Explanation

The clue despite their diminutive stature means that the second part of the sentence needs to go against what one might think about physically small people; the clue many would all-too-happily allow minor umbrage to escalate to barroom brawl confirms that these jockeys are a contentious bunch.

Because of the expression “far from” before the blank, you need a word that expresses what the jockeys are not. The word effete means “pretentious or refined, verging on wimpy and ineffectual.”

An effete.
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Sandy
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