Tomio Yokoyama
Japanese jockey and training assistant (1940–2009)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tomio Yokoyama (横山 富雄, Yokoyama Tomio) (February 25, 1940 – September 18, 2009) was a Japanese jockey and training assistant. He competed in the Japan Racing Association (JRA) from 1961 to 1983.[1]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Born | 25 February 1940 Toyoura, Hokkaido, Japan |
| Died | 18 September 2009 (aged 69) |
| Occupation | Jockey / Training assistant |
| Horse racing career | |
| Sport | Horse racing |
| Career wins | 559 (JRA) |
| Significant horses | |
| Mejiro Musashi, Nitto Chidori, Five Hope, Mejiro Taiyo, Fujino O, Lindo Taiyo | |
He recorded 559 JRA victories as a jockey, including the Tenno Sho (Autumn 1969, Spring 1971), the Takarazuka Kinen (1971), the Oka Sho (1973), and the Yushun Himba (1978).[2]
He was the father of jockeys Kazuichi Yokoyama and Norihiro Yokoyama, and the grandfather of jockeys Kazuo Yokoyama, Takeshi Yokoyama, and Kazuki Kikuzawa.[3]
Early life
Tomio Yokoyama was born in Toyoura, Hokkaido, on February 25, 1940.[2] His family operated a farm near Iihara Farm, which bred horses including Takao and Dainana Hoshu.[2] In 1955, at the age of 15, he moved to Tokyo and entered the stable of trainer Kizo Konishi at Tokyo Racecourse.[2] He attended the short-term training course at the Equine Research Institute and obtained his jockey license in March 1961.[2]
Riding career
Yokoyama made his debut on March 5, 1961, at Tokyo Racecourse, finishing ninth.[2] He recorded his first victory on March 11 aboard Ushiwaka.[2] In his first year, he recorded 10 wins across flat and jump races.[2]
In 1963, he won the Nakayama Daishogai (Autumn) aboard Fujino O, his first stakes victory.[2] He won the same race in the spring and autumn of 1964, and the spring of 1965, recording four total victories in the event aboard Fujino O.[2] In 1968, he won the Nakayama Daishogai (Spring) aboard Fujino Homare, his fifth victory in the race.[2] That year, he left the Konishi stable to become a freelance jockey, one of the first independent riders in the JRA alongside Masato Watanabe and Sadao Ono.[2]
In 1969, Yokoyama won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) aboard Mejiro Taiyo.[2] In 1971, he won the Tenno Sho (Spring) and the Takarazuka Kinen aboard Mejiro Musashi.[2] In 1973, he rode Nitto Chidori to victories in the Oka Sho and the Victoria Cup.[2] In 1978, he won the Yushun Himba aboard Five Hope.[2] In 1979, he won the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes aboard Lindo Taiyo.[2]
In February 1975, Yokoyama was invited to compete in the International Invitation Cup at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong. He won the 1800-meter Jockeys Invitation Cup aboard Palinurus.[4] In November 1975, he traveled to the United States to ride Tsukisamu Homare in the Washington, D.C. International Stakes, finishing ninth.[5]
Yokoyama recorded his final victory on February 6, 1982, aboard Shadai Berry, and made his final race ride on February 21, 1982, finishing third aboard Okino Basho.[2] He officially retired from riding in 1983.[2]
Post-riding career
Following his retirement as a jockey, Yokoyama worked as a training assistant in the stable of Minoru Sawa from 1985 until his retirement from the role in 2005.[3] During his riding career, he required surgery and a blood transfusion following a fall. The transfusion resulted in a hepatitis infection.[1] Yokoyama died from complications related to the illness on September 18, 2009, at the age of 69.[1]
Personal life
Yokoyama's wife was the sister of former JRA trainer Shinji Okudaira.[3] His eldest son, Kazuichi Yokoyama, is a former jockey and current instructor at the JRA Horse Racing School.[3] His second son, Norihiro Yokoyama, is a jockey.[3] His grandsons, Kazuo Yokoyama, Takeshi Yokoyama, and Kazuki Kikuzawa, are jockeys. His son-in-law, Ryutoku Kikuzawa, is a former jockey and trainer.[3]
Major wins
As a jockey
- Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes - (1) - Lindo Taiyo (1979)
- Nakayama Daishogai - (5) - Fujino O (1963 Autumn, 1964 Spring, 1964 Autumn, 1965 Spring), Fujino Homare (1968 Spring)
- Oka Sho - (1) - Nitto Chidori (1973)
- Takarazuka Kinen - (1) - Mejiro Musashi (1971)
- Tenno Sho - (2) - Mejiro Taiyo (1969 Autumn), Mejiro Musashi (1971 Spring)
- Victoria Cup - (1) - Nitto Chidori (1973)
- Yushun Himba - (1) - Five Hope (1978)