30-10-2010
Wuhan hosted the first international race ever to include lady amateur jockeys today when they rode against male professionals in the Singapore Turf Club Goodwill Cup.
Congratulations to Germany whose lady rider Karen Schmitt was fourth, with the first three places filled by the male jockeys. Unfortunately several of the lady riders, including Great Britain’s Serena Brotherton, completed a circuit which was regarded as a false start and had to re-run. Serena said “Those of us who completed the course did not realise it was a false start because there was no recall flag. My horse went for a furlong and a half but then she was cooked so I let her come home in her own time.”
19-08-2004
The Amateur Jockeys Association Ladies Invitation FEGENTRI Stakes was run on Friday 13th August in honour of Elain Mellor, our retiring Company Secretary, and Sandy Murphy, our retiring Chief Executive, to mark their tireless endeavours for the betterment of amateur riders over very many years.
Both Sandy and Elain have made an enormous contribution to amateur racing since the inauguration of the Lady Jockeys Association in 1972 which went on to amalgamate with The Amateur Riders Association in 1995 to form the AJA as it is today.
France’s Blanche de Granvilliers enjoyed her ride on the eventual winner BOJANGLES for Roy Brotherton, tracking the leaders throughout and staying on well to draw clear from Holland’s Paula Flierman on Stan Moore’s FLAMING SPIRIT by 2 1/2 lengths with Great Britain’s Annie Elsey half a length away in third on PRAIRIE LAW for Ian Williams.
Prior to the race, our President Mr Gay Kindersley presented both Sandy Murphy and Elain Mellor with gifts from the AJA as a token of our very great appreciation of all that they have both done for not only the AJA but also the world of amateur racing.
