THE CAREER OF A LEADING JOCKEY

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1947, Page 6

THE CAREER OF A LEADING JOCKEY

QNE of this season's successful jockeys, TC-evin vFord, Thijxks. thafc horses have probafeiy more brains" than thpir riderSjJ^ecause in a spill they invariably avoid steppmg on a ^lder, whilst in a race they draw on their o^n intellig^nce.

PIDER' of 26 winners so far tliis v season, this chirpy, popular. iockey has risen to the top the hard way: Now 24, his r,ecord is well above ■ the average although Bill Broughton, with 71 wihs to his credit, is far ahead- as premier jckey in the Dominion After schooling 'at Odre's convent and High- School, Kevln Ford's parents i'htended that he should start work at the Post office. But even as a kid the attractio.n of local race meetings' proved too strong. i He was fired ,vith the ambition of wearmg the "ay, multi-colourvu 3ilk uniform jf the jockeys he watched openmouthed thundering round the :rack. Every spare moment found him hanging round racing stables, ig fingers itching to groom the oeautifully muscled flanks of the i horses as they were brought in, lathered in sweat, from their training gallops. Eventually, oue school holiday, -he diminutive lad was apprenticed to the well-known Southla'nd owner, Mr. W. Hazlett, at Invercargill. During his probationary Teriod he lived under stricter con■litions than any boy at boarding ehool. Apprentices leaving their lomes and parents find owners ^trict guardians. The boys were ■>nly allowed out once a week to oictures, and their time was fully occupied learning the rudiments -,f riding and how to care for lorses. Until he was 21 Ford was cept in the stables and then he •ad to attend the tracks and ride as a free lance. Lucky Lightweight Excess weight fortunately never troubled this diminutive jockey, vho is naturally light. Just over 1ft in height, he rides at 7st 51b. CJnlike many other jockeys he hasn't had to undergo the painful orocess of taking off weight or 'ays he avoids steeplechases as he 'v/asting" by jogging along the •:oads warmly swathed in sweaters

or bv cooking hmiseif in.a' steam bath" ' When jockpys .staft :"waSting" they! find 'that1pr.en ,a Ciip- hf ' tea 'will put back" th'e-wei'ght- they have lost. vMany . a race has been ist by' -a? Ei4er hajnhg a cup: of. tea oefore he steps ori' ihe scales. • ■>. Now the' proud father of a haby >irl, Leah, aged ten weeks, Fbrd ■ohsidera -it "a madman's game." His marr-fage followed a romance on the frack after he had met .liss Linda Bromby, the daughter f.;a: Trentham trainer., • Horses can be rjust, ias. temperamental as their riders? and often .•espond more readily .to some .ockeys than to others: Evidence >f their intelligence can be seen it the barrier where they will jump into action just ;as quickly as he rider himself. With the ex^.eptionally large fields of today there is always the f ear of acciients present in a race, but jockeys find consolation in the hought that horses will always - ittempt to avoid a man on the ?round. Ford's first win came during his third ride at Riverton on Variety ?)ueen and in one season in the Bouth Island he rode 23 winner& \fter leaving Mr. Hazlett he was three months with Mr. Arthur Didam at Wingatui, and then for a hort period at Riccarton before ;oming to the North Island. Both he and his brother, H. J. "brd, have ridden winners bringig in sensational dividends. Cevin's horse, Half-and-Half, paid •. dividend of £125 at Timaru and \is younger brothers' horse, Night iobe, paid £450 at Ashburton. More reqently, at Trentham, "ord rode Sage King to Victory in he Thompson Handicap, and lakim to win the Wellington tacing Club Handicap. Still young, Kevin Ford, who \as fulfilled his boyhood ambiion, has many more years riding ,head of him, and who can say ut that his name will become ust as much a household word as Jill Broughton 's? _____ • •