Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) is proud to again support International Women’s Day in 2022.

On this special day we celebrate a number of things that make our sport so unique.

Firstly, the enormous contribution women make to all sectors of our industry. Whether it is on the racetrack, in the stables, in the stewards’ room, in the administration offices, at the stud farm, on the broadcast panel or in any number of other harness racing roles, our women are helping drive the sport forward every day.

Secondly, the genuinely level playing field upon which our people compete – regardless of gender – is something to be celebrated not just today but every day. Our women and men compete equally against one other in the driving and training ranks. And for the past two years, Victoria’s metropolitan trainers’ and drivers’ premierships have been swept by amazing women – Emma Stewart (champion trainer who has won the past seven metropolitan trainers’ premierships) and Kate Gath (has won the metropolitan drivers’ championship two years in succession).

Thirdly, we acknowledge the trailblazers. The women who have paved the way for harness racing as we know it in 2022.

At Shepparton tonight, a special International Women’s Day race meeting will be held.  

An extended TrotsVision broadcast will feature an all-women panel for the first time, with coverage anchored by Nikkita Ross, who will be joined by drivers Shannon O’Sullivan and Monique Burnett.

The race names tonight honour our women trailblazers as well as this year’s International Women’s Day theme, #BreakTheBias.

The card opens at 5.40pm with the International Women’s Day 2YO Pace, followed at 6.05pm by the #BreakTheBias Maiden Pace.

Race 3 calls out Roma Pocock’s long association with the sport with the running of the Roma Pocock 3YO Pace, while Race 4, the Helen Head Pace, pays homage to one of our long-time leading breeding doyens.

The fifth race, the Elizabeth Clarke Vicbred Pace, is named after one of Victorian harness racing’s most respected and dedicated administrators.

Race 6 is the Alice Laidlaw Pace, which acknowledges a highly respected horsewoman who, in a different era, rode and drove trotters against the men at country tracks at a time when women weren’t able to drive in metropolitan races. She won many races.

Race 7 carries the name of “the world’s most winningest horsewoman”, modern-day marvel Kerryn Manning. Race 8 features the legendary Pearl Kelly name, Australia’s first licensed reinswoman in 1916 who went on to finish third in a Melbourne drivers’ premiership.

The ninth race on the program is the Get Real, Support Teal Vicbred Pace, named in honour of the current WomenCan Team Teal campaign, which raises funds and awareness for ovarian cancer.

The night is capped with the Dianne Davies Trot at 10pm, named in honour of a trailblazer who set up the Reinswomen’s Association in the 1970s, and the Emma Stewart Trot, named after our current dominant training force whose recent supremacy is mentioned above and shows no signs of abating.

TrotsVision will feature special stories on Jayne Davies, Debbie Quinlan, Kerryn Manning, Jodi Quinlan, Emma Stewart, Dianne Davies, and a special Riding for the Disabled HERO piece, as well as interviews with Donna Castles, Pam Wilson and all the night’s winning drivers.

This morning, Debbie Quinlan will address HRV staff in a virtual address to tell her story and answer questions about her journey in harness racing.

“Our industry is in such a unique position in the sports world in that regardless of gender, all our participants compete against each other on a level playing field,” HRV Deputy Chair Dr Catherine Ainsworth said.

“Tonight’s TrotsVision broadcast from Shepparton will be a wonderful celebration of women in harness racing. It’s a story we cannot tell enough, and we must continue to acknowledge and celebrate the great achievements of our women and ensure we’re all playing our role to take action for equality.”

HRV thanks the Shepparton Harness Racing Club for its support.

To learn more about International Women’s Day and the #BreakTheBias theme, click here.