Remembering Stathi

As I go through this processing of catching up and putting galleries up, there is a pause to remember Stathi Katsidis, who died in October 2010.  He wasn't a jockey that I photographed on a terribly regular basis, but his story touched many, especially the manner of his death, and I was no exception.  My mother made a comment about a recent trend in language that had been occurring to me recently as well.  No one uses the phrase 'death' anymore.  It is 'passed away', or 'lost their lives', and I wonder about this.  From a personal point of view, I suppose his death touched me because I felt so desperately sorry for Melissa Jackson, Stathi' fiancee, because of these comments:
Jackson said she normally never went to bed without Katsidis.  "I never go to bed without him but I gave up that night," she said.  "I should have brought him to bed with me somehow but I couldn't move him. "I shouldn't have given him the pillow."
Of course it wasn't her fault, it's just what unfortunately happens until the individual finds some way to get themselves some help.  And Stathi was never able to find that help, and some peace within himself.  

And it makes me wonder why the racing industry continues to insist on such ludicrously low riding weights.  Horses are such big strong animals.  Why, for example, is the minimum weight not 65kg, which is a far more manageable weight for most people.  It's a fact that the population is getting bigger, and while I love seeing women jockeys, it's still a fact that the majority of jockeys are men, and for teenage boys and men to be able to ride at 48.5kg is bordering on the ridiculous!  Dressage, showjumping, three day events, endurance, all of these are successful equestrian sports, and there is no stupid weight limit.  Ok, perhaps in the case of the racing industry, raising the weights would mean that there should be no 2yo racing, but again, would this be such a bad thing?  I don't know what the solution is, but as per a previous post where I commented on the process of aging, there is no group of people where this is more evident than the jockeys.  The strain on their bodies and minds is enormous, and I just think that there is a solution.  It just takes some courage to implement it.  Yes, it would have to be worldwide, but if we can organise global cooperation in other areas, surely the subject of minimum weights shouldn't be so damn difficult!

So here is Stathi, in all of his former glory, and I thank him for the memories.

Winning the AJC Derby on Shoot Out.
On Happy Hippy over the 2010 AJC Autumn Carnival Meeting
 
On Gold Edition in the 2008 Lightning Stakes.  We all thought the bonny grey mare would win, but something was amiss and she pulled up distressed.  The race was won by the grand Apache Cat, and it was after this race that Stathi hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
In a bold front riding display Stathi and Gold Edition win the G1 Manikato Stakes.  I did the race from the home turn.
 
 
 

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