Canadian Hall of Fame Jockey Driedger Dies at 66

After a prolonged battle with cancer, Canadian Hall of Fame jockey Irwin Driedger died May 20 at 66.

The native of Russel, Manitoba, began riding in 1967 as an exercise rider and went on to ride in Western Canada before heading to bush tracks and eventually recognized tracks including Assiniboia Downs where he rode from 1973-1982. While at the Winnipeg oval, Driedger set a record of 161 wins in 1979 and then surpassed his own record the next year with 180 victories.

For close to two decades afterwards, the talented rider rode across major tracks in Canada and racked up 1,633 wins with earnings of $14.6 million. Other career accomplishments include winning the 1998 Avelino Gomez Memorial Award along with piloting several Sovereign Award winners including Liz’s Pride, Phoenix Factor, Classy ‘n Smart, In My Cap, Grey Classic, and Imperial Choice. He also earned his own Sovereign Award for outstanding jockey in 1981.

Driedger retired from the saddle in 1990 to work as the secretary-manager of the Jockeys Benefit Association of Canada (JBAC) where he was instrumental in implementing new policies which made Canadian jockeys the first in North America to wear safety vests. He also helped to install safety rails at Woodbine before leaving in 2006.

From 2006-2018, Driedger was director of Thoroughbred racing surfaces at Woodbine. He headed back to the JBAC in 2019 to resume his role as the secretary-manager before his retirement in 2021. He will be inducted posthumously into the Canadian Hall of Fame in August.