florida. She made
history again, the next year, when she became the first female jockey to ride
in the Kentucky Derby, finishing 15th aboard Fathom. Even though the male
jockeys fought the presence of females in the irons, the barrier had been
broken. Two weeks later on February 22 at Charles Town in West Virginia, Barbara Jo Rubin became the first woman to win a race and went on to
win 11 of her first 22. Others
soon followed suit and over the years American women jockeys have proven their
ability. Julie Krone has the most winning races by an American woman.
Jockeys must be light to ride at the weights which are assigned to their mounts. There are horse carrying weight limits, that are set by racing authorities. The Kentucky Derby, for example, has a weight limit of 126 lb (57 kg) including the jockey's equipment. The weight of a jockey usually ranges from 108 to 118 lb (49 to 54 kg). Despite their light weight, they must be able to control a horse that is moving at 40 mph (64 km/h) or more, and weighs 1,200 lbs (540 kg). Though there is no height restrictions for jockeys, they are usually fairly short due to the weight limits. Jockeys typically stand around 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) to 5 ft 6 in (1.6m).
For the most part
Canada has generally followed the U.S.'s lead in the area of opportunities
for female riders. Canada has far fewer tracks than the U.S. and has only two
female jockeys with 1,000 wins. However, in both actual and relative numbers as
well as overall success rate, Canada has
far surpassed its southern neighbour in opportunities for women at the
highest level; namely their respective Triple Crown series.
Starting with Joan Phipps in the Canadian 1973 Breeders'
Stakes, 9 different women have competed in 27 Canadian Triple Crown races, 34 times with a combined 2
wins, 3 places, 3 shows. By comparison, since Diane Crump rode in the 1970 Kentucky
Derby, only 6
different women have competed in 18 total U.S. Triple
Crown events with a
combined record of 1 win, 1 place, 1 shows. Moreover, while no US Triple Crown
race has ever featured more than one female rider, that feat has occurred on 7
occasions in Canada. Most impressively, 3 different women - Francine Villeneuve, Chantal Sutherland and Emma-Jayne
Wilson (twice over) -
have each raced in all three of the Canadian Triple Crown races. Women Jockeys in Canada are supreme riders!
Hot-Walker, Life on the Fast Track (youtube) Book Trailer ... ebook coming soon .
www.mallorysdesign.com