You might have heard the word racehorse jockey a lot of times. The keyword ‘racehorse’ already gives an idea of who a jockey is.
A jockey is a professional horse rider who competes in horse racing or steeplechase racing. The term also refers to camel riders who compete in camel races.
The term “jockey” comes from England, and it refers to a person who competes in horse races. They must be light, weighing between 100 and 120 pounds, and physically fit.
They are usually self-employed and are compensated by the horse trainer with a small fee and a percentage of the horse’s winnings.
Although there are some well-known female jockeys, most jockeys are male. The job carries a significant risk of debilitating or life-threatening injuries.
Let’s look at some of the heaviest jockeys in history, considering that jockeys are expected to be lightweight.
1. Stuart Brown
Stuart Brown, the son of John and Helen Brown, was one of Australia’s tallest jockeys, standing 187cm or six feet 112 inches, but his height did not impede his success.
Stuart was a multiple NSW Approved Rider Premiership winner who competed from Mallawa in the north to Bourke in the west to Lockhart in the south.
He last raced at Grenfell in April 2021, winning the Class B Handicap aboard Had Your Chance.
Stuart, who grew up on a local farm and worked on the race club’s committee, was a big fan of Bedgerebong picnics. Winning the Bedgerebong Picnic Cup, which he did three times, was one of his greatest delights.
He makes the list of heaviest jockeys ever with a weight of 137 pounds.
2. Patrick Sankey
There are amateur riders in addition to the professionals. Patrick Sankey was one of the tallest jockeys to win a Point-to-Point race in May 2019 at Bredwardine.
He stands slightly over two meters tall, demonstrating that height is not an impediment.
Sankey, on the other hand, was 10 pounds overweight. Sankey will almost certainly never be able to turn professional since a man of his stature will struggle to meet the weight requirements for horse racing under the rules.
With a weight of 158 pounds, Sankey is one of the heaviest jockeys of all time.
3. Manute Bol
NBA center Manute Bol was the tallest person to ever compete in a race. He was raising funds for Sudan, the war-torn country where he was born. Even if it was simply for a charity event, it still counts.
Bol stands seven and a half feet tall, according to the NBA. He also dabbled in ice hockey and boxing. In the fall of 2003, the ride took place at Hoosier Park, just north of Indianapolis.
Bol died of kidney disease in 2020 and was buried in South Sudan. However, he is one of the heaviest racehorse jockeys weighing in at 200 pounds.
4. Bruce Hobbs
Hobbs was an American rider and trainer. Hobbs, from Long Island, New York, became the youngest jockey to ever win the English Grand National riding Battleship, a son of Man o’ War, in 1938. After winning the Welsh Grand National on Timber Wolf.
Hobbs became the first jockey to win three Grand Nationals in a single year in 1937-38, winning at Long Island’s Cedarhurst edition. In 1938, a bad fall left him with a shattered spine. Despite being told he would never ride again, he returned at 25 and began training horses.
Hobbs retired in 1985 and died at 84 in 2005. Hobbs is one of the heaviest jockeys ever with a weight of 202 lbs.
5. Louise Moeller
In 2002, she rode at Gulfstream Park. Moeller had an amateur license and stood over six feet tall. After her journey to America in 2003, she became an apprentice, then a professional the following year.
Moeller had at least 70 winners from approximately 500 rides, which places her below the top female horse jockeys today, but she was a pioneer for tall women jockeys.
Louise Moeller is one of the heaviest racehorse jockeys ever with a weight of 112 lbs.
6. Donnacha O’Brien
Returning to the O’Brien family, and Aidan’s youngest son. Donnacha, Joseph’s younger brother, was a two-time Irish champion Flat jockey during a brief career in the saddle.
However, there were some notable highlights, such as Saxon Warrior and Magna Grecia winning the 2000 Guineas back-to-back. Donnacha was also a winner in the 2018 Irish Derby on Latrobe.
Because he was one of the tallest jockeys riding in the British Isles at the time, he had no choice but to retire the following year at the age of 21.
With a weight of 123 pounds, he is also one of the largest jockeys. O’Brien, like his father and older brother, is now a racehorse trainer.
7. George Baker
When George Baker was a child, his father was a farrier in Lambourn, which is one of the most important places in England for horse racing. His family lived there. To win a race in modern times, he is the tallest jockey in contemporary history.
His weight is 165 pounds, making him one of the heaviest jockeys in history.
8. Andrew McNamara
In his stirrups, Andrew McNamara, a six-footer, had an incredible career as a jumps rider. In Ireland, he won significant National Hunt races.
The 2010 Irish Grand National, the Irish Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup at Leopardstown, the John Durkan and Champion Chase near Punchestown, and the Irish Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup at Leopardstown are among them.
He is also one of the heaviest bikers ever, weighing 168 pounds.
