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Interesting debate on whether allowances are needed to allow female jockeys to compete on a level playing field with men. Kevin Blake making a case for an allowance.
My own view reflects Blake’s in that racing is a sport where physical attributes play an important role (strength, stamina) and men are simply physiologically equipped to have a ‘natural’ advantage. So, to compete equally you would need some form of allowance.
However, imagine a top female jockey claiming 3 or 5lbs in the Derby and beating a male ridden horse by a head. Oh the uproar.Great idea, aint gonna be no boyriders no more
Of cause is the idea foolish and sexistic.
I’m a former female jockey and I won more close finishes, than I lost. I outgrew the weights…
Not all male riders are stronger than all female riders, to the contrary, the strongest male is stronger than the strongest female, but that does not mean that the female rider is not 2nd strongest of all.
Anyway it’s not about strength, whether you can lift 120kg vs 90kg is of no use. Of cause a jockey needs to be physically strong and fit. The point being if the horses don’t run of with you or takes control in any other way and you are able to lift your own weight for a prolonged time, you are good for strength. IMO.
Best Wishes
SilkDon’t like the idea, it lacks merit. Maybe they could have their own races and meetings, that are just confined to females like they do in other sports eg tennis, golf etc if people are that bothered.
It’s a question I’ve never had adequately answered so I’ll put it to the new influx of TRF correspondents
What is a ‘strong’ jockey?
and
What does ‘strong in a finish’ mean?
IMO coordination and finesse are the attributes most required of a jockey and women are at least as adept at these as men
And there’s many a horse that resents ‘rough masculine’ handling anyway
Do women have less stamina than men? No, I’d proffer
Showjumping and, as far as I’m aware, other equestrian sports have never made an allowance for women and nor should racing
It’s very nice to have a sport in which men and women can compete against each other on level terms without introducing arbitrary and unquantifiable allowances for the so-called weaker sex
I’ve long thought the mares’ allowance applied to the horses themselves is unnecessary but it is of course a boon to betting
Interesting debate on whether allowances are needed to allow female jockeys to compete on a level playing field with men. Kevin Blake making a case for an allowance.
My own view reflects Blake’s in that racing is a sport where physical attributes play an important role (strength, stamina) and men are simply physiologically equipped to have a ‘natural’ advantage. So, to compete equally you would need some form of allowance.
However, imagine a top female jockey claiming 3 or 5lbs in the Derby and beating a male ridden horse by a head. Oh the uproar.The discussion came up last year when AP McCoy, after the Melbourne Cup, got his ear burnt from the women in the sport about this topic. It came from well known Female jockeys who have have moderate success themselves,and could possibly do with an allowance. Of course the real issue is getting a chance with good horses, but that is the same I am sure for Adam Kirby, Luke Morris, and George Baker
Maybe a bigger uproar would be that they get retained by a big owner? Won’t be a certain Arab owner or two , that is for sure, lol.
If young male apprentices ever got a chance to ride in the Derby or another big race, even as a pace maker for the star horse (something Jim Bolger might do) surely they don’t get to use their allowances so why should a woman?
In fairness, some girls have shown that they can do it against their own competition in the apprentice championships. Sammy Jo Bell was going great until injury, Josephine Gordon is being used by anyone who needs a good apprentice and has ridden some very good winners she will surely do well once the claim is gone. Hayely Turner (who got all the notice, unreasonably, just for being a girl and camera friendly) did win a group 1 in the UK and abroad as a full time jockey and has been known to win about 100 races in a season. Lizzie Kelly in the Jumps is doing her own thing. Then there is Cathy Gannon who always seems to be injured, but is a fine jockey. Kevin Ryan’s daughter did well as an apprentice, sadly injury messed up her career, like her partner.
In Ireland the big talk are two Irish Grand National winners, Nina Carberry and Ruby’s sister, but both of them are “amateur” (I don’t like using that word, they are far from amateur”
In the US, there have been a few successful women jockeys, but some are more famous for their modeling shoots than anything else . However, Rosie Napravnik did the hard work and had a pretty solid career, winning the Kentucky Oaks and two Breeders Cup and being relatively high the the top jockey table for money won,(Top ten from 2012-2014!) until she gave up to make babies. She would be still doing it if they stayed
Whatever women do, if or when they get a chance on Group 1 races, don’t go running your mouth off like Michelle Payne, who before winning Melbourne, was not exactly burning up the scene in the regional racing in Australia , never mind the big metropolitan races.That applies to the men as well. Keep your mouth shut and ears and eyes open. It is a nonsense to say she is finished because of a horrific fall. Many top jockeys have had injuries, injuries have plauged Ryan Moore over the years hence he is not pushed about jockey titles if he means his chances to ride internationally are compromised. When fit they never have issues getting mounts. Missy Payne here, now knows that one big win does not make thee a great jockey and she knows now that money people do not like getting called out, especially when you ain’t producing the goods even on the regional circuit. Funny , she wants to be a trainer now, a such a young age. Expects the same money people that she called out to support her?
Sure, look at it this way, and people will disagree with me here, but that is what discussions are for, I may well be educated; Take Ryan Moore (people may not be happy with him at the moment) , Frankie Dettori (Melbourne Cup last year being a big blot on an otherwise excellent season) and ? Who of the men , from Britain and Ireland , are top top players (excuse the soccer talk) , world class? Who are the big young guns ? (okay too early to say) Buick and Doyle are not kids (too early yet, their time will come)
Look at Ireland, despite the fact that Aidan O’Brien, in Ireland, is not only walking away with the trainers title by money, but he is also doing so by the number of wins and easily considering (about 20 more wins) Weld and his love for festivals outside of the Curragh & Leopardstown), Normally Weld (who is having a fine Group 1 and 2 season) and Bolger often can have more winners. No one is within an assess roar of Pat Smullen for the jockies title. He could decide to pop over to the UK for the rest of the month or get banned and he will still win the title comfortably. The gap between him and young Colin Keane (credit to him) is about 30 wins.I know Coolmore lads share jockey duty but one of them should be cleaning up the Irish scene and being closer to Smullen (Moore has only won 21 out of 73 rides – good rate). We continue to wait for Chris Hayes to finally do his thing, even to reach the top 3 jockey, Lordan?
Credit to De Sousa and Crowley the British title is interesting this year, but are either of them top class? How many top Group 1 and two races did they even ride in this year? They were slogging it off elsewhere while Royal Ascot and surprisingly Goodwood and York passsed by despite there good handicap races on the card. De Sousa failed at Godolphin (not hard to be fair) and they way he left was humiliating (credit to him for bouncing back) To be fair, De Sousa should go back to Hong Kong in the winter, he did really well over there. In a way Crowley had a similar issue, lost his gig with up and coming Beckett (missed out on an Oaks win for choosing the wrong horse – it happens, and then brilliant won the British mares race at Champions Weekend against Becketts filly in 2014)
France have a similar issue, one or two faces and Christy the Belgian (lol) Cheminaud is coming on fine. Peslier still has it, (well Dartmouth fans might have issues)
Surely, if the girls are good enough, they will get their chance , it is not like the younger male jockeys are ripping it up? Oisin Murphy and Andrei Atzeni are grand and they will get better…..interesting to see how Marquand does without the claim (Hannon will snap him up surely and Levey is not doing it)
If the women, even the senior riders get an allowance, would that be an issue keeping the weight down? I understand that many young jockeys are delighted to get their claim down a few pounds to make weight easier, surely that would be the same for the girls?
Credit to the woman, though (sorry if that sounds patronizing, it was not meant to be) they are not demanding this allowance and want to be treated truly equal
Could not agree more with you, Drone
and a lot with you as well, Twice Over
The more female riders over the coming years, the better the top female riders will get, it’s a numbers game the more pro female jocks giving the chance by owners, the more will ride races and the more well riding female jockeys (on level fields) will come up.Best Wishes
SilkHey, KS, is that you riding the winner in that clip?
Who knows what matters most in jockeyship? I doubt that strength is a key factor. I’d choose a woman with fine pace judgement over the strongest of male jocks. I’d choose a woman for whom horses ran (in that mystical way that some jockeys have but that no one can explain) over strength, and I’d choose a woman who gets horses to jump rather an ironman jock.
Pat Taaffe, whose reputation was as a horseman rather than a jockey said, ‘A length gained at the last fence is worth a hundred yards, for it takes a hundred yards to make it up.’
If the women, even the senior riders get an allowance, would that be an issue keeping the weight down? I understand that many young jockeys are delighted to get their claim down a few pounds to make weight easier, surely that would be the same for the girls?
Being on average slighter and smaller than men, the age-old problem of sweating, puking, starving and diuretics to make a weight is surely an area where women jocks hold an advantage over their male peers. Less need for it and therefore less likelihood of medical problems both physical and mental associated with spending a working life chronically underweight
Hey, KS, is that you riding the winner in that clip?
Who knows what matters most in jockeyship? I doubt that strength is a key factor. I’d choose a woman with fine pace judgement over the strongest of male jocks. I’d choose a woman for whom horses ran (in that mystical way that some jockeys have but that no one can explain) over strength, and I’d choose a woman who gets horses to jump rather an ironman jock.
Pat Taaffe, whose reputation was as a horseman rather than a jockey said, ‘A length gained at the last fence is worth a hundred yards, for it takes a hundred yards to make it up.’
Yes, that’s me. Hands and heels.
Best Wishes
SilkMy eyes are not as good as they once were
Looked a dead heat, which one is you Kentucky….?Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
One on the rail just held on to my eyes. Well done KS
You’re right, thank you.
Best Wishes
SilkOne on the rail just held on to my eyes. Well done KS
You’re right, thank you.
But if you had been offered an allowance when riding would you have accepted the unfair advantage or spoke out against it?
and a lot with you as well, Twice Over 
Thanks
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