Ep. 33 | Equal terms and equal pay.

Pam O'Neill fought her way into the male dominated jockey world with perseverance, leading the way for female jockeys to ride as equals to men.

Pam saddled up in a professional race for the first time in 1979, becoming Australia's first female to ride out on to the track with the boys.

At a time when the women's movement was only beginning to gain momentum, Pam was finally issued her jockey's licence, age 34, after 14 years of campaigning and proving she could ride as well as her male counterparts.

Pam knew she could mix it with the best and came out of the gates with a bang, winning three races in her debut with the males. She backed up her form the following week with another three winners, well and truly cementing the path for female jockeys.

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