Pauline Forkhamer
I knew
Pauline when she was riding down at Delaware Park and Garden State. When I found
out Pauline was back riding I knew we had to have her on our page and here is
a recent phone interview I did with Pauline. Enjoy.
FOTH: Where were you
born and where did you grow up?
PF:
I was born in Syracuse, NY and I grew up in Paris, NY.
FOTH: Do you gave any brothers or sisters?
PF:
I have one brother.
FOTH: What do your parents and your brother think of you riding and have they
ever seen you ride?
PF:
Yes, all of them have seen me ride live and on tv. They are very supportive
and they think it is very interesting. They are very excited for me. I am the
first person in our family that has worked with horses or done this kind of
thing.
FOTH: What sort of girl were you growing up?
PF:
I was a very active person in several different social things from 15 years
old all the way through high school. I was president of the honor society my
senior year, volleyball, marching band chorus, concert band, all different kind
of activities.
FOTH: What event or events led to you becoming a jockey? When you were growing
up was being a jockey the farthest thing from your mind?
PF:
Oh yeah, never crossed my mind. I always wanted to work with horses all through
high school I never had any career goals. I mean I did. I wanted to work with
horses, but I never had any other career goals so I went to school to learn
about horses cause I never had my own horses. I got to ride on and off at a
local riding stable and I didn't know anything about horses. So I went and got
a degree in Equine science at the State of NY University in Morrisville.
FOTH: That sort of jump started you to being a jockey?
PF:
Well no (laughs). That jump started me into learning about the race track. About
race horses. In school learned all the aspects of the horse industry. One thing
I got a little taste of was the race horses. What we had been doing was to break
in some 2 year olds that were gonna be taken to the race track and therefore
I met a trainer and a girl came to Morrisville that grew up in Finger Lakes
and had worked and been around the track. So I met them and I got my 1st job
as a hotwalker. I started right at the bottom and worked my way up to an exercise
rider and groom. I always felt I had to learn more about the industry. I never
said "yes I'm gonna be a jockey". I need to be a good exercise rider then I'll
work on being a good jockey. Then deciding if I want to be one or not.
FOTH: Did it feel natural getting up on a horse?
PF:
No, it was hard. Horses in general. I've always had a natural feeling around
them so everytime I learned something new. I just had to work at it to get really
good. It is not like you have instructors when you learn how to ride horses.
You just hope people will teach you along the way. It is really hard sometimes
especially the 1st year you start out.
FOTH: Tell us what you remember about your 1st race?
PF:
I actually joined the Amateur Riders of America and rode in an amateur race
so I don't know if you want to count that. I used that for a test for me and
it was horrible (we both laugh). I trained for a whole year and I thought I
was ready and I rode that race at Belmont Park. A one mile turn on a sloppy
track. It was supposed to be a turf race, but they switched it to the main track.
To actually be at Belmont to race was neat. It was just horrible (giggles).
I was so tired and unfit. My horse ran about 3/8 of a mile and we just trailed
the field the whole way. It ended up being the best thing ever. I went back
to the drawing board. I asked myself if this is what I really wanted to do (laughs).
I went back to the drawing board for a whole year and trained harder and worked
with more jockeys. I also tried to get myself as physically fit as I could and
my 1st race was great. It was exciting, I was much better prepared and I rode
my 1st professional race at Finger Lakes Racetrack. It was for trainer Don Pevitt
who is somebody I worked for before. He was my 1st exercising riding job I ever
did at the racetrack. My horse's name was "Casey's Treasure". It was a long
race and that was kind of scary (laughs). It was a mile and 70 yards. It was
fast and fast. The horses never break out on me. So he broke and went right
to the front and we faded down the stretch. I think he finished 6th. It was
a great experience.
FOTH: Tell us what you remember about your 1st win? How exciting was it going
into the winner's circle for the 1st time?
PF:
Very exciting. It was my 2nd day of riding on my 3rd mount. The race before
my 2nd mount I was involved in a 3 way photo finish for win and ended up finishing
3rd. I lost by a nostril and came back 3 races later and won for a trainer named
Jack Lambert. My horses name was "Dena The Ruler" and it was at Finger Lakes
Racetrack. It was very exciting for my family that put me here at the race track
as they were all there and everybody was just so excited.
FOTH: Did you get creamed after the race and did you know it was coming?
PF:
Yeah I knew. I had heard horror stories, Most of the jockeys knew me as a hotwalker
to an exersise rider here at Finger Lakes. I worked for big trainers at Belmont
and came back here to ride. They had seen my progress steadily. So they were
really good to me (laughs). It was funny. They totally creamed me with water
and shaving cream. They didn't put anything permanent on me that could not come
off like I heard (laughs). They didn't sexually assault me (laughs). Which is
some of the stories I've heard.
FOTH: How long did you ride at Finger Lakes for? I know you rode down here and
at Delaware for awhile as well.
PF:
Well, my apprenticeship has been plagued with injuries. I was at Finger Lakes
from Sept to Nov when I went down in a spill and broke my hand. I actually had
a whole winter off. I won my 5th race and aweek later I broke my hand. I went
down to NY and was galloping for Linda Rice and Bill Mott to kinda get going.
My 1st race back was April 1, 2000 and Bill Mott picked out a horse I had been
galloping and that was at Aqueduct and it was my 1st race back and I won. That
was probably my best race of my career. I had set up to ride Delaware Park and
I rode there and also Penn National and hiladelphia Park. I also won at Pimlicio
and got to travel a bit . Want me to keep going?
FOTH: Yes.
PF:
I felt I wasn't riding enough at Delaware. I was only riding a couple a day.
I had some good wins, but I came back to Finger Lakes. The trainer who I started
with called me and said "Pauline, it is time to come home" and I mean I took
off. I was back here and I ate em all up (laughs). I was winning at least 1
a day, riding the whole card and riding for the top stable. It was great. I
ended up 11th in the standing and I was only there like 3 months. That was against
everybody that had been there all year. I went from there to Aqueduct in winter
of 2000 and 2001. I did good there, but it was tough. I rode at least 1 or 2
a day. I had lots of 2nds and 3rds and a few wins. I was able to survive and
made a good living down there. Just to be there with those kinds of horses and
jockeys was just great. I lost my apprenticeship in NY and I came back to Finger
Lakes as a journeyman. I had a real bad injury in my 1st week back in May of
2001. I have been off 13 months till 2 weeks ago.
FOTH: If you want, you can tell us why you were out for 13 months.
PF:
In the morning I was at the gate schooling a horse and she had never been in
a race before and she flipped in the gate with me and I could not get off her
and she pinned me against the back door and when she flipped over she landed
on my knee and tore ligaments in my knee. I actually had to have my whole ligament
reattached. Ligaments take a long time to heal and my doctor, we went to the
University of Sports Medicine and they were just wonderful. For me to be back
riding in 13 months is just great. My knee is doing so good. I had the classic
football ACL tear.
FOTH: Was there any thoughts of not wanting to come back? What did your parents
think?
PF:
No no never. It never crossed my mind. We have the these weird things we get
hurt and you know they can be fixed (laughs). You just never question it can't
be fixed. My parents were supportive. My mom is a mom. She is like "Don't you
want to do something else?" Otherwise she loves it when I am healthy and riding.
FOTH: Any goals you have for yourself?
PF:
I'm engaged to be married and I have no set goals so that limits me (laughs).
Being 29 that is gonna limit me. I just wanna have fun.
FOTH: Was it tough getting back in riding shape?
PF:
Yeah it was (laughs). The 4 month injury with the broken hand was not bad, but
this one was pretty rough. My body was not used to so little physical activity
and I gained a lot of weight. I was trying to watch my weight. I started with
one horse walking (laughs) and one horse jogging, I added like 1 horse every
3 weeks. I did that for like 3 months before I did 1 horse galloping. Before
I could throw myself, I could throw myself into like 5 horses a day (laughs).
FOTH: Looking back was being a jockey harder or easier than you thought it would
be?
PF:
I knew it was gonna be hard. So it was right where I thought it would be. Nobody
tried to paint it as a pretty picture. It was going to be the most physically,
exhausting thing I was ever gonna do and it was. There are so many different
mental games and so many mental aspects in this game.
FOTH: What advice would you give to a girl who wanted to be a jockey?
PF:
Take your time. Make sure your not to big. I tell anybody who's weight is high
or borderline not to do it. It's just not worth it. People who reduce all the
time are slowly destroying their bodies. If your not naturally that light weight
don't do it. Learn from as many people as you can. And learn to be a good horse
woman. That is just the basic and will add to your ability. I exercised horses
for 5 years before I became a jockey. I trained with weights, other jockeys
and watched jockeys go to the gate in the afternoon. I also watched jockeys
break, etc. I did that for 2 years. It makes you such a better jockey.
FOTH: Do you feel that female riders do not get the respect they deserve?
PF:
I think it is tough on us. You can see it. I think it is better now unlike it
was when woman first started riding. It is still hard. I see woman riders win
all the time, yet they are only getting 1 or 2 mounts a day. If a guy rider
was winning all the time their book would be filled with mounts.
FOTH: What female riders do you like?
PF:
This is the 1st year we had P.J. (Lydon) riding here who is another girl. I
became friends with Jennifer Bramblett when we both had our apprenticeship at
Delaware Park. She is a really nice girl.
FOTH: Were you friends with Diane Nelson or Lisa Dellipaoli?
PF:
Lisa and Diane are both very nice. Both are nice to be around.
FOTH: Take us through a typical day.
PF:
I have to be at Finger Lakes by 6am so I am on my 1st horse at 6:10 am. I usually
get on 5 to 8 horses a day. Hopefully I'll have time to get breakfast and come
home to take a quick nap then go to the jocks room. Then I ride my races. I
am only riding 1 a day, but I'm just starting back. It's 7 days a week. I go
in at 6am and if I ride in the last race I don't come home till 6pm. We have
5 live days and 2 dark days.
FOTH: Any hobbies or things you like to do when you are away from the track?
PF:
Movies. I like to spend lots of time with my families. I like to read, go to
museums, parks, outside stuff.
FOTH: Do you have a favorite track?
PF:
I never rode a race at Saratoga. Yes I love Saratoga. Favorite track is Belmont.
I love Belmont.
FOTH: Pauline thanks for the great and interesting interview. Any last words
to wrap this up?
PF: Any girl that wants to try it I say go for it. Be tough and hang in there. There is lots of ups and downs, but get back in the saddle. Thanks for the great interview Chris and good luck with the website.