'I thrive on adrenaline' - no stopping Jo Supple as she reaches landmark 100 winners as a jockey

Fuelled by adrenaline, 42-year-old jockey Jo Supple achieved a major career landmark on Sunday when she rode the Les Jefford-trained Conor's Gift to victory in the restricted race at Cherrybrook in Devon to bring up her 100th winner. 

Supple is a big name on the West Country circuit, winning the Devon and Cornwall area women’s title on six occasions. In the 2009-10 season she finished third in the women’s championship, and two seasons later she led the title race for much of the season until a broken ankle at Cheltenham’s hunter chase evening cost her any chance of winning.

Home is Wellington in Somerset, where Supple is married to former jump jockey Gerry, who has established himself as an integral part of David Pipe’s team at Pond House, where he rides out and is in charge of maintenance and looking after the schooling grounds.

Of Jo Supple’s 100 winners, 88 have come in point-to-points, nine in hunter chases, one over hurdles and two on the Flat, although tallying them all up isn’t necessarily an easy task, as she explains: “I’ve been riding for so long that there is no record of my first three winners on the national point-to-point website!”

Supple had ponies from the age of five and did a little bit of pony club.

“My grandparents hunted and when I was a teenager I kept my pony with Tim and Julie Long,” she says. “It was there I got my first taste of being allowed to ride the odd hunter or pointer. I used to watch the racing and get butterflies, so I set my heart on becoming a jockey.”

On leaving school, a job with Philip Hobbs was secured and a first season pointing under the guidance of Polly Curling and Sam Rees. A first ride came at Holnicote in 2000 on Hylters Chance.

Supple says: “I fell three out, but I was absolutely buzzing and couldn’t wait to go again. I went over to Ireland and had a few rides pointing over there, one on a fabulous little horse called Tomogatchy for Gordon Treacy’s father Martin. But mostly I rode in bumpers there. I was going to stay for only a few months, but Paddy Mullins offered to get my licence and give me some bumper rides, so I stayed.” 

That experience proved invaluable and Supple teamed up with Les and Lisa Jefford, a formidable team in the south. Over the years the Jeffords have been responsible for 36 of Supple’s 100 winners and are among her biggest supporters, Les telling me: “Jo is a wonderful person and the owners lover her. She always gives everything 100 per cent and has been an invaluable part of the team for years. She is just a really nice person and has become a good friend of ours. She thoroughly deserved to get to 100 and for us to provide it for her made it very special.”

Associations with Master Baker, Dicky Bob, Theatre Diva, Wee Fly, Byerley Bear and Doof gave Supple multiple winners and, when asked to reflect on the standout horses, she says: “Theatre Diva was special. She provided me with a winner around Cheltenham – that was brilliant. Master Baker was so classy and the day he won a hunter chase at Newbury was special. And Dicky Bob; he was awesome.”

Supple is also quick to credit connections, adding: “Jackie du Plessis, who owned and trained Theatre Diva, was brilliant and supported me a lot. The Jeffords have been hugely influential, historically and now. Jimmer Cole has been instrumental over the years and, looking back, my first winner was Urban Hunter for Anna Bucknall. Anna and I never stayed in touch, but I have always appreciated that one and it would be nice to thank her again.” 

Supple now rides out for dual-licensed trainer Rod Millman in the mornings, before working in the afternoons as a sports massage therapist.

“I initially did a degree at Plymouth University from 2013 to 2016 to do podiatry because I was interested in working in lower limbs, the skeletal and muscular make-up and biomechanics. One thing led to another and I did a part-time evening course during 2019 for massage, and I am now focused on the sports massage side of things. Osteopathy and physio really interest me to, but it’s all an expense to train for it.”

Jo Supple on her bike during a triathlon

Staying fit and healthy is a passion, and Supple’s participation in a charity triathlon in 2012 has also led to success in that sphere.

She says: “I have to do something to stay fit when I am injured after a fall, so when I last broke my ankle I resorted mainly to swimming and cycling to rehab myself and keep the fitness up. After recovering, I did my first triathlon and won the ladies’ category and that was it, I was hooked.”

Amid all that, though, Supple remains remarkably enthusiastic about race-riding, which has become her ‘professional’ hobby over the last 25 years.

“I did begin to question myself last season as I was getting fewer rides,” she says. ”I think that is mainly because I am picky nowadays and also people don’t want me to get hurt, which I understand. I was slightly losing the love I suppose, and then I was asked to ride a really nice horse called His Own Star for Stuart Sampson and boom, I totally got my spark back. I thrive on adrenaline and, while I love my triathlons, there is nothing like the thrill of race-riding.” 

Supple is very pro-active about the future and making plans to ensure her financial security, and says: “I have recently become a part-time partner in a company called Utility Warehouse. We basically put your gas, electric, broadband and mobile bills together in a bundle to save you money.”

But in the meantime, even after officially getting to 100 winners, there is one box left to tick in the world of point-to-pointing.

“Two of my wins were walkovers, so it would be wonderful to ride two more proper winners so I have achieved the 100 by actually racing!”

Weekend fixtures

Saturday

Bedale at Hornby Castle, Yorkshire,  DL8 1NQ. First race 1.30pm
Cattistock at Chilfrome, Dorchester. First race 2pm
Croome & West Warwickshire at Shelfield Park,  B49 6JW. First race 1pm

Sunday

Bicester with Whaddon Chase at Edgcote, OX17 1AG. First race 2pm
Overton Races at Overton, South Lanarkshire, ML8 5QF. First race 2pm
Silverton at Dunsmore,  EX5 4DU. First race 2pm

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