Champion reinswoman Kerryn Manning believes the acceptance of female participation on the racetrack has been widely acknowledged as the norm by her male counterparts in the harness racing industry.

The most successful female driver in the world with 4299 career wins, Manning has been an integral part of a second wave of women pioneers, mixing it with the men both on and off the track since the late 1980s.

While Manning has barely warranted a second glance on the racetrack, she recalls one trainer who struggled to come to terms with the female role in the sport.

“In my early days, I drove a horse one day at Horsham, and the trainer didn’t think much of my drive and told me ‘to get back to the kitchen’,” laughed Manning.

Little did the gentleman in question realise, the young Manning was an infrequent visitor to the kitchen during meal preparations.

“I thought it was quite funny because Mum is a good cook, and I didn’t go near the kitchen until it was time to eat,” she said.

Manning has witnessed clubs' facilities for female participants on track evolve into the 21st century.

“Back in the day, in some cases, the medical room doubled as the lady drivers’ room, but now most clubs have our rooms equivalent to the men’s,” she said.

Manning and her female colleagues began progressing the cause more than 35 years ago.

“Jodi (Quinlan), along with Gaita Pullicino, Rita Burnett, and Lisa Justice, were starting to build a profile for women drivers, and then came along Kate (Gath), who has won many big races and the Metropolitan Drivers Premiership,” she said.

While Victoria has been the country’s leader in the success of women drivers, Manning acknowledged the emergence of Deni Roberts in Western Australia and the long-standing efforts of Dani Hill in South Australia.

“The numbers (of female participants) have built over the years, and Emma Stewart has set all sorts of records and has been the leading trainer for quite a while now,” she said.

The 43-year-old Stewart has 136 Group 1 wins to her name, and in August last year, became only the second trainer to win all races at a meeting when she trained the ‘card’ on an eight-race program at Kilmore.

Manning played a key role in an historic night for female drivers in January 2005 when she steered home six of the eight winners at the Ararat Cup meeting. D’Arne Bellman and Brooke Hansen were the support cast with one winner each.

This Saturday is International Women’s Day, and appropriately, Manning has driving engagements in six of the seven races at the Melton meeting. Joining her on the track is the evergreen Quinlan, along with the established Ellen Tormey and rising star Ewa Justice.

“Ellen came through the pony trots and used to come up to Great Western during school holidays,” she said.

“She makes good decisions in races, and it’s good to see the success she is having.”

Manning’s willing words of advice to fledgling reinswomen will be her legacy as they transition into competent drivers in their own right.

“Along the way, some of the girls have asked for advice, and I hope I have been able to help them in some way,” she said.