Career
In his early teens, Church began riding ponies and in 1946 got a job as an exercise rider at Old Woodbine Race Course in Toronto, Ontario. The following year, he was offered a chance to apprentice for future United States. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Harry Trotsek who was widely recognized for his eye for riding talent and who also developed Hall of Fame jockeys, Johnny Sellers and John Rotz. Kenneth Church began competing in novice races for jockeys which Trotsek had organized at Detroit Fair Grounds Racetrack.
During his career, Church rode at various tracks throughout the United States and was nicknamed "The Prince" by his fellow jockeys because of his blonde wavy hair and good looks.
Of his four mounts in the Kentucky Derby, Kenneth Church"s best result was a fifth-place finish in 1950 aboard Oil Capitol. On July 5, 1950, at Chicago"s Arlington Park, Kenneth Church was the hero of an incident the Chicago Daily Tribune called, "One of the most unselfish and gallant acts to be found in all the lore of the turf." During the third race of the day, jockey Wendell Eads lost his stirrup and dangled perilously from his horse.
Seeing the danger, Church charged up from behind and once alongside reached over with his left arm and lifted Eads back onto his horse. At the finish of the race, fans gave him a standing ovation.
In a ceremony three days later at the track, for his heroism Kenneth Church received a gold watch from America"s preeminent horseman, Warren Wright of Calumet Farm, plus a special commendation from the State of Illinois.
Following his retirement from riding at the end of May, 1967, Kenneth Church remained in the industry and worked for many years in the publicity department at Delegate March Racetrack in Delegate March, California. In 1997, Kenneth Church was inducted in the city of Windsor, Ontario / Essex County, Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.