Episode 124: Pam O'Neill (Part 1)

We finally catch up with the remarkable Queensland lady who pioneered the cause of Australia’s female jockeys four decades ago. In Part 1 Pam O’Neill talks of her childhood involvement with horses in the Brisbane suburb of Ascot. She recalls how she bristled when trying to lead one of her father’s racehorses onto Eagle Farm racecourse, and had to hand it over to a male. She remembers winning her first battle to be allowed to ride trackwork. She recalls her first win over the establishment. They finally agreed to ladies races at registered meetings. Finally she broke down the barriers. Pam has never forgotten the Gold Coast meeting where she became the first woman to ride against men in Australia. She rode 3 winners. What a statement! She talks of her bitter disappointment when New Zealander Linda Jones was allowed to ride against men at Doomben. At that stage Pam wasn’t allowed to ride on city tracks.