DianeCrump.com
Title
Diane Crump - Equine Sales
Description
With flash bulbs popping and surrounded by a police escort, Diane was ushered into the bright sunshine (and spotlight!) at Hialeah Racetrack on a day in February, 1969. A day she'll never forget. Midst both boos and cheers from the crowds lining the pathway to the paddock, she was about to become the first woman to ever ride in a pari-mutuel race in the U.S. That fact was not foremost on her mind. She was going to be given an opportunity to do what she knew she could do and was determined to give it her best shot. Those were her thoughts. They are still her thoughts...to do the best at whatever may come her way. She didn’t win that day on Bridle n Bit, but at the age of 20, she looked forward to the exciting years that lay before her.
Invitations started pouring in - to ride in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Fairgrounds at New Orleans and oh, the thrill of it all! Some of her greatest fans were women, of course, but none could match the ardor of the Puerto Rican women! She was invited to ride in a match race in Puerto Rico.. A match race is between two horses. She was matched against this tough little Puerto Rican guy. Puerto Rico is not known to particularly abide by any stringent rules, meaning anything goes. When they came flying out of the starting gate, this little jockey pulled up alongside her horse, jerking the reins and doing whatever he could to unseat her. Sportsmanship being what it was in that little part of the world, she did the first thing that came to mind. She cracked him over the head with her riding whip. The women booed their own country's jockey, tossing rotten tomatoes and threatening bodily harm to him after the race. Diane was greeted by cheering enthusiastic women who loved it!
So followed the wins and the failures and following the racing circuit. She had another dream tucked away. How she would love to ride in the Kentucky Derby! Every jockey's and trainer's dream. During that first year, Diane had 40 wins to date and some of them quite impressive. Then came another unexpected opportunity which made all other achievements to date pale in significance.
