I always look forward to the annual Manitoba Derby preview luncheon at Assiniboia Downs, which is held shortly before the big race and sets the scene for what’s to come. The food is always superb, as is the company and conversation.
The event this past summer was especially filling on both a professional and personal level.
While speaking with some track folks, the conversation turned to a tragic accident that occurred nearly a decade earlier involving one of the few female jockeys to ever saddle up – an incident I witnessed while at the Downs that night with family and friends.
I left the luncheon this summer determined to find that jockey, which proved simple enough, thanks to social media.
After a short phone chat, Alyssa Selman invited me and photojournalist Mikaela MacKenzie to her rural Manitoba property for an all-encompassing update on her life, which has been filled with many twists and turns since the crash that left her paralyzed from the chest down.
Our timing couldn’t have been better. We ended up going back out a second time, witnessing the remarkable scene of Selman racing once again.
The feature that followed is one of my all-time favourite stories, focusing on Selman’s courage and determination against all odds — along with the small but mighty village (not to mention horses and dogs, two of my favourite things in the world) that surround her.
We received a flood of terrific feedback from readers, which is always appreciated, and I’m glad I let my curiosity get the better of me in this case, given where it ended up taking us.
-Mike McIntyre
