Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
On the Farm with Racer 1 and Jockey Madison Kirby
9/5/2022 9:28:00 AM | Football
Madison Kirby carries on the great Murray State tradition as the student jockey of Racer 1 in the 2022-23 school year
The 2022 Murray State Football season marks the 46th consecutive for fans seeing Racer 1 and the student jockey take a trip
around the track at Roy Stewart Stadium after the home team scores a touchdown.
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Madison Kirby, an Agriculture Education major, from Louisville, Kentucky is the 39th student to serve as jockey for this amazing Murray State tradition.
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For the seventh-consecutive year, GoRacers.com made an August visit to the Murray State Equine Center to see Racer 1 at his home where he was born in 2012. "Vegas" is a quarter horse and has been an excellent Racer 1 as the only Racer 1 born at Murray State.
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Dr. Shea Porr is MSU's Animal & Equine Science department head and leads the Racer 1 program.
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The Racer 1 tradition was started when a horse named "Violet Cactus" first ran the track after a MSU touchdown in 1976. A beautiful gray mare, she was buried just inside the northwest wall at Stewart Stadium after her death. A plaque on the stadium wall tells the story of the first Racer 1. Since 1985, each horse performing at Racer Football has held the name of Racer 1. Carol Robertson was the first Racer 1 jockey.
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Fans get their first chance to see Racer 1 Saturday when MSU hosts Jacksonville State in a 6 p.m. kick off at Roy Stewart Stadium. The second of five home games is on MSU Family Weekend (Sept. 24) when Eastern Illinois visits at 4 p.m. UT Martin comes to Murray (Oct 8) for a 2 p.m. game on Breast Cancer Awareness Day and Tennessee State is here for homecoming (Oct. 29) at 2 p.m. The home final finds Robert Morris visiting (Nov. 12) on Hall of Fame Day/Military Appreciation Day in a 1 p.m. kick.
Past Racer 1 features on GoRacers.com
2016 – Jockey Kelsey Hathaway
https://goracers.com/news/2016/9/8/football-racer-1-tradition-lives-on-at-murray-state2.aspx
2017 – Jockey Ana Thomas
https://goracers.com/news/2017/8/28/football-racer-1-on-the-farm-with-jockey-anna-thomas.aspx
2018 – Jockey Jamie Wolfzorn
https://goracers.com/news/2018/8/27/football-on-the-farm-with-racer-one-jockey-jamie-wolfzorn.aspx
2019 – Jockey Bailey Coffman
https://goracers.com/news/2019/8/28/football-racer-1-jockey-bailey-coffman-ready-to-run-thursday-at-stewart-stadium.aspx
2020 – Jockey Emily Helmick
https://goracers.com/news/2020/8/20/football-on-the-farm-with-racer-1-jockey-emily-helmick.aspx
2021 - Jockey Emily Helmick
https://goracers.com/news/2021/8/31/on-the-farm-with-racer-1-jockey-emily-helmick.aspx
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around the track at Roy Stewart Stadium after the home team scores a touchdown.Â
Madison Kirby, an Agriculture Education major, from Louisville, Kentucky is the 39th student to serve as jockey for this amazing Murray State tradition.
Â
For the seventh-consecutive year, GoRacers.com made an August visit to the Murray State Equine Center to see Racer 1 at his home where he was born in 2012. "Vegas" is a quarter horse and has been an excellent Racer 1 as the only Racer 1 born at Murray State.
Â
Dr. Shea Porr is MSU's Animal & Equine Science department head and leads the Racer 1 program.
Â
The Racer 1 tradition was started when a horse named "Violet Cactus" first ran the track after a MSU touchdown in 1976. A beautiful gray mare, she was buried just inside the northwest wall at Stewart Stadium after her death. A plaque on the stadium wall tells the story of the first Racer 1. Since 1985, each horse performing at Racer Football has held the name of Racer 1. Carol Robertson was the first Racer 1 jockey.
Â
Fans get their first chance to see Racer 1 Saturday when MSU hosts Jacksonville State in a 6 p.m. kick off at Roy Stewart Stadium. The second of five home games is on MSU Family Weekend (Sept. 24) when Eastern Illinois visits at 4 p.m. UT Martin comes to Murray (Oct 8) for a 2 p.m. game on Breast Cancer Awareness Day and Tennessee State is here for homecoming (Oct. 29) at 2 p.m. The home final finds Robert Morris visiting (Nov. 12) on Hall of Fame Day/Military Appreciation Day in a 1 p.m. kick.
Past Racer 1 features on GoRacers.com
2016 – Jockey Kelsey Hathaway
https://goracers.com/news/
2017 – Jockey Ana Thomas
https://goracers.com/news/
2018 – Jockey Jamie Wolfzorn
https://goracers.com/news/
2019 – Jockey Bailey Coffman
https://goracers.com/news/
2020 – Jockey Emily Helmick
https://goracers.com/news/
2021 - Jockey Emily Helmick
https://goracers.com/news/
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