"You don't throw a whole life away just cause it's banged up a little"

[my miss storm cat]

I have a question about jockeys.....

It seems like people are quick to take sides when jockeys get nailed for drugs, alcohol, etc.

After being on any given forum for a while, you have a sense of what's coming and who will be vocal either for or against the latest episiode of Jocks In Trouble.

I'm not being sanctimonious here. Personally I do always try to back up someone who is troubled or self-destructive. I believe in one last chance and one last chance after that. I know others are the same way.

That said, i can understand the other point of view too. I don't agree with the ban-their-ass(es) mentality but sure, I can understand it.

It's really easy for me to have an opinion not being an owner. Maybe if i were I'd have the opposite view and i acknowledge that.


Fallon, PVal, all these stories.....

Here's the latest one.

Gold Edition jockey to face charges 3 Feb 2008

By Greg Irvine - www.virtualformguide.com

Stathi Katsidis, who rode Gold Edition to her swansong fourth placing in Saturday's Group I Lightning Stakes at Flemington, has had a run in with police.

The Queenslander will front court on February 19 after being pulled over by police late on Saturday in Towoomba.

Katsidis blew 0.19 when breath tested not long after 10pm (Qld time) - just hours after riding Gold Edition.

Police report they found steroids and ecstacy when his vehicle was searched.

Katsidis was breath tested and cleared to ride at Sunday's Sunshine Coast meeting in Queensland.

http://www.thoroughbrednews.co.nz/sp...cing/?id=33377

Part of the problem though is the reason for the drugs.

I can't imagine the lifestyle, the wasting, the mental stress that it must cause, the whole idea of being an athlete but never really treated as other athletes are, never on the same level, the emotional roller-coaster, the thought of a horse breaking down and having to change silks and go right back out onto the track for the next race....

Someone once posted that it's the only job in the world where you have an ambulance follow you all day and of course there IS that.

So my question is is anybody out there looking at the big picture? Are there or have there been studies done on jockeys and depression?

If not, should there be or rather shouldn't there be?

If they don't have people in their lives who are there for them, who will listen, do they have somewhere to turn to?

I know, I know... a fun forum pastime making fun of them and disrespecting them. I'm guilty of it too. I've done it too.

I'm just starting to feel like along with the bannings or days, the fines, etc., some help should be given or offered (or possibly mandatory?) and i have no idea whether or not it is.

Some overcome their problems (GoGo), some keep slipping, and then there are those like the poor kid who jumped off the 19th floor of the Hong Kong Jockey Club offices (Harry Tsang), Brian Long, Hector Ventura, this poor kid...

http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19628

Thoughts?