Iconic moments in female jockey history
Horse riding is a sport that requires a specific type of athlete, although not a regulation, most male jockeys are small due to the weight limits that are allowed.
These requirements make some women the perfect Jockeys. Some of the best jockeys of all time have been women and over time they have created history for the sport.
Challenges female jockeys face
Breaking into the world of Horse racing as a woman was a very difficult battle. It was a very male-dominated industry and women jockeys faced discrimination, stereotypes and biases because they were women. Over time people realized that women jockeys possessed the same sets of skills and strength that male Jockeys have and it slowly got easier for them.
Rachel Blackmore’s many records
The most demanding and challenging horse race in the world is the Grand National. The iconic race always has the most eyes on it and Rachel Blackmore seized this opportunity to create history. She used her experience to pick her moment and overtake the racer at first.
This race secured Blackmore’s position as a star, placing her on the front pages and making this even more iconic.
It is now nearly the year anniversary of her iconic win and you can visit Boylesports where you can find today’s horse racing cards and see if Rachel Blackmore is up for the big prize again. In 2021 Blackmore became the first female jockey to take the top jockey honors with six winners during the Cheltenham festival. This record got her praise from Cheltenham’s most famous jockey Ruby Walsh, who called Blackmore “phenomenal.”
Hayley Turner
Hayley Turner recorded her 999th win in November of last year on Lunar Eclipse. She also was the first female Neglihs Jockey to get 100 wins in a year. She became the first female jockey to win at Royal Ascot after 32 years.
She is very influential for all jockeys, especially women who want to be a jockey. She got her 1000th win on November 21st 2023. A special for her and her legacy and for future female jockeys around the world who look up to her.
Lucy Turner
On December 30th Lucy Turner became the first female jockey to win the BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase. This is a big achievement for the 30-year-old who said when she won “If I can spire someone today, that’s wonderful.” Lucy Turner was not an odds-on favorite, being 18-1 to win, this is Marked as an iconic moment in horse racing history and it will be remembered for a long time.
The future of horse racing
All the best female jockeys of this generation realize that they have the potential to affect future horse racers. Lucy Turner doing well could inspire a young girl who could race in the future and win the Grand National and it is a great time for a woman who loves Horse Racing. All of the best jockeys now realize that they have a hand in the future of the sport and this is a great positive for the sport.
Female jockeys are becoming more visible
Some of the greatest jockeys of this generation have been women and this will continue to grow as the future of the jockeys are watching these very talented women do so well and seeing someone like you do something that you want to do is a massive motivation and hopefully this is it what will happen in the next few decades of horse racing.
The success the current women are having is making female jockeys more visible and more accessible in the future. This is a big step that Jockeys like Rachel Blackmore are trying to achieve and female jockeys like Diane Crump have helped with going as far back as the 60s. Female Jockeys will only continue to get better and stronger and it is an exciting time.
