10 questions
Story & Photography By Susan O'Connor

The late Bobby “Cotton” Gallimore, was the third leading rider in the U.S. in 1968 and owner of Springwood Farm, a breeding and training facility.

“I learned the ins and outs of horses from the ground up — walking horses, grooming horses, cleaning stalls,” Gallimore said. “I began riding in diapers. I have never not ridden.”

His maternal grandparents were also in the horse business in Omaha, Neb., home of then-famous Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack. “I was bred into the business,” he said with a grin.

His parents sold the farm in the early 1970s, but Gallimore spent summers working at his grandparents’ farm.

After his first year at Henderson State University, the first opportunity to race presented itself. Gallimore’s horse ran fifth.

“The first race was overwhelming — there was so much I was not prepared for,” he said. “But I was hooked.”

Horse racing was also responsible for Gallimore’s introduction to his wife, Rita, an exercise rider who aspired to be a jockey.

But it was an encounter with noted jockey Pat Day in the 1980s at Oaklawn Park that led Gallimore away from racing and toward God and eventually, the ministry.

“What happened that day is I witnessed a real Christian for the first time,” Gallimore said of Pat Day. “I had never met anyone who walked and talked and breathed it. I thought in that moment, ‘I want what he has.’”

After some years of pondering his call to the ministry, Gallimore attended seminary at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. He is currently executive pastor at First United Methodist Church in Jonesboro and frequently presents his fascinating story, “From the Pasture to the Pastor,” to a variety of interested groups.

What do you miss most about horse racing?
The horses! Thoroughbreds are an interesting mix of superior athletic ability combined with an intensely focused mental state. When a thoroughbred “gets it,” he or she makes a day at the office (the oval) something to look forward to for everyone involved, especially the jockey.

What qualities make a great jockey?
A small stature helps! Also “great hands” are the consensus among trainers when choosing a rider. A jockey who can feel the horse and use the whip sparingly is usually preferred. Great riders have the acute patience to know when to move their horse and when to “sit chilly.” The best riders have an internal clock that lets them know exactly how fast the horse is running each 1/16 of a mile during the race or while training. And of course, riding the best horse can make almost any jockey look great!

What is the best racing advice that your father ever gave you?
Keep riding past the wire. Many races are won and lost right at the wire. Giving that extra effort when others may quit prematurely has allowed me to win a lot of races by a nose!

With the death of Eight Belles at this year’s Kentucky Derby, PETA and other animal rights groups have been in the headlines with criticism of the industry. Do you think horses are treated humanely in racing?
The level at which Eight Belles was racing is one in which thoroughbreds are not only treated humanely, but are given every “creature comfort” as it were. Many Derby contenders have a team of support staff offering around the clock care and attention. Eight Belles’ death was an unfortunate reality that accompanies every professional sport, both human and animal. Granted, at a very few smaller racetracks some thoroughbreds who should have been retired are still being raced by a minority of unscrupulous trainers. That type of abuse does exist. Does it reflect the industry at large? No.

What is the best book every written about horse racing?
In my opinion, Seabiscuit, by Laura Hillenbrand, is one of the truest reflections about thoroughbred racing ever written. She has captured the pride of ownership, the ups and downs of training, the demands and thrills of riding and the mind of the horse like no other.

What is Pat Day doing today?
He is the national spokespersonfor the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America. He is traveling the U.S. as an ambassador for Christ and an advocate for the chaplaincy. Many racetracks employ or endorse a chaplain to meet the spiritual needs of the “backside” workers and the trainers and jockeys. It was during those pre-race devotions with the chaplain and Pat Day that I started to listen to the still, small voice of God.

Are any of your children interested in following in the family tradition of horse racing?
I hope not! It is a tough life. The constant travel and lack of having much of a life outside the track led my wife, Rita, and I to leave the industry before having children. But my parents had hoped the same for me and I still benefited from the life lessons learned on the track. So, if God has that in store for any of our four children, we shall pray that they follow their heart.

What is “The Walk to Emmaus” and how did it change the lives of you and your wife?
During the late 1980s, Rita and I settled in Hot Springs and joined Piney Grove United Methodist Church, where many race trackers attended. Over time we were invited by members to attend this three-day retreat that had obviously impacted many folks in the church. The Walk to Emmaus is an ecumenical short course in Christianity. Through grace and prayer volunteers serve the “pilgrims” just as Christ would do so if He were here in the flesh. The result of our attending transformed our lives from simply church membership to becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ. While serving on a subsequent “Walk” I experienced the call to full-time ministry.

What lessons did you learn from racing that now assist you in your role as pastor?
Just as every horse has a different personality and must be treated as an individual, people do as well. Not every parishioner is a quick study on faith in God. Patience, like knowing when to move during a race, is needed to know when a person is ready to hear the truth about Jesus Christ.

What challenges you most as a pastor?
Perfect expectations. The spiritual life is more like a long three-mile horse race than a quarter-mile sprint. Pace and endurance are necessary to win the race. Spiritual transformation takes time and patience. I sometimes forget that the finish line is still a long way off.

Who is the most inspiring person you’ve ever met?
I must list more than one: Bill Shoemaker, one of the greatest riders of all time. Following a tragic automobile accident which left him completely paralyzed, he still trained horses from the wheelchair; Jamie Lorocca, a young, promising rider from Nebraska who lost his career too soon as the result of a riding mishap; Chris Cox, an Emmaus brother and Christian family counselor in Hot Springs who has a degenerative muscular condition that has confined him to a wheelchair since his teenage years; and Dusty Rhoads, a retired Little Rock police officer who suffered a severe stroke and continued to serve Jesus passionately through the Walk to Emmaus and went home to be with the Lord while in prayer at that very retreat.

What is your favorite restaurant in Arkansas?
The Hamilton House in Hot Springs.

What is your choice of food at Oaklawn Park?
When asked if Jesus would go to the races, I always respond, “Of course he would.” He hung out with sinners and he loved a party. What would Jesus eat at Oaklawn? What else, a corned beef sandwich!

What is your family’s favorite vacation destination?
We love the beach! Navarre, Florida, has been our choice for years.