Emma Jayne-Wilson has been breaking records from the start as a jockey at Woodbine, becoming the racetrack’s leading rider as an apprentice in 2005 and then the first woman to win the King’s Plate (then Queen’s Plate) in 2007. Now, she has another record under her belt — in July, she surpassed Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone as the highest-earning female jockey of all time. With more than 1,900 wins, there’s one that stands out: winning over her wife, equine chiropractor Laura Trotter. Ahead of the 2024 King’s Plate on Aug. 17, Emma Jayne-Wilson shares how the dynamic duo met and their secret to success.
How they met
Working at Woodbine Racetrack, we knew of each other — we were formally introduced after joining a group of mutual friends at a Blue Jays game.
The first date
After that Blue Jays game, the group of us all went out for drinks, but then suddenly everyone had to leave, and the two of us were left! Clearly it was a bit of a set up… We stayed until last call — it had turned into our first date!
The relationship
Working in the racing industry equates to having a very unique schedule. Balancing that with spending time together was a challenge, but we made it work. Going out on Monday nights meant we enjoyed leisurely dinners at empty restaurants!
One moment in particular stands out. I was injured in a horse race and, having not met my family, Laura had to introduce herself to my parents in a hospital room. She later confessed she’d considered simply posing as medical personnel to avoid the interaction entirely!
The proposal
We love hiking with our dogs. It has always been one of our favorite things to do when not racing. I had picked a beautiful spot on our favourite trail, and on a gorgeous, sunny winter day, I carried the ring with me.
The wedding
We were married on a chilly but gorgeous fall day in October — we had a small ceremony with family near Laura’s hometown of Uxbridge.
The kids
We are so blessed to have identical twin girls! They are seven years old, and they’re in love with all things related to animals and sports, so they enjoy coming to the races on the weekends!
The secret to success
We talk a lot, about pretty much everything. So that solid communication is certainly something we consider a crucial part of sharing your life with someone. And we laugh! We try not to take ourselves too seriously, and we laugh at things constantly, even during difficult times.
Balancing careers and a relationship
We accomplish this with care and understanding. We are fortunate to have unique and quite separate professions that are part of the same industry. We understand what the other is dealing with at work, and with that comes a natural care and respect for what our relationship might need to “accommodate.”
The future together
We see ourselves in the future as proud parents of two happy, successful young women, surrounded by horses and whippets, with a lot more extra time to enjoy the cottage and hike together as a family!