Page 23 - The Game January 2006

22 The Game, January 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
A ray of sunshine appears to go unnoticed as it enters a busy barn during early morning training at Woodbine in November
2005 Sovereign Award Winners
The Jockey Club of Canada announced the names of the 2005 Sovereign Awards winners at their annual Awards dinner held this year on December 16 at the Wyndham Bristol Place Hotel, Toronto. Below is a recap of this year’s winners:
• Horse of the Year
A Bit O'Gold
• Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Knights Templar
• Outstanding Broodmare Native Rights
• Outstanding Breeder Adena Springs
• Outstanding Trainer Reade Baker
• Outstanding Owner Stronach Stables
• Outstanding Apprentice Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson
• Outstanding Jockey
Todd Kabel
• Outstanding Newspaper Story Beverley Smith, "Obituary:
Jerry Meyer"
• Outstanding Feature Story Peter Gross, "The Amazing Story of Jack Lauzon"
• Outstanding Photograph Dave Landry,
"Emma's Classic WIn"
• Outstanding Film/Video/Broadcast
CBC Radio Canada, "LIfe and Times of Northern Dancer"
• Michael C. Byrne was the recipient of the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit.
• Champion Edenwold
• Champion Gold Strike • Champion Palladio
Two-Year-Old Male Three-Year-Old Filly Three-Year-Old Male
• Champion
One for Rose
• Champion Older Male Horse A Bit O'Gold
• Champion Female Turf Horse Ambitious Cat
• Champion Male Turf Horse A Bit O'Gold
• Champion Sprinter
Judiths Wild Rush
Older Female
Scottsdale, Arizona - Recently at the Jockeys’ Benefit Association’s Annual General Meetings held in Scottsdale Arizona, some dramatic surprises were announced with news of long time Executive Manager, Irwin Driedger retiring.
The other surprise arrived with JBAC President Chris Loseth, who retired after nearly thirty years in the saddle in mid 2005, announcing he also was stepping aside.
Both individuals leave their respective positions just as they lived life on and away from the racetrack; with tons of class and a tremendous respect for the sport they have spent their entire lives being involved with.
Driedger’s accomplishments as a rider would take more words then are allowed in a column of this size.
He retired from riding in 1990 and was approached shortly after to assume the role of Executive Manager of JBAC.
“I asked them to give me a few days to think about it. After thinking it over, I came back with a three-year contract, which they agreed to. On August 12,1990, I started working for the riders." said Driedger.
When asked if the job was difficult Irwin commented, "Basically, because I was a former athlete and with this job there are lots of negotiations and fires to put out. It was a learning experience at first."
As for those negotiations skills, many of them he learned as other jockeys have throughout their careers, approaching horsemen hustling to get on the best hors- es.
'That is a skill you use throughout your career and also in life. When negotiating, you always try to do it in a professional manner and be respected. These skills come with being a jock." said Driedger.
During his fifteen years with JBAC, he admits there have been many changes.
“We had the
safety vest come in,
which helped truly
help save jocks
lives. There has
also been an
increase with jock-
ey weights, which
was very important. Jockey mounts have increased. We also have had an increase with our insurance with regards to disability and career ending payouts. These are all very significant things, all of us involved with JBAC should be proud of these accomplishments made over the last fifteen years." said Driedger.
Since taking over the management aspect of JBAC, jockey membership is almost 100 percent at all the major
racetracks in Canada.
Has he been pleased with the way the things have gone since his involvement? "I have not been
totally happy with the way racetracks and horsemen look at riders. Many of them have a perception riders make a lot of money. Yet that is only true of a few riders at each racetrack. And there are a lot of rider making less then $30,000 a year." said Driedger.
Why he chose to retire was a decision which did not come over night. "After doing this job for so long, you are
Photo Left - from left to right Irwin Driedger, Tom Wolski, Chris Loseth and John Livingston
constantly hearing the same complaints over and over and usually from the same people and it begins to wear on you." he added.
As for what he would like to see for jockeys in the future? "We (Jockeys) should be making more money. Jock mounts should be higher. There should be better coverage for their various insurances. We need a retirement plan for riders. Also there should be some kind of dental plan in place for jockeys along with better health benefits. A doctor in every jockeys room is important." says Driedger.
As for what is next for Driedger, he still will be working within the horse racing industry.
"I will be senior manager of racing surfaces for Woodbine Entertainment Group. It is something I have always been interested in that area of horse racing. And when the job was posted I applied. We had a few discussions and they made me an offer and I took it. And I am looking forward to the challenges it will bring." said Driedger.
And I am sure that I can speak for the many riders throughout Canada, whom he represented for the past sixteen years, that we wish him the very best in the next phase of his life.
Chris Loseth, who served as a director and then as president of JBAC for close to three decades adds, in typical Loseth fashion, "When I retired from riding, I always thought the President of JBAC should be an active rider. In fact I believe our by-laws state that.” said Loseth. "I loved doing the job and just like Irwin, if the riders need me, they know where to find me, I will be at my wife's barn, ponying our horses.”
Photo Right - from left to right Tom Wolski, Larry Attard, Gerry Olguin, Richard Dos Ramos and Jack Lauzon
Tommy Wolski