PINE VALLEY, Calif. — When a professional horse jockey suffered a life-threatening injury, he had to find a different finish line.
In this Zevely Zone, I went to Pine Valley to meet a man who told me fatherhood always comes first. When you fall off a horse, they say you're supposed get right back on, but that wasn't an option for Curtis LeVine.
"I rode at Oak Tree, Santa Anita, the Bay area for a couple of years," said Curtis.
The 70-year-old Pine Valley resident was a professional horse jockey for 18 years. He stands five foot three but says the sport all comes down to weight. Back when Curtis weighed just over 100 pounds, the 'Winner's Circle' was his second home. He won 1,004 races. But everything changed on October 4th, 1990.
"Well, the horse, just fell right out of the starting gate I landed right on top of my head," said Curtis.
The race had just started, but after suffering a broken neck, Curtis' career was over when the doctor told him, "I am going to clear you to ride, but if you have the same injury again you will be paralyzed," said Curtis.
At the time, he and his wife had a one-year-old baby girl, so he said to himself, "It's over and I was bitter for 20 years," said Curtis.
Cutting ties from the racetrack took some time, but then a passion for woodworking took Curtis on the most unexpected ride of his life.
"That's a little heart table, I sell an awful lot of those," said Curtis. "These are my little bird houses."
His brand called 'The Giving Tree' specializes in willow furniture which he can twist into beautiful designs.
"It kind of wants to bend. It wants to please me," said Curtis who still rides ponies for fun. "This is Annie," said Curtis. The horse is not quite as fast as what he is used to. "No, but that is fine," said Curtis. "I don't like going 40 miles an hour anymore."
Although, this wasn't the finish line he was hoping for, his little girl got to grow up with a dad. Curtis believes without question he made the right decision.
"Yes, I did," said Curtis. Sara is now 34 and shares a bond with her father that's a lot like willow wood; it bends but it doesn't break. "Yeah, pretty much," chuckled Curtis.
Although Curtis hung up the reins, he poured his heart into his new company, 'The Giving Tree.' Now based in San Diego, he's making everything from chairs and tables to arbors and birdhouses. You'll also find ladders, coat racks, dream catchers, bird feeders, rockers, and live slab works of art.
Curtis hand peels the bark off the frames for longevity and no maintenance. The talented artisan sells his work every Sunday at the Leucadia Farmers Market and also at Brick n Barn in Valley Center. For more information, you can also visit his website by clicking here.
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