Emma-Jayne Wilson says, "Always learning and being a student of this game is paramount in regards to ongoing success." What a girl! And she should know. In 2005, when she was only 24 years old, she won the Canadian Sovereign Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey and then won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in North America!
She started riding at age 9 and at age 13 reached out to that premiere track, Woodbine, but was told that based on her hands and feet, she for sure would be "too big" to be a jockey. So, she packed herself off to the University of Guelph's Equine Program, and in her first year met Sandy Hawley, Canada's most famous jockey of all time, who right away recognized her talent and encouraged her to learn about thoroughbreds. She practiced all types of riding, english and western and lots of things in between and upon graduation went to Woodbine to serve as an exercise rider!
August 27, 2004 was her first official race, and by December 2005
, at the conclusion of Woodbine's season, she was the record-breaking leader in the jockey standings with 1,096 starts -- her nearest competitor was 300 races below this figure! She was the leader of all North American apprentice jockeys in both winnings and earnings and had herself tucked pretty well decently into the ranks of all jockeys too! Thus, her Apprentice wins in both the Sovereign and Eclipse!She and Rags to Riches shared a year of firsts for females! In 2007, Emma-Jayne Wilson became the first female jockey in the 148 year history of the Queen's Plate to win! As she was being interviewed after that win on the way to the winner's circle, she told the interviewer on horseback, "Been there, bought the t-shirt, said and done!"
As of early January 2009, she was on her way to Hong Kong until early April to participate twice a week in their racing season! And then she is back home to start the racing season on April 5th at her beloved Woodbine!
http://www.bramptonsports.ca/inductee.php?pk=117
or
http://www.bloodhorse.com/eclipse2006/Wilson.htm