Description:
Although it has only been thirty years since the first female jockey rode onto the then male only turf of thoroughbred horse racing, they have since made their mark on the racetrack and in the winner's circle. Great Women in the Sport of Kings, the first book to consider the phenomenon of female jockeys, takes an indepth look at their lives.
Through the oral histories of ten top female jockeys, the authors offer intimate portraits of how they overcame personal and professional obstacles to rise to the top of thoroughbred horse racing. In her Introduction, women'ssports historian Mary Jo Festle explores the larger issues of women in sport, sexism in horse racing, the struggles female jockeys face, and the significance of their success. The jockey's include: Diane Nelson, Julie Krone, Paula Keim-Bruno, Jill Jellison, Gwen Jackson, Darci Rice, Rosemary Homiester, Jr., Donna Barton, Kristi Chapman, and Dodi Duys.
Review Quotes: This oral history lets ten jockeys talk about their career paths, their daily lives in horse racing, and their advice for budding female jockeys....Great photos enhance a lively, down-to-earth book that provides a more well-rounded look at horse racing than Julie Krone's Riding for My Life. A glossary and appendix of America's pioneer female jockeys are included.-- "Library Journal"