Linda Wheeler with the Duke of Gloucester Cup she won on Whisper To Me at Trentham in 2010. Photo / Racing Images
Jockeys such as Linda Wheeler are a rare species because they ride for passion.
"As an amateur rider we're actually in it because we don't receive any money for it," says Wheeler who will ride Pentathlon in the 2000m amateur race at midday at the Hawke's Bay Racing's regular meeting in Hastings today.
The 10-race meeting begins at 11.30am and ends with the last race at 4.35pm. The gates open at 11am and entry is free.
Wheeler, the wife of Taranaki trainer John, comes from an equestrian background as a youngster, akin to Sue Thompson, of Hastings, but never rode professionally.
"I'm in it [amateur riding] for the love, the thrill and adrenaline rush," says the 47-year-old, revealing there are only about a dozen races for amateur riders in a season.
The infrequency of the rides means there is no danger of their engagement turning into the humdrum of professionals.
"It's not our job."
That is not to say the amateurs lack competitive edge on the track although there is no animosity among the close-knit group.
"Oh, there's the odd screaming and yelling in the race but everyone gets on together."
It rankles with Wheeler that the odd person or two knocks amateur riders behind their backs.
She'll be the first to accept while their mounts are in peak condition the riders are not, simply because they don't do it with the monotonous regularity of professionals.
Many people, for argument's sake, train but have never ridden a horse.
"They sit on a sofa and criticise. Sofa jockeys, I call them, and one of these days I'll be one of them," she says with a laugh.
Nevertheless, she feels riding in amateur races offers insight to horsemen who aspire to become trainers, stewards and horse breakers.
Wheeler harbours no regrets in not becoming a professional although she did when she was younger.
"I'm happy where I am in my life with a great man who is a horseman and trainer."
The 10-year-old who had equestrian dreams on a mare, Sundance, graduated from showjumping ponies at 15 to learn driving standard-bred trotters before gravitating towards thoroughbreds.
"It's [gallops] more personal because you're closer to the horse and it's a different style to driving but I'm not saying it's any easier," says Wheeler, who still does showing today.
However, she feels completing a gallops race is harder than driving.
Raised in Waiuku, south of Auckland, the daughter of excavator Mike and hobby trainer Helen Brice took to a Shetland pony, Pedro, at 8.
"He was a naughty pony and he'd buck me off but he taught me how to ride."
Her flirtation with becoming a professional jockey didn't find traction from the age of 19.
"I honestly think I didn't have the right person behind me."
Wheeler recalls as a youngster looking up to professional jockey Linda Jones who paved the path for other females to enter a patriarchal domain.
Her husband, Alan Jones, she notes, provided the foundation to her career.
That is, she stresses, not an issue any more.
"Back in those days there were 10 women to 100 men but it's probably on a par now, if not more female riders."
Another reason professionalism didn't appeal to Wheeler was the weight-losing regime.
"I wasn't a natural lightweight so if I had had a go I would have had to start wasting.
"I like my food too much. You can't eat what you want and you're thinking every time about what you put in your mouth."
As an amateur the minimum weight is 66.5kg but it's no more than 50kg for those aspiring to be apprentices.
Wheeler will ride Pentathlon, who has the potential to be a "nice stayer", around 62kg and has lead-weight bags handy if required to make the difference today.
For the record, the 3-year-old colt is sired by Pentire whose earlier progeny was Pentathon, a horse John Wheeler trained to New Zealand Cup victory.
"They look alike. They are chestnuts with white blaze [face] but someone, I won't name that person, was supposed to register Pentathon as Pentathlon but misspelt the name," she says.
Rod Baulcomb and brothers CEJ and CJW Stewart co-own Pentathlon.
The colt has earned $86,635 to date and Linda Wheeler, who has had one win and three placings from nine rides in Hastings, will be riding him for the first time today although she has done trackwork.
John, who has 56 horses in training, has had 602 starters with 63 wins and 111 placings at Hastings.
He also trained Whisper To Me who Linda rode to victory in the Duke of Gloucester Cup at Trentham in 2010.