JOCK The Movie
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Jason Jock Neff May 9, 2010 at 10:30pm
Subject: Lady Legends Jockey Breakfast
‘LADY LEGENDS’ JOCKEYS HEADLINE PREAKNESS MORNING BREAKFAST AT MOUNT WASHINGTON TAVERN
Baltimore, Md., May 9, 2010 -- A breakfast featuring six of the women jockeys participating in the Lady Legends race at Pimlico will be held Saturday, May 15, at 9 a.m. at the Mount Washington Tavern, 5700 Newbury Street in Mount Washington.
The women riders will attend the breakfast and speak about their careers and the preparations they made for the race, scheduled for the fourth race at Pimlico Race Course on Friday, May 14, Black-Eyed Susan Day.
Riding in the race are:
• Barbara Jo Rubin, the first woman to win against a man at a recognized racetrack 41 years ago
• Jennifer Rowland, top pioneer female rider on the Maryland Circuit in the 70’s
• Cheryl White, the first African-American female jockey
• PJ Cooksey, third all-time leading female jockey with more than 2,000 wins
• Mary Wiley Wagner, top five apprentice jockey in the nation in 1987
• Andrea Seefeldt, Kentucky Derby and Preakness jockey
• Gwen Jocson, record holder for the most wins in a single year by a woman
• Mary Russ Tortora, first woman to win a Grade 1 stakes race
The Lady Legends race is part of a feature-length documentary called “JOCK” that will present the never-before-told story of the courageous female jockeys who overcame sexual harassment, ridicule and life-threatening injuries to wage a gallant fight for the right to ride more than 40 years ago. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first women jockey to ride in a Triple Crown race. More information about the documentary can be found at http://www.facebook.com/l/9160c;www.jockthemovie.com.
The cost of the breakfast is $50 per person, and proceeds benefit the nonprofit International Documentary Association that is producing the film. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. To make a reservation, call 410-960-0230.
Jason Neff
jason@jockthemovie.com
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Jason Jock Neff May 8, 2010 at 10:31pm
Subject: JOCK/Lady Legends Race for the Cure Update
Many of you have asked how we're doing on the fundraising front. Well, we've raised $26,000 of our $35,000 goal. So, we're almost there, but about $9,000 shy. AJ and I have arrived in Baltimore and started shooting a couple of days ago. Other crew members will arrive tomorrow while local crew members are being booked and the gear is being ordered. Media interviews and race logistics are all being finalized. Thank you all for your donations!!!! We're six days out and don't have much time left. I hope you'll continue to help us reach our goal.
TO DONATE GO TO: http://www.facebook.com/l/ee90c;www.documentary.org/community/IDA-resources/fiscal_sponsorship_donate?film_id=3017
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Jason Jock Neff – April 28, 2010 at 7:28pm
Subject: Half Way There – The Lady Legends Race
WooHoo. We've raised $17,500 of our $35,000 goal. This is all due to your contributions, which is awesome. Thank you all for your donations!!!! We're half way there and turning for home, but we can't stop yet. We don't have much time left. We're a little over two weeks away and still need to raise the other half. I hope you'll continue to help us reach our goal.
If every member donated just $5 to $10 we could easily make this happen. I hope you'll consider contributing to this worthy cause and help us tell this incredible story.
TO DONATE GO TO: http://www.facebook.com/l/a63d8;www.documentary.org/community/IDA-resources/fiscal_sponsorship_donate?film_id=3017
Donations over $250 will receive a tax exempt letter from our non-profit fiscal sponsor, The International Documentary Association.
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Jason Jock Neff – April 23 at 8:48am
The Lady Legends Race
If you or anybody in your family has benefited from the women’s rights movement, Title 9, or breast cancer research, I hope you’ll help me out.
For the past 2 years, out of my own pocket, I have been producing a documentary titled, JOCK, about an extraordinary group of women who fought sexual harassment, ridicule and life threatening injuries to pursue a dream. In the late 1960’s a determined group of young horsewomen wanted to be professional jockeys. Society felt they belonged in the kitchen. They took their case to court; as a result of their perseverance and determination, they won the right to ride professionally. What happened to them between then and now is the stuff that makes for incredible storytelling!
On Friday, May 14th several of our history making retired pioneers will saddle up one last time to participate in the FIRST EVER retired female jockey race. The LADY LEGENDS RACE FOR THE CURE is part of Pimlico Race Track’s Black Eyed Susan festivities. The race will help raise $100-thousand dollars for “Susan G. Komen for the Cure,” the world’s largest breast cancer organization. Their message and the story of the pioneer female jockeys will be memorialized in our film. But in order for us to tell this exciting final chapter, we urgently have to raise $35,000. In the last ten days or so, we've raised approximately $11,000 of that. Which is awesome. Thank you all for your donations!!!! Every day we get a little bit closer to our goal.
Our biggest expense is equipment rental. This money will go toward the renting of professional high definition cameras with special telephoto lenses so that we can capture the action, close up and in beautiful detail. We also need professional operators, sound mixers, and the proper production staff to coordinate it all. A scaled down version of our production team will be at Pimlico the entire week before the race to shoot the necessary story beats and activities leading up to the race. Then we’ll ramp up to full staffing the day of the race. This is a one time, live event. No retakes, no reshoots. That’s the frustrating but also exciting part about it all. We get one shot at it and we have to make the most of it.
With your donation you can help us reach our goal. If every member donated just $5 to $10 we could easily make this happen. I think most of you have seen my dedication, passion and desire to make this film a reality. I hope you’ll contribute to this worthy story.
TO DONATE GO TO: http://www.documentary.org/community/IDA-resources/fiscal_sponsorship_donate?film_id=3017 Donations over $250 will receive a tax exempt letter from our non-profit fiscal sponsor, The International Documentary Association.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Jason Neff
Director/Producer of JOCK
Jason@jockthemovie.com
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Contact: Linda Ellman
April 11, 2010
info@jockthemovie.com
(323) 860-8500
GENDER, AGE AND PASSION COLLIDE ON-CAMERA WHEN EIGHT FEMALE JOCKEYS ATTEMPT TO GO FROM RETIREMENT TO THE WINNERS CIRCLE IN A HISTORY MAKING PARI-MUTUAL HORSE RACE SET TO BE RUN PREAKNESS WEEKEND AT PIMLICO RACE TRACK IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
“Everybody said a race like this could never happen.”
–Jason Neff, Filmmaker
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – On the 40th anniversary of the first female jockey ever to ride in a triple crown race, the feature length documentary, JOCK is following 8 RETIRED FEMALE jockeys as they participate in a first of it’s kind RETIRED FEMALE JOCKEY LEGENDS RACE.
JOCK, from Director/Producer Jason Neff and Emmy Award-winning Producer, Linda Ellman presents the never-before-told story of the courageous female jockeys who overcame sexual harassment, ridicule and life threatening injuries to wage a gallant fight for the right to ride more than 40 years ago. They used passion as a weapon in the sexual revolution and paid a price with their lives.
As part of JOCK, Neff and Ellman are documenting the 8 retired jockeys as they prepare for the LADY LEGENDS RACE FOR THE CURE. The race is being organized by the Maryland Jockey Club and benefits “Susan G. Komen For the Cure,” the world’s largest breast cancer organization. It will take place on Black-Eyed Susan Day, Friday May 14, 2010 at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Lady Legends Race for the Cure will provide the closing act of JOCK, bringing the stunning journey of the pioneer female jockeys to a conclusion that’s as dramatic as the day it began. Riders include:
- Barbara Jo Rubin, age 60, first woman to win against a man at a recognized racetrack, 41 years ago.
- Jennifer Rowland, 57, top pioneer female rider on the Maryland Circuit in the 70’s.
- Cheryl White, 56, the first African-American female jockey.
- PJ Cooksey, 52, the third all-time leading female jockey with over 2000 wins and breast cancer survivor.
- Mary Wiley Wagner, top 5 apprentice jockey in the nation in 1987 and breast cancer survivor.
- Andrea Seefeldt, Kentucky Derby and Preakness jockey.
- Gwen Jocson, record holder for the most wins in a single year by a woman.
- Mary Russ Tortora, 56, first woman to win a Grade 1 stakes race.
The oldest in the race, Barbara Jo Rubin said, “I can't believe I'm doing this at 60 and a grandmother (chuckle)!”
Barbara Jo began working out in January with weights. She's been galloping and will begin breezing this week at Fairmount Park in St. Louis, MO. She says she actually feels pretty good. “Each day I gallop I remember more, but it's amazing how my body just doesn't react the way it used to. ”
Mary Wiley Wagner is a breast cancer survivor. She underwent her last chemo treatment in November and is well on her way to being fit to race. She hopes that if «one woman newly diagnosed with Cancer can look at what I am about to accomplish and feel positive about light at the end of treatment, it is worth every single minute I've devoted to this.»
Mary has been galloping and breezing at Laurel Park in Laurel, MD.
According to Director/Producer Jason Neff, “I’ve watched these women train. They are working hard at getting fit and their competitive spirit is stronger than ever.”
Producer Linda Ellman who Directed and Produced “On Native Soil: The Documentary of the the 911 Commission Report,” which made the short list for an Oscar nomination, says JOCK is both an action film and an empowerment story: “This race and the film explore what happens when perseverance and passion collide.”
About the Director: Director Neff is no stranger to the horse racing world. He grew up on a horse farm and at the racetrack. His uncle (Don MacBeth) and father (Myles Neff) were both jockeys and both of his grandfathers were horse trainers. Says Neff, “It’s always been my desire to recognize these women for what they accomplished and what they had to go through to get there. It’s a classic underdog story that’s historically significant beyond the racetrack.”
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Female Jockey – Diane CrumpNovember 18, 2009
Dear Fans of JOCK,
I am writing to ask your help on two fronts.
The filming of my documentary JOCK, about the pioneer female jockeys, is going great. But something really tragic happened that I'd like to share with you.
Two days before we were to interview Diane Crump, (the first woman to ride against men and the first to ride in the Kentucky Derby,) she was trampled by a horse and suffered a life threatening brain injury. Diane is recovering slowly but as a result of the accident she is suffering extraordinary pain, permanent brain damage and is facing enormous debt. She needs help to carry on. When I reached out, she wrote me back; "I don't want charity help, I would like to be back to my old self. I would love to participate in this documentary in a positive way that could give people hope which is what I've always wanted. Please let me know about any future interviews or appearances that need to be made for promotion. I'll do my best to be as helpful as possible. Maybe this was the mission I was meant to complete."
Her generous message to me, written when she is at greatest need, made it clearer than ever to me that we need to finish this film and memorialize stories like Diane's before it is too late.
To do so, we need money. I'm writing to ask you to make a generous donation to the non-profit fund we have set up to make "JOCK". In return I will donate 20% of the amount raised between now and December 31st to the Diane Crump Fund to help with her recovery.
Your contribution will help two worthy causes at once. You can make your online tax deductible donation securely through our non-profit sponsor, the International Documentary Association (IDA) Or send a check payable to the International Documentary Association (IDA) to "JOCK" at Ellman Entertainment, 1040 N. Las Palmas Ave., Bldg. 26 Upper, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Any amount is acceptable and appreciated, however, all donations over $250 will receive a letter from the IDA recognizing your contribution for tax purposes. If you or someone you know has any interest in fully backing and/or sponsoring the making of this very important and exciting documentary please contact me.
Sincerely,
Jason Neff
Director/Producer of JOCK
info@jockthemovie.com
www.jockthemovie.com
PS. For your contribution your name will be listed on our website www.jockthemovie.com as a supporter of the film. Please send this letter to five of your friends so they too can support the making of this film as well as the recovery of our first lady in racing, Diane Crump. Thank You!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/JOCK-movie-Club/60470819848?ref=ts