A BATTLE FORA LIVING

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31002, 7 March 1966, Page 13

A BATTLE FORA LIVING

' Eric Guerin is one of the world’s greatest jockeys. For I the past 15 years he has been consistently among the itop riders in the United States and has ridden such horses as the immortal Native Dancer. He has won more than 15,000,000 dollars in purses, which places him among the top 15 jockeys of all nations of all time. And vet his whole life, his whole future, depends on one thing his weight The battle to keep his weight down has been a daily struggle for Eric Guerin for each day during the past 15 years. But let him tell the story: "Most mornings I get out of bed anywhere from a pound or two overweight Sometimes I’m three pounds over my limit of 1121 b. “Then there's only one thing to do. I go to the {racetrack and sit in a 130- ' degree sauna bath and let the ■extra pounds drip on to the floor. I "1 must do all this without weakening myself, or 1 (stand a good chance of being j killed. Each working afternoon I am working with several healthy horses that weigh at least 10001 b apiece. “Dieting is a major part of my life. I stick rigidly to a strenuous diet prescribed by the racecourse doctor. There’s really nothing special about it it's just plain hard work. There can be no faltering. “But along with the diet, I must lose weight without losing health or strength. That’s where the sauna bath comes in. “1 leave the house at 10 o’clock each morning. I drive straight to the track and get into the sauna bath. “The minute 1 step into that 130-degree heat, I sit down and relax every muscle in my body. That’s important. Relaxation is vital.” And that's how one of the world's most vital sportsmen wins the battle for survival in a sport where only the fittest can survive. The sauna bath is an essential part of his everyday life, to keep his weight down and keep him healthy.