Roy Sturgeon has been around and involved in horse racing for forty plus years. He was a jockey, outrider, and ran a training center. He raced at Stampede Park, Northlands Park, Alberta Downs, Troute Springs, Lethbridge and several unrecognized fair tracks as a kid.
source: Calgary Herald – April 22, 1988
Sturgeon made his jockey debut on August 27th,1982 at Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta where he won his first two career mounts. Sturgeon was the lightest guy to ever ride in Western Canada at the time, weighing in at only 94 pounds. Sturgeon also got to race against a buffalo: the famous Harvey Wallbanger (yes, it’s true, the buffalo thought he was a horse). Sturgeon’s horse couldn’t outrun the buffalo and lost the race. Sturgeon was a jockey for 12 years before injuries ended his career.
Sturgeon started riding horses at age six when he raced one of his dad’s chuck wagon ponies. His family bought and sold horses for a living which eventually led him to the racetrack. The racetrack more specifically is Alberta Downs and is where Roy met his wife Christina who also grew up around horses. They started an amateur race club for kids at Alberta Downs and later Christina managed the racetrack for about five-years.
Sturgeon’s parents owned Flying Cross Ranch which is halfway between Calgary and Edmonton. Roy and Christina ended up taking that over shortly after they met.
Roy and Christina decided to do a lesson for some kids for a fun weekend. The kids loved it so much Sturgeon asked the parents if it was ok, he turned into a regular lesson. Everybody loved the idea and so it went from a fun weekend to something Sturgeon thought might last a few months to a full-time thing with a life of its own. Now, not only does Sturgeon teach riding lessons, but also a Junior Jockeys Program as well.
Flying Cross Ranch Racetrack
credit: Aleshiaraephotography
The kids actually get to race. They have the full experience of silks, post parade, starting gate, a winner’s circle photo, etc. Both the horses and Junior Jockeys get gate training as well.
‘Most people when you tell them that they race, they just think they are going to see some kids dressed up in silks and canter around. They are very surprised when they see them race.” Sturgeon said.
The horses are lesson horses with most of them being rescues. There are Thoroughbred horses on the farm. but they are not used for racing as they would be just too fast for the kids. There is no whip and there are plenty of other rules in place to keep everybody safe.
“They usually ride one weeknight for lessons. When Covid started, we started doing Tailgate Derby nights. They have school on Fridays anyway, so we just put colors on them and start racing.” Sturgeon explained.
Jockey Roy Sturgeon
source: Calgary Herald – August 28, 1982
There is plenty of fun and life lessons for kids at Flying Cross Ranch. The kids also learn how to groom, clean stalls and equipment, and feed the horses. “We are trying to be a positive in horse racing,” Sturgeon said.
“We have a lot of fun with these kids. A couple years ago we were invited to the Jockeys and Jeans Gala. Long story short, one of the kids’ moms was diagnosed with cancer and died a couple weeks before we were supposed to go. Then Covid happened. The kids ended up raising over 25k on their own so in October they went to Santa Anita and spent the day with Mike Smith. They named a race after the kids. Then they went to Los Alamitos and spent the night with CC Perkinson,” Sturgeon proudly mentioned.
“They both always check in with me, makes sure the kids are doing good and that we have everything we need. They both took so much time with these kids, they are great ambassadors for the sport. Another person that was fantastic to us was Iggy Puglisi. All three went beyond the call for us,” explained Sturgeon.
Mike Smith had this to say, “Roy is great! Roy and his family have a wonderful thing going there. Young boys and girls are having a great time and learning so much, not only about riding and horses, but life as well.”
You can follow and learn more about this by searching Flying Cross Ranch and Talk Derby to Me. It is definitely something to check out. As a kid I always visualized I would somehow get that jockey experience for one race someday. Now there is something to bring a kid’s vision or dream to reality.
