Gates Patton, who in 1978 became the first woman licensed to shoe thoroughbred racehorses in both the United States and Canada, oversees essential safety protocols at “the Pit,” an underpass at California and Delmar.
“I arrive at 4:00 a.m. There’s probably almost a half a mile of vehicles and horses lined up,” Gates Patton said. “It’s very cold. It’s very dark. People do have big high spotlights. Sometimes people have gotten up earlier and started a fire and they’re eating some breakfast or whatever. They have a long day in front of them.”
The two-hour inspection process requires careful examination of horses from 16 different groups, with particular attention to standardized steel shoes and traction devices for the six-mile route.
“I spot-check one or two or four or five horses in each group. And they don’t know what horse I’m going to check, so they all have to be ready,” Gates Patton explained.
Her transition from Long Island debutante and Broadway dancer to respected farrier marks a groundbreaking journey that led to operating Harry Patton Horseshoeing Supplies in Monrovia.
Gates Patton’s preparation begins months before the parade, providing detailed materials including photographs and PowerPoints to ensure participants understand safety requirements.
“I stay in touch with them by email and by telephone, monthly and biweekly from September, October, November, December,” she said. “So I’m much more in touch with them this year than I ever have been before, and I have found that to be helpful for them.”
Strict guidelines govern the horses’ preparation, particularly regarding their hooves.
“The barefoot policy is very strict,” Gates Patton emphasized. “The horse may not be trimmed close to the parade. The horse has to be used to being barefoot and is comfortable being barefoot. And the veterinarians and I are in close communication that if we see something that’s not sound, we have the right to withdraw the horse from the parade.”
Her distinguished career includes serving as Official Farrier Liaison for the 1984 Olympic Games, earning induction into the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame, and receiving the 2008 Edward Martin Humanitarian Award.
Gates Patton, who was married to her mentor Harry Patton until his death in 2000, continues to lead in equine care as President of the California Thoroughbred Foundation Board of Directors.
The comprehensive inspection process represents a crucial behind-the-scenes element ensuring both spectacle and safety in one of America’s most celebrated New Year’s traditions.
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