Female jockeys are gaining a greater share of race rides

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Ten years ago, Michelle Payne won Australia’s premier horse race, the Melbourne Cup, becoming the first female jockey to do so. Since then, more and more girls have trained as jockeys. When Michelle started out, most race-courses had no facilities for females and she often had to change in the cleaner’s room or somesuch. At country race meetings across northern Western Australia, women riders are beginning to outnumber the men, both on the track and on the winner’s podium. This season, women have taken out seven of the ten cup races across the Pilbara, Kimberley and Gascoyne. There were once fewer opportunities for women riders but their skill is now being more widely recognised. At least this is a sport when both sexes compete on a level playing field for the same prize money. I don’t have a photo of a horse-race. This photo was taken at the Blackwood Marathon. The horse is undoubtedly a thoroughbred and at full stretch. And ridden by a girl.