Mixed views on woman jockeys

Press, 15 July 1978, Page 18

Mixed views on woman jockeys

PA Masterton A leading racehorse trainer has expressed doubts about the future of female jockeys in this country. “I don’t think they’ll make the grade,” the Awapuni trainer, Garth Ivil, said in Masterton. He, with the veteran trainer, Miss Freda White, and jockey Bill Skelton, was a guest speaker at a panel discussion organised by the Wairarapa Racing Owners’ and Trainers Association. Five women jockeys will have their first totalisator rides against the men at meetings throughout the country today. Ivil said he thought the women would ‘‘have a hard road to hoe.” “I wish them luck but I think they will have limited opportunities,” he said. Ivil said he had been impressed with one or two o' the overseas woman jockey he saw riding in this coun try earlier in the season. Miss White said she wir’ ed woman jockeys had b< able to ride against the mt. 30 years ago. “I agree with the move. If it had come in 30 years ago I could have ridden three or four National winners,” Miss White said. She said she had schooled winners of nearly every hurdle or steeplechase event worth winning in New Zealand.

Her advice to the girls was “to get into gear and don’t coast.” Miss White said tfie Awapuni horsewoman, Vivienne Kaye, who has an engagement at Trentham today, is a good rider. The Hastings horsewoman, Cheryl Saxton, was “extra,” she said, and the Wairarape girl, Diana Mason, was another fine rider. Skelton, who has been one of New Zealand’s top-ranked jockeys for many years, said “the odd girl dedicated and determined enough will make it.” Girls without these attributes would fall by the way side like so many young boys who started out as apprentice jockeys. Skelton predicted there would be teething troubles with woman jockeys. He quipped that it would be the “playgiris” who got the dream runs along the fence all the time.