Rose Ann Dewitz

Rose Ann Dewitz is a retired jockey that I have been trying to get on the site and I recently sent her an interview that was send back to me recently. Rose rode at Waterford Park (now Mountaineer and Thistledowns) back in the 70's. Sorry for the caps, but this was the way it was sent back to me he he...

FOTH: WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

RD: BORN IN CANTON, OHIO. GREW UP IN MECHANICSTOWN OHIO D.O.B. 6-13-54

FOTH: ANY BROTHERS AND SISTERS?

RD: NO SISTERS 4 BROTHERS: JIM, LEE, TOM, AND RAY (RAY IS THE YOUNGEST I AM OLDER THAN RAY)

FOTH: WHAT EVENT OR EVENTS LED YOU TO BECOMING A JOCKEY?

RD: I ALWAYS LIKED HORSES AND THE RACES WERE EXCITING AND THRILLING.

FOTH: TELL US WHAT YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR FIRST RACE.

RD: A WOMAN NAMED RUTH PUT ME ON MY FIRST MOUNT. I REMEMBER BEFORE THE RACE EVEN STARTED THAT 3 JOCKEYS WENT OFF THEIR HORSES. HORSES WERE RUNNING ALL OVER. THEY HAD TO CATCH THEM AND THAT TOOKÊABOUT 45 MINUTES, HORSES WERE LATHERED ...AT THAT POINT I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE GOD DOESN'T WANT ME TO RIDE!Ê ALL JOCKEYS HAD TO GO BEHIND THE GATE AND DISMOUNT UNTIL THEY CAUGHT HORSES DID SCRATCHES IN MY FIRST RACE AND I THINK IF I REMEMBER RIGHT I RAN 5TH.

FOTH: TELL US WHAT YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR 1ST WIN. DID YOU GET CREAMED AFTER THE RACE?

RD: I REMEMBER LINDA RICHMOND RIDING BESIDE ME AND SAYING "YOU CAN GET THIS ONE! GO FOR IT!", AND OH DID I EVER! (I KNEW THAT THEY DEPANTSED YOU AND PAINTED YOU SO I WORE A ONE PIECE BODY SUIT UNDER MY SILKS.Ê THEN, WHEN THEY DEPANTSED ME CHARLIE SHIFFLETT (MAY HE REST IN PEACE)ÊWAS THE ONE WHO DID IT AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING "SHE HAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS ON!" THEY GOT ME WITH ICE COLD BUCKETS OF WATER, SHAVING CREAM, AND BLACK SHOE POLISH (THEY PAINTED ME WITH IT).

FOTH: LOOKING BACK WAS BEING A JOCKEY EASIER OR HARDER THAN YOU THOUGHT?

RD: HARD, ROUGH,....... ROUGH AND HARD!

FOTH: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TRACKS YOU RODE AT?

RD: WATERFORD PARKÊ (NOW MOUNTAINEER) AND THISTLEDOWNS

FOTH: ANY FUNNY JOCKEY STORIES TO TELL?

RD: I ALWAYS REMEMBER TOMMY KEELER GETTING OFF A HORSE THAT RAN BAD AND SAID, THATÊTHE HORSE HAD THE HEARTÊTHE SIZE OF A PEA. TOMMY WAS MY BEST MALE JOCKEY FRIEND. I REMEMBER HOW RAY COOPER COULD ALWAYS WOULD TELL JOKES ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TRACK AND BACK.ÊI REMEMBER BEFORE IÊBEGAN RIDING, ÊONE JOCKEY WHIPPING PATTY BARTON ACROSS HER BACKSIDE AND HER PULLING HER PANTS DOWN IN FRONT OF THE CLERK OF SCALES TO PROVE THE OTHER JOCKEY HAD WHIPPED HER. I REMEMBER DELMER BANDEL (TRAINER) RIDING A THOROUGHBRED AND PONYING A THOROUGHBRED ON EACH SIDE OF HIM.

FOTH: DID YOU GET ALONG WITH PRETTY MUCH ALL JOCKEYS?

RD: YEP

FOTH: DID YOU HAVE A FAVORITE HORSE/TRAINER/TRACK YOU RODE AND FAVORITE HORSE?

RD: BARNDOORBARNEY, BECAUSE HE WAS OUR FAMILY PET
2. ALL PROFIT
3. BOATHOUSE-Ê CAUSE I WON WITH HIM AT THISTLEDOWNS AND IT PAID $79.00 TO WIN
FAVORITE TRAINER TO RIDE FOR:Ê MELVIN SMITH
FAVORITE TRACK:Ê WATERFORD PARKÊ (NOW MOUNTAINEER)

FOTH: DO YOU STILL MISS RIDING A LOT?

RD: OH YEAH!

FOTH: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO BECOME A JOCKEY?

RD: COME TO KNOW THE LORD FIRST SO YOU CAN HAVE THAT PROTECTIVE HEDGE AROUND YOU.Ê PRAY DAILY FOR THE ARMOUR OF SALVATION TO BE UPON YOU. BE HONEST AND HAVE FUN DOÊUNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU. TRY TO LEARN FROM THOSEÊYOU SEE TRYING AND WORKING HARD.

FOTH: DO YOU THINK FEMALE JOCKEYS WILL EVER BE GIVEN A FAIR SHAKE IN THE SPORT?

RD: SURE, I THINK THEY ALREADY HAVE BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF FEMALES PROVE THEY CAN RIDE.

FOTH: WHAT WAS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT AS A JOCKEY?

RD: WHEN I RACED AGAINST FRANK SIMMONETTI SEEING HIS EXPRESSIONÊ AS HE WAS WORKING HARD AND MY HORSE WAS PULLING AWAY FROM HIS FOR I KNEW HE WAS A GOOD JOCKEY.

FOTH: WHAT INJURIES DID YOU GET OVER THE YEARS?

RD: NONE DURING RACES. DURING A.M. WORKOUTS GOT BROKEN KNEE, FRACTURED HAND, FRACTURED JAW, AND FRACTURED FOOT.

FOTH: DO YOU STILL FOLLOW RACING AT ALL?

RD: NO NOT REALLY, BUT I LIKE TO WATCH HORSERACES AND WATCH THE JOCKEYS RIDE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE I KNOW.

FOTH: HOW LONG DID YOU RIDE FOR AND WHAT EVENT OR EVENTS LED YOU TO RETIRE?

RD: I RODE FROM 1976 TO 1986 SEEING JOCKEYS GET HURT AND DIDN'T WANT TO END UP LIKE THEM .... I HAD A LOT OF ACHES AND PAINS.

FOTH: ANY LAST WORDS AND THANKS FOR BEING PART OF MY WEBSITE?

RD: I CAME TO KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR IN 1996. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE KNOWN HIM BEFORE I EVER RODE, TO HAVE BEEN A WITNESS FOR HIM AND TO FEEL THE SERENITY AND GRACE THAT ONLY HE CAN GIVE.


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