‘Right to Ride’: Ky. Derby Museum to host exhibit honoring women jockeys
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) — The Kentucky Derby Museum is honoring women’s contributions to the horse industry with its new “Right to Ride” exhibit opening Oct. 16.
Until the late 1960s, women who dreamed of making a career on horseback had limited options. Jockeys like Lillian Jenkinson, Anna Lee Aldred and Wantha Davis “took what they could get,” racking up wins they knew would never be recorded in the Daily Racing Form.
Beginning with Kathy Kusner’s landmark Civil Rights court case against the Maryland Racing Commission in 1968, the newly-licensed women began proving their determination and skill as jockeys.
Right to Ride is inspired by the 50th anniversary of Diane Crump’s historic ride in the Kentucky Derby in 1970. It tells the story of the women who refused to settle for second best and made it possible for future generations of women to enjoy their right to ride in professional Thoroughbred horse races, according to the museum.
Some exhibit highlights include:
- Playful, retro 60s and 70s experience throughout the exhibit, and a large-scale celebration of the women who have ridden in the Kentucky Derby
- Main 29-minute documentary and three additional oral history video stations, featuring selections from the Museum’s 20+ hours of exclusive interviews with female jockeys and industry insiders
- Artifacts and ephemera tracing the story of the first American female jockeys, such as Diane Crump’s riding boots, Sandy Schleiffers’ Jockeys’ Guild ring, and the Barton family scrapbook
- Treasures from the personal collections of Derby-riding women, including Patti “P.J.” Cooksey’s gear from the 1984 Kentucky Derby and Rosie Napravnik’s 2012 and 2014 winning Kentucky Oaks trophies
The exhibit is included in a general admission ticket.
For more information on the exhibit, and the museum’s hours and address, head to the Kentucky Derby Museum website at https://www.derbymuseum.org/Exhibits/Detail/35/Right-to-Ride.
