Dawn Harrison

Dawn Harrison is a retired jockey who saw our site and liked it. We asked her if she would like to be included and she said yes. We sent her an email interview and here is what was said.

FOTH: Where were you born and where did you grow up?

DH: I was born in a small suburb of Cleveland Ohio,(Painesville) my family moved to Los Angeles in 1977, where I live now in Santa Monica, California.

FOTH: What sort of girl were you growing up?

DH: I was very much a tom boy, loved horses and begged for a horse, pony or mule from my mother but I ended up riding the dog, and the head board on the bed strapped with belts which I would use as reins and stirrups.  I was always a twig so I never did fight my weight.

FOTH: What did your parents think of you being a jockey and did they ever see you ride?

DH: Well, my parents have never thought too much of the horse career, I am sure they would have rather seen me in a career that is more dependable with less injuries, a career like business or computers or etc. However, my mother did watch me ride once at Turf Paradise, she does support me in my competitive strategies in a male dominated sport.

FOTH: What event or events led to you becoming a jockey?

DH: In 1977 when my family moved here to California from Ohio, I remember watching the most beautiful horse I had ever laid my eyes on.....he ran across the screen of our television that day like a big black train that no one could stop....his name was Seattle Slew. That day I was 13 and I knew when I saw that horse that I was going to be a race rider. The rest is history!

FOTH: Was being a jockey easier or harder than you thought it would be?

DH: Some things are harder than I thought and other things I thought would be easy seem impossible. The valley and peaks.

FOTH: Tell us what you remember about your 1st race. Were you nervous at all?

DH: Nervous no not me....I never felt nervous that day of my first race, while I was in the jocks room. Gary Stevens asked me "well are you nervous?"  Naaaaa, I said. I wasn't! Than I went to weigh in before the race and it hit me Del Mar, Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg, riding with riders the likes of Eddie D., P. Val, Alex Solis, Lafit, McCarron, it was a far ride from those days on the back of my German Shepherd.  In the saddling paddock I sneered to Gary, now I am nervous!  But once I was on my filly and on the track it disappeared. I remember in the race I was coming out of the number 1 post and I remember the name of the filly was Lady of the Plain, she was a long shot of course and I am proud to say she split the field of 12 that day.

FOTH; Tell us about your 1st win.

DH: My first win was on a horse called Range Rover. It was at Les Bois Park in Boise, Idaho. He was a grand old class horse. Wire to wire. After, beating my head against the no women jockey stereotype brick wall in Southern Cal, I asked Gary Stevens where he would suggest I could go so that I could ride the card and get more experience. I left Hollywood Park and went to Les Bois Park and I was leading apprentice that year.

FOTH: Did you get creamed after the race?

DH: Yes, there was a strong women jockey colony there and they let me have it. Even some of the guys jumped in. Imagine that.

FOTH: How long did you ride for and what led to you retiring?

DH: I rode races from September of 1991 until July of 1996, when I was at Hollywood Park and fractured my right leg and the rest is history.  Which was one of numerous injuries. But, am happy to say it was my last. You know what they say if you haven't fallen you haven't ridden!

FOTH: What tracks did you ride at?

DH: I rode at Del Mar, Hollywood Park, Golden Gate, Bay Meadows, Les Bois Park, Sacramento, Turf Paradise, Flagstaff, Prescott (the old bull ring), Tucson, Kansas City The Woodlands, Aksarben, Omaha, Lincoln, and Grand Island, Remington Park.

FOTH: What was your worst injury?

DH: I went down in a four horse spill at Turf Paradise and broke my pelvis, I have also broken my back, both legs, wrist and have cheated death numerous times, with the help of a higher power.

FOTH: Do you miss ridjng at all?

DH: Yes! Very much!!!

FOTH: What was your proudest moment as a jockey?

DH: There are several but the two that stand out the most is wining the Arizona Oaks with a filly that paid $46.00 she was trained by Richard Lockwood and owned by the late John Mabee (Golden Eagle Farm) She went wire to wire and we stole that race that day. The boys never new what hit them!!! The other was winning the all women jockey challenge in 1993 and having Sandi Gann the only women to accomplish leading rider at Turf Paradise, present me with the trophy.

FOTH: Did you have a favorite horse that you rode?

DH: Of course the filly I won the Arizona Oaks with Beaming Year, also a cheep little horse by the name of Active Investor which I won 5 races with him for three different trainers in two different states. Also, a horse I loved to gallop before I became a jock, his name was French Seventy-five maybe you remember him he beat Gundaghia. I also loved Alysbelle; she was Alysheba full sister. This list could get too long so.....

FOTH: Were there many female riders besides yourself riding at the time in your area?

DH: When I started in Southern California there were three women race riders on the major circuit, Joy Scott, Christine Davenport and me. We were not accepted and poor Julie Krone had not yet been accepted in Southern California on a major circuit unless she was riding a horse that had shipped in from the East coast. Of course now that is much different. She has accomplished leading rider recently here in So Cal major circuit Finally, but she should have been acknowledged along time ago. Better late than never. When I traveled to other states the women jockey colony was always small or non-existent. Sometimes I was the only girl and I would use the nurses station for a jocks room or some little broom closet. So you see females on the horse really have come along way in the last 10 or 20 years.

FOTH: Do you have any hobbies at all?

DH: Horses are my life. Anyone who works with horses knows this. When you are dedicated there is not much time for any other love. (There are exceptions)

FOTH: If a girl came up to you and said she wanted to be a jockey, what advice would you give her?

DH: You had better be ready to work harder than you ever have and you had better be tough, but most of all DEDICATED, DEDICATED, DEDICATED. Up EVERY DAY BEFORE DAWN.  When a trainer or owner says no or you can’t, tell him yes, yes I can.  Use your head and when it seems impossible or next to impossible you must try harder. You are or can be as good as or better than any one.  WORK WORK WORK. Trust your instinct!!!! It’s a woman thing.

FOTH: Any other female riders you admire?

DH: Yes of course Julie Krone, Sandi Gann, Cammie Mc Reynolds, Ginger Welsh (deceased, God bless) Amy Rankin she's one tough gal. Penny the very first women race rider! She laid her head on the chopping block for all us females on horse back!!

FOTH: Dawn, thanks for letting us interview you. Any last words?

DH: I am honored to share my knowledge and opinion with your web site and am proud to see that some where women are taking a stand. Soon it will be everywhere.

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