Parker Hendriks, a Cochranville teenager, claimed his first jockey champion title at the 2022 Steeplechase of Charleston, writes Jason Cato for The Post and Courier. 

Hendriks was crowned jockey champion on Nov. 13 at the Stono Ferry Racetrack, the day before he turned 19. 

“I was definitely not expecting this,” said Hendriks. “It’s all been a surprise, really.” 

He won 24 hurdles throughout the nine-month circuit during his first year as a professional, which is seven more than the next jockey. 

“Parker has a very, very bright future ahead of him,” said Bill Gallo, director of racing for the National Steeplechase Association. “He is very talented. He has a gift.” 

Hendriks’ involvement with the sport is no accident. He is from a family that has long and deep ties to horses, hunts, and steeplechase.  

His mother, Sanna Neilson, is a six-time trainer champion, while his father, Ricky Hendriks, is a two-time steeplechase jockey champion and a trainer. His maternal grandfather was also a champion steeplechase jockey and trainer, while his paternal grandmother has long been involved in the sport. 

“It was a right of birth in his case,” said Gallo. 

Read more about Parker Hendriks in The Post and Courier.