Barbara Jo Rubin

began riding when she was seven as a form of exercise to strengthen her legs, which had been crippled by polio. On Feb. 22, 1969, at Charles Town Races in West Virginia, Barbara Jo became the first female to win on a recognized racetrack. At 19, she became an instant sports celebrity and proved she could succeed in what had been strictly a man's world. She drew big crowds to the racetrack wherever she rode and appeared on such popular national television shows as "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "To Tell the Truth." Rubin likened her role to a one-woman

show, traveling from track to track for one-day appearances. Her success was amazing. She won 11 of her first 22 races. However, just like other female jockeys, she was often assigned mounts no other jockey would accept, horses that were accidents waiting to happen. She endured 14 spills in a two-week period, and by the end of her first season, Rubin's knees and back ached constantly. Just when she was healthy enough to begin riding again, she fell and broke her pelvis and neck, ending her short career for good. Rubin has learned to be content working with horses in other ways. She has competed as a driver, an endurance rider,

and most recently in dressage. "As long as I can be around horses, I'm happy."