LADY JOCKEYS HALL OF FAME
Equestrian Events, be it at the Olympic Games or on the Racetrack is one of the few, if not the only
events where men and women compete on equal terms. Thoroughbred horse racing provides a
weight allowance to fillies and mares over colts and geldings but their riders are given no such
advantage. For many years women have been discriminated at the racetrack and it was only in the
early 1980s that women were allowed to become full members of race clubs and the white lines that
showed the restricted areas into which women were not allowed were removed.
The general discrimination against women at the track applied to lady jockeys who were not allowed
to compete against men until 1979. This “privilege” was not handed to women riders by the
authorities out of the goodness of their hearts but was won by the lady pioneer riders through their
persistence and the courage of their convictions against what at times must have seemed
insurmountable odds.
In 2008 the Ballina Jockey Club decided to hold a race for invited Lady Jockeys to celebrate the life
and achievements of the pioneer lady jockey the late Iris Nielsen whose life was tragically cut short
in a race fall at Lismore in 1988. Iris was the first lady jockey to lose her life in a race fall in Australia.
In 2009, the Club decided that the time was opportune to set up the Iris Nielsen Lady Jockeys Hall of
Fame to recognise the efforts of those lady Pioneer riders of the past and those who will achieve
fame in the future. The first three inductees were:
Linda Jones
Linda Jones fought long and hard to ride alongside men in professional races
becoming the first licensed woman rider in both Australia and New Zealand.
Her first winner was in August 1978 and by Christmas she was second in the
NZ Jockey’s premiership, and in 1979 at Trentham she became the first
woman to win a derby when she rode Holy Toledo to victory. At her first ride
in Australia she rode Pay the Purple to win the Labour Day Cup at Doomben in
Brisbane. She now lives on the Sunshine Coast with husband Alan.
Iris Nielsen
Iris Nielsen grew up in Toowoomba and was a competent rider from an early age.
She quickly progressed from pony club, to show jumping and then to track riding.
She became one of a core group of lady riders who travelled throughout
Queensland, NSW and Victoria competing in lady riders o nly events. Once women
were permitted to compete with men in professional races Iris soon became a
leading rider in the SE Queensland-Northern Rivers area with over 100 winners until
her untimely death at the age of 38.
Pam O’Neill
Pam O’Neill was always a competent horse woman and made her way up
through the ranks to track rider but was forbidden to ride against the men in
horse races. After many years of agitation she was finally given an apprentice
licence at the age of 32 but unlike other apprentices she was given no weight
allowance. At her first day of riding at the Gold Coast Pam rode three winners.
This achievement still stands as a world record achievement for any jockey at
their first day of professional riding. Pam lives on the Gold Coast, works as Sales
Manager for Queensland Blood stock and provides valuable advice to young
riders as she mentors their progress.
The name of each inductee is recorded on an honour role in the Grandstand at the
Ballina Racecourse, and each is awarded a specially engraved Guardian Angel Pin in
celebration of their selection. More detailed information is provided on each member
of the lady Jockeys Hall of fame in the next section.
Lady Jockeys Hall of Fame Museum
It is appropriate that the Lady Jockeys Hall of Fame has a permanent home and as part of its forward
plans the Ballina Jockey Club is seeking funds for construction of a Lady Jockeys Racing Museum.
This museum would be of international significance and one of only 47 museums worldwide
specifically dedicated to women’s causes. T he Museum will be:
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A museum of history and entertainment which seeks to preserve, cultivate and record the
struggle and contribution of Lady Jockeys to thoroughbred racing
A museum of inspiration to demonstrate that triumph can be achieved if a just cause is
persevered with courage and commitment
A museum of education to encourage and point the way for young men and women to
enter the equine industry.
A submission has been made to the Federal Government for support to get this venture underway
and a petition in support of the Lady Jockeys Racing Museum is located at the track at the
Secretary’s Office. All visitors who support Lady Jockeys are urged to sign.