Linda Jones didn’t have a long career as a jockey, but she is a trailblazer for Kiwi women in horseracing.
In 1977, Jones was the first New Zealand woman granted a race licence. The following year she became the first Australasian jockey to win four races in a single day.
Linda Jones was a trailblazer for female jockeys in New Zealand. Photo: Supplied
Award-winning New Zealand jockey Linda Jones Photo: Australian Thoroughbred Racing Pedigree Services
Jones tells Jesse Mulligan that her father was a farrier (hoof specialist) for race horses and she started horseriding at 4 years old.
At 15, she joined races for women held by the Rotorua Racing Club, but there was no prize money or betting involved, she says.
“It was a novelty and people used to come out and watch and then I started riding in barrier trials, which are trials to educate horses and young jockeys and … then I happened to win one [trial] one day and then they stopped women riding in those as well.”
At the time, it was unheard of for a woman to become a professional jockey, Jones says.
“It was basically when I went and rode in Brazil in a ladies’ race over there, represented New Zealand, that I found out in 1975 that only the Australian girl and I couldn’t compete with men.
“So, I came home and said [to her husband Alan] I want to be a jockey.
“I said to him 'well if the rest of the world can do it, why can’t we?'... He said fine, I’ll support you – he had also been a jockey – he said I don’t think that women can compete on the track with men, but I’ll support you. So, I proved him wrong.”
But the New Zealand Racing Council rejected Jones's application to become an apprentice, saying she was too old (at just 24), married, not strong enough and would be taking the livelihood from another jockey. Also, they had no women's changerooms.
“Even when I started riding there wasn’t [changing facilities for women],” Jones says. “I used to get changed in caravans or little sheds on the track or anywhere – so that was never an issue to me, I didn’t care, I just wanted to ride.”
When the New Zealand government made sexual discrimination illegal, the racing council had no choice but to accept Linda's application.
“The day [the licence] came in the mail, I just couldn’t believe it, it was fantastic.
“So my first day of riding was actually the 12th of July, which is just the other day, and it was at Matamata and I had five rides that day and the closest I got [to winning] was I got second in one of the races.
“A few trainers came up to Alan and said 'look, we appreciate what you’re doing but don’t expect us to put Linda on' and that was fine, that was their choice, and trainers who didn’t want to me on ended up giving me rides further down the track.”
Jones achieved many firsts for women on the track and but after nabbing 65 victories in 18 months, she made the difficult choice to retire in 1980.
“In the early ‘70s, I actually got thrown into a shed and broke two vertebrae and my neck and the injury I had then actually aggravated everything.
“So, I didn’t really ride for long at all, which was unfortunate, I’d liked to have at least done my apprenticeship, but it wasn’t meant to be.
“Accidents happen and probably because I’d pushed the boundaries and made every post a winner and probably got into more trouble than I should’ve.”
She says she’ll never forget her first win - riding Big Bickies at Waikato's Te Rapa Racecourse in 1978 - and receiving an MBE for her contribution to racing and women's rights in 1979.
Jones didn’t see herself as a role model but is proud of what female jockeys have achieved in New Zealand.
“It’s just been mind-blowing, really. All I wanted to do was ride a horse and get a few wins.
“If I inspired people to get on and do something different, well that was a bonus.”
She lives in Australia now and is okay with being a bit 'world famous in New Zealand'.
“I’d be lying to say I didn’t enjoy it, the attention, which is great but also like when I was home last week [in New Zealand], it was just amazing that people that I don’t know that would come up and speak to me and that’s really lovely.”
