Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund

Jockey Avery Whisman, who rode in the Mid-Atlantic region after beginning his career in 2018, passed away Wednesday at the age of 23 after what his family described as a "prolonged illness." He was at his parents' home in Versailles, Kentucky at the time of his passing. Whisman had not ridden since accepting mounts Aug. 23 at Presque Isle Downs. Though Whisman had been ill, his mother, Salli, described his passing as "a sudden an unexcepted event." "He absolutely loved the sport," Salli Whisman said. "He was an incredible horseman....

Bidding opens for the Jockey and Jeans Stallion Season Sale, benefitting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, on Tuesday Jan. 10 at 9 am ET and ends Thursday, Jan. 12 at 9 pm ET with a preview beginning Jan. 9. The sale features over 70 stallions from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Texas and Oklahoma and has raised over $500,000 for the PDJF to date. "Big farm or small, we thank them all," said Jockeys and Jeans President Barry Pearl. "There are many other valuable seasons and one for every pocketbook....

Bidding for the seventh Jockeys and Jeans Great American Stallion Season Sale to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund opens Jan. 10 at 9 a.m. ET with an offering of non-guaranteed Thoroughbred seasons on Starquine.com. Bidding ends Jan.12 at 9 p.m. The auction's preview starts Jan. 9. Bidding on Quarter Horse seasons begins Jan. 24 at 9 a.m. ET and ends Jan. 26 at 9 p.m. The preview starts Jan. 23. Since the all-volunteer Jockeys and Jeans was founded by a group of former jockeys in late 2014, it has...

The seventh Jockeys and Jeans Great American Stallion Season Sale to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund will be previewed on Starquine.com Jan. 9, with bidding beginning at 9 a.m. Jan. 10 and concluding 9 p.m. on Jan. 12. The sale includes both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse stallions based in states including Kentucky, Florida, New York, California, and Texas. "Sadly, career-ending injuries happen to jockeys in both industries and this is a great example of the two coming together in a meaningful way to provide funding for those whose lives...

Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course will host its third annual fundraising event for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund Saturday, Oct. 29. This year's event will hold a new name, Jockey Jam, and see the addition of a karaoke dinner fundraising event, Jockey Jamboree, to be held Friday, Oct. 28. "The mission statement behind the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund is one of importance to us and the racing community here at Mahoning Valley Race Course," said Rob Swedinovich, Vice President and General Manager. In the events two previous additions,...

'Hats and halters,' an online auction in which racing fans will have an opportunity to bid on and win halters and hats of this year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic entrants, will raise funds for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) and The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation. The fundraiser opened Oct. 25 and runs through Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. ET. The auction winner of each halter gets a meet and greet with the horse by January 2023, and if they select the halter of the Classic winner, they receive...

Jockeys will sign Ellis Park 100th season commemorative posters to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) on Saturday. The jockey autograph session is part of Jockeys Across America, where tracks across the country pay tribute to National Disability Independence Day and raise funds for and awareness about the PDJF. The Ellis Park jockeys, as their riding schedules permit, will sign the full-color posters throughout the afternoon at a table between the paddock pavilion and the paddock. There is no charge, but donations will be accepted for the...

Jockeys competing on Saturday, July 30 (or another mutually agreed upon date that week at racetracks not racing that day) will pay tribute to National Disability Independence Day and raise awareness and funds for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Last year's event raised more than $50,000 at racetracks across the country. Jockeys at some 20 racetracks are expected to participate in various activities to support the PDJF while also saluting National Disability Independence Day, which marks the 32nd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Throughout...

Randy Sampson, CEO and Chairman of Canterbury Park, has been named Jockeys and Jeans 2022 Person of the Year. Sampson is a member of the Jockeys and Jeans organizing committee and has been helpful in advising it on track relations and fundraising. Canterbury Park, the track he and his family own in Shakopee, MN, hosted the 2018 Jockeys and Jeans Fundraiser, raising $268,000. Sampson will accept the award at the eighth annual Jockeys and Jeans fundraiser July 2 at Churchill Downs. "Of course, I am truly honored," Sampson said. "But...

Members of the Belmont Park jockey colony will participate in an autograph signing Friday to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund (PDJF). The special meet and greet and autograph session featuring riders from the Belmont jockey colony with a suggested donation to PDJF will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday on the first floor grandstand. Benefits from the signing will go directly to the PDJF. The PDJF is an independent charitable organization that provides financial assistance to jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. For more...

Jockeys and Jeans, a group founded by former jockeys to raise funds for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, will hold their eighth annual fundraising event at Churchill Downs July 2. The popular event will take place on the final day of Churchill Downs's Spring Meet and include a day of live racing featuring the GII Stephen Foster S. The event has been scheduled to take place at Churchill Downs since 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic until 2022. In a show of support and recognition that the...

TVG, the New York Racing Association, Keeneland and Santa Anita will team with Hall of Fame jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild and other prominent racing personalities to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) Sunday, Apr. 10 for the fourth annual telethon to raise money for the PDJF. The event will be broadcast on both TVG and America's Day at the Races on FS2 in collaboration with NYRA and FOX Sports. After missing 2020 due to the pandemic, the popular event returned in 2021 and...