Gwen Jocson

Gwen Jocson is a former female jockey who now is a horse owner. I got in touch with her for this very interesting chat.

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

GJ: I was born in Charleston, South Carolina and I also grew up in South Carolina.

FOTH: Do you have any brothers or sisters?

GJ: I have 2 brothers, Jerry and Patty.

FOTH: What do your parents think of you being a jockey?

GJ: Well they always knew that I wanted too, I don't think they really expected that I would get there and be one. My father is dead now, but he watched me ride and my mom was always worried about me getting hurt.

FOTH: What sort of girl were you growing up?

GJ: A tomboy. I was always out in the woods, putting fireflies out in jars, and going down long winding roads and going to people's houses and getting on people's jumpers and that is how I grew to be a jockey as I got caught me jumping on horses. After they found out I wasn't scared and that I was a little crazy, I started getting riding lessons and after a few months taught myself how to ride and just jumped on a bus and went to Florida.

FOTH: Now were you taught anything as far as riding goes?

GJ: I pretty much did it all on my own. When I started galloping, I just would tell anybody I could gallop and I would get up on a horse and I would get hired for a couple days and then I would get fired and I just kept going until I finally started learning something from it. I took less pay and did more work to encourage people to let me get on their horses and I ended up working a horse in the receiving barn (this barn is where horses go that are shipping in to race that day or night) at Calder and that is how I got started.

FOTH: Tell us what you can remember about your first race?  Were you nervous at all?

GJ: I wasn't nervous at all cause the horse was like 20-1 and not expected to win. I had been galloping this horse a lot at the track and we were in the one hole and knew all of the other jockeys, she broke right away and I led the field by 3 lengths all the way and we won. I remember pulling up after the race and yelling "I won I won I won". I was kinda weird as the horse was carrying 102 pounds and I was light and I was using a 4 pound saddle and it was really weird as the slippery jockey silks that I had never been in since the post parade were sliding all around and I just hope they hold up when I break from the gate and they did. (laughs)

FOTH: What was it like going into the winner's circle?

GJ: It was incredible. I didn't really think about it till I got home later on that day. I didn't expect to win and all my friends were there and they all bet on me and made a lot of money. When I was in the winner's circle I was thinking of all the hard work it took to get me here.

FOTH: Did you get creamed after the race and did you know it was coming?

GJ: Yes I did and I ran like hell, I only got one bucket of water thrown on me. Nobody expected me to win so I don't think they were expecting it.

FOTH: What are some memories you have as an apprentice rider?

GJ: I won 13 races in Florida and then I went down to South America to ride. I won a race a race there which was great. I went to NY and rode there for a while. I also rode in Chicago for a bit. I broke my neck in Chicago about a week after I had my 5th winner. I had to go back to South Carolina to have surgery and I was in a wheelchair, I was partially paralyzed for 6 months and then I went back down to Florida and started galloping and then back to Chicago to ride. I then drove up to a new place that was opening, Philadelphia Park and started riding in January and by April I was leading rider.

FOTH: Tell me about South America riding down there.

GJ: I got invited to the Race of the America's. It is different down there. Grooms take of and gallop their own horses, bareback. The food is great. I galloped some bareback. They were teasing me that I couldn't gallop that way and after I did they were like "Oooooo" I won a race and the TV coverage was insane. Everywhere we went there was like 50 photographers taking our pics. I got invited to stay by the president of Argentina and I had heard gunfire and the people down there don't pay attention to stop lights. (laughs) It was a crazy experience I'll always cherish, but I would not want to go back.

FOTH: How long did you ride for?

GJ: I won my first race in 1989 and I stopped in 1998.

FOTH: What made you decide to retire?

GJ: Well I had broken my neck and shoulder twice and both my knees are bad, my ankles are bad and I was getting older and looking to get into something different while the getting was good. When I came back from my 2nd shoulder injury a lot of the people I rode for had either gotten out of the business or had moved to another track. I lost some of my interest due to the backstabbing, the begging of mounts, riding horses you rather not ride, etc.

FOTH: What places have you ridden at?

GJ: Delaware, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky. I galloped in Texas and in New Orleans.

FOTH: Did you have a favorite track you rode at?

GJ: The best turf track I rode at was Atlantic City and I would have to say Philadelphia Park cause it was good to me. The people and the fans were good to me.

FOTH: Do you feel you got respect as a female rider when you were riding?

GJ: A lot of guys said I was the first girl they ever rode and that they changed their minds about girl riders. Julie Krone obviously did it before me. Guys like in South America they are smaller and they get to start riding when they are 10 or 11 years old. They come to this country and they have been riding for a long time. I think people rode me cause I was fearless and would get up on anything.

FOTH: What advice would you give to a young girl that wanted to be a jockey?

GJ: Give them some support. I had no support as I left home when I was 15. Think how big your gonna be one day, how big your full body size is gonna be cause when you get to be a certain size your gonna be too big to ride. You might want to stay in school and finish your education. If you think your gonna be small enough to be a jockey go on a farm and work for free and let them give you lessons. Go to a racetrack. People at racetracks are always willing to give you some advice and tell you where to go.

FOTH: You recently got an owner's license. Is that something you plan on doing part time?

GJ: I got my owner's license because I could not get any stalls. I have a trainer's license in Florida. T Miller will be training my horse up here in Phila. I watch T Miller and see what he does and stuff. I plan on buying horses, developing them and taking them in spots where I think I can sell them. Most jockeys don't make great trainers. I'm gonna just do my own horses that way I don't have to look and deal with owners who say "I gave you $5,000 how come I didn't win the race?" A lot of owners expect to make some money right away and that usually does not happen right away.

FOTH: Thanks for the interview. Any last words you want to say?

GJ: Good luck to anybody who reads this.

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