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Beth Butler, currently tied for leading rider in the Fonner Park jockey standings, is well known not only for her winning ways on race days, but for her hard work around the track from morning to night.
Helping Butler find her way to the top of the jockey standings has been her agent, Jerry Jewell.
A jockey agent helps a rider obtain rides through constant networking with trainers. The relationship is symbiotic in that both rider and agent work for each other.
Jewell brings a perspective of 23 years in the irons, along with four years of working as an agent, before teaming up with Butler.
Butler laughed at how the two joined forces.
"I basically begged him to be my agent," Butler said. "I had a couple different agents who kind of shuffled me around. I went to Jerry and asked him to give me a try. It's really worked out great."
The relationship has worked out very well so far through the first five weeks of the racing season, as Butler has guided 19 horses to wins this year at Fonner Park.
A key component in those wins has been riding first-call for the Milton Gaede barn.
Gaede who has won 16 of 32 starts at Fonner Park, has employed Butler on a number of his starters.
"Milt has first-call on Beth's services," Jewell said. "He's been great for us. Beth and Milt make a strong combination."
Although Butler has scored wins with a number of Gaede runners, he's quick to point out that she's won for many other trainers.
"Beth has shown that she can ride for anyone, and in any style," Jewell said. "She's won going short, going long, coming off the pace, breaking on top, or inside or outside."
The diminutive Butler got her start in an unusual manner.
"My family raised Tennessee walking horses," Butler said. "We worked the show circuit for a number of years, then I got interested in showing my own Appaloosas, paints and quarter-horses."
It was meeting a former Fonner Park rider that got Butler started as a rider.
"I became good friends with Vicki Warhol," Butler said. "She encouraged me to start riding, but I probably worked as an exercise rider for five years before I started racing."
"I started riding quarter-horses, and had good success, winning two riding titles," Butler said. "Gradually I started riding thoroughbreds."
A veteran rider in Ohio and Kentucky, Butler moved her tack to the Nebraska circuit in 2005.
"I had ridden for Larry Gorneau, and he told me to come out to Grand Island," Butler said. "The Nebraska circuit has been great for me. Everyone treats me very well here."
It's Butler's winning attitude, hard work ethic and personality that Jewell thinks makes her an attractive rider to many trainers.
"Once you meet her, you've just got to like her," Jewell said. "She gets out here early every day and works out horses and helps in whatever way she can. She's been a great boss."
Hoofprints
With no racing on Easter Sunday, Fonner races Thursday through Saturday this week. First post-time Thursday is 3 p.m. for a 10-race card.
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