Q: What is the average age of a horse jockey? A person has to be a minimum of 16 years old to apply for a jockey license. The oldest jockey to still compete at the highest levels was 58 years old (Bill Shoemaker). The average age in this profession is currently about 40 years old.
Most jockeys begin their training between the ages of 16 and 22. There's no maximum age limit, but the average retirement age is between 40 and 50 years old, which is when many jockeys move on to becoming trainers or agents.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. At age 70, Danny Miller is Australia's oldest jockey, but Father Time doesn't seem to be slowing him down.
1. Gary Bain (c. 1953 – present) Gary Bain is the oldest jockey still riding today at the age of 69.
They lost to another long-shot horse, Ferdinand, and a jockey, Bill Shoemaker, who most people figured was well past his prime: Shoemaker was fifty-four years old when he rode Ferdinand to victory, making him the oldest jockey to ever win the Kentucky Derby, a record that stands to this day.
Jockey salaries typically range between $35,000 and $77,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for jockeys is $25.31 per hour. Jockey salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Jockeys earn the highest average salary in Alaska, Utah, North Dakota, California, and Nevada.
1. Yutaka Take. Taking the top spot is Japan's Yutaka Take, who has earned an estimated $925m throughout his extensive career, picking up over 4,400 wins in the process. With a record like that, Take is certainly the hottest ticket in town.
As it becomes more difficult to control their weight as they get older, many horse jockeys call time on their careers in the saddle after the age of 40. It's rare for riders to go on past 50, although there are notable exceptions. Legendary British Flat jockey Lester Piggott came out of retirement aged 54.
Though there is no height limit for jockeys, they are usually fairly short due to the weight limits. Jockeys racing on the flat typically stand around 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) to 5 ft 7 in (170 cm). Jump jockeys are often taller, with multiple examples over 5 ft 10 in (178 cm).
Julie Krone is an American horse racer born in 1963 and is known for being the most successful female jockey in US history. She boasts a total of $90,126,584 in earnings over the course of her career, as well as a staggering 3,700 wins, which drew attention in terms of horse racing betting.
Bill Shoemaker –
Regarded as the greatest horse rider ever, and certainly, the greatest ever to ride in North America that's for sure. Bill accumulated 8,883 race wins during his 41-year career-long journey. It has been estimated that he won a massive $123 million as a jockey and a further $3.7 million as a trainer.
Forever Young: King Becomes Oldest Female Jockey to Win Race in North America. ThistleDown Racino became home to racing's eldest female jockey to win a thoroughbred race in North America today. Diane King, 67, won in the 8th race today at ThistleDown, riding her own horse, Ledgehill.
If the rider is too heavy, he may be replaced by another rider, or be permitted to carry 'overweight', which will always be announced on the racecourse before a race begins. However, no rider is allowed to weigh out at four pounds or more over the weight he is set to carry.
Other Requirements
Jockeys must be at least 16 years old. There is no set height or weight requirement, but the majority of jockeys do not weigh more than 125 pounds, many even less, with height (usually around 5 feet tall) or proportionate to their weight.
The average jockey gets sidelined by injuries about three times a year. A jockey's life off the horse is grueling and, at times, dangerous. The spectre haunting almost every rider is extra weight.
What do you call a female horse rider? The most common terms are equestrian and cowgirl, which are not discipline specific.
In the present day, more than 90% of jockeys, in most racing nations, are men. This is likely an unconscious bias toward male jockeys being, on average, physically 'stronger', able to push horses harder, and thus performing better in races than female jockeys.
Weighing in and weighing out
To make sure that it does so, all jockeys must weigh out before a race to make sure they and their kit (including the saddle) are the right weight. If a jockey is lighter than the weight the horse has to carry, the difference will be made up by thin lead weights in a special saddle cloth.
By, in effect, floating above his mount, the jockey saves the energy the horse would otherwise expend to shove him back up after each bounce down into the saddle. Doing this is "very hard work," says Wilson, because the rider uses his legs in their short stirrups as springs or pistons.
Plainly put, in this instance, a horse without a jockey would be carrying around 120 pounds less than a horse with a jockey. That would mean they are lighter, more aerodynamic and able to run faster.
The top-earning jockey was James McDonald who earned nearly $2m, headlined by his wins in the Melbourne Cup (Verry Elleegant) and The Everest (Nature Strip). Verry Elleegant won the Melbourne Cup for Chris Waller and James McDonald.
The new riding fees for 2022/2023 inclusive of superannuation are: Race Ride: $268.52 per ride plus GST (if any). Barrier Trial: $93.98 per ride plus GST (If any).
The real money for jockeys comes from prize money, if they can ride a horse to finish first, second or third in a race and earn part of the purse. The percentages a jockey receives for a Thoroughbred race range from 5% for a second- or third-place finish to 10% for first place.