60 SIDELINES AUGUST 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Robyn Noble
I have been involved with horses my whole life, since I was old
enough to climb on my first Shetland Pony. My parents were both
horsemen on the track – my mother, Betsy, trained racehorses
and my father, Jerry, was a leading jockey.
So for me, there was no choice but to grow up in the barn, but
I never minded it and in fact embraced it. Mornings for me would
be waking up at 4 a.m. and hiding under a horse blanket to sneak
onto the backside of the racetrack as children were not allowed on
the grounds at that time.
When I turned 16, I was old enough to start galloping horses
and with my small frame and my father’s race riding experience,
I thought about becoming a jockey. As I got older, however, I
realized that so many riders were injured, careers were very short
and it was a difficult life for a young woman, so I applied myself
in other areas.
Luckily, I had always ridden and trained my own Thoroughbreds
on the side and would sell them as hunters, jumpers and event
prospects. This kept me busy and fulfilled as the horses were,
and still are, a true passion of mine. While training Thoroughbreds
and managing our small 12-stall layup farm in Hollywood, Florida,
my mother was also operating a jockey apparel manufacturing
business where I grew up watching and learning what goes on
behind the scenes.
My mother started out in the early ‘60s making jockey pants,
literally by making extra pants for my father. The other jockey’s in
the jocks room saw his and wanted to try some…so she set up
a small shop in the garage and the business took off from there!
Within no time she was hiring sewers and moving on to making
racing silks.
Robyn Noble –
Start to Finish
e
Robyn, wearing a shirt she designed, and her off-the-track-
Thoroughbred, Cape Haze, sired by Two Punch. Haze appears
in a great deal of Robyn’s work and prints that she uses in her
clothing.
Photo by Jessica Hartmanis
Noble’s Jockey Apparel took off with a life of its own, and in the
next decade the company expanded and went into all aspects
of racing gear, basically everything a jockey or horse may wear
in a race. Today we manufacture saddle towels for all of NYRA
stake races including the Travers and the Belmont. We also do
the Stakes saddle towels for The Arlington Million Festival Day.
The business, started by Mom
in our garage, now takes up
over 6,000 square feet with
over 40 embroidery machines.
After getting my degree
in Fine Art, I worked in the
advertising design field for
several years but soon came
back to help out with the
growing family business. I had
an interest in the embroidery/
technical side of the business
Robyn produces clothing lines
for many well-known names
such as WEF, Grand Prix,
Guy Harvey, Caspian Casuals
and many others. A new
line, the Noble Equestrian
Collection, will launch in the
fall.
Photo courtesy of Robyn Noble
Continued on page 62
