Grand National Lady Riders

It wasn't until 1971 that the Jockey Club agreed to let women ride under Rules in Britain and then only in amateur races on the Flat. In May of the next year the first all-women jockeys' race was won by the 50-1 shot Scorched Earth ridden by Meriel Tufnell. Meriel went on to become a champion rider in Britain and Europe, but it was not until 1975, when Meriel retired, that women were allowed to ride against professionals. Although change was in the air, the idea of ladies being allowed to ride in the National Hunt was strongly resisted. The introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act came into effect in January 1976 and Diana Thorne became the first woman to ride a winner under the National Hunt rules. In April that year Charlotte Brew became the first woman to complete one circuit of the National course. By finishing first and last in the Greenall Whitley Fox Hunters' Chase, Brews horse Barony Fort had qualified for the Grand National. So on April 2, 1977 history was made as the 21 year old Brew became the first woman to ride in the Grand National, successfully clearing 26 of the 30 fences before her horse gave up at the fourth last. This was the same year that Red Rum won his third National, so the only attention given to Miss Brew was Red Rum's trainer Ginger McCain declaring that the Grand National was no place for female riders.

McCain was not the only one opposed to female riders and this was even more concentrated in 1979 when Jenny Hembrow, a former champion point-to-point rider suffered a heavy first fence fall on Sandwilan. But she is one of just two women to have two cracks at the race ? she tried again the following year on the same horse and got to the 19th before pulling up. The 19th also proved to be the downfall of the race for Linda Sheedy who rode Deiopea in 1981. Geraldine Rees became the first woman to complete the course when Cheers came 8th (and last) in 1982 but didn't do so well the following year when she rode Midday Welcome who fell at the first.

Valerie Alder fell eighth at the Canal Turn in 1984 on Bush Guide. In 1987 Jacqui Oliver was unseated on the 15th. 1988 saw the first and only triple challenge by lady riders ? Gee Armytage on Gee-A, Veneita Williams on Marcolo and Peny Ffitch-Heyes on Hettinger. Hettinger fell at the first, while Marcolo crashed out at Bechers after safely negotiating five fences. Gee Armytage had the most promising ride of the three and Gee-A briefly disputed the lead but had to be pulled up after Becher's on the second circuit, due to Miss Armytage pulling a muscle in her back.

Only one lady rider secured a place in the line-up in 1989 ? Tarnya Davis on Numerate who jumped well enough but was exhausted on the sticky ground and had to be pulled up at the 21st.

In 1994 Rosemary Henderson was dubbed the 'galloping granny' due to her 51 years, though in reality she had no children. Even though jockeys were required to have a minimum of 15 winners under the Rules, Ms Henderson was granted dispensation because of her wide experience in point-to-points where she had been successful 39 times. She became the second woman to finish the National on Fiddlers Pike.

Carrie Ford came fifth in 2005 on Forest Gunner after a lot of media speculation that Ford may have been the first lady rider to win the race. She had won with Forest Gunner over the National fences in the 2004 Fox Hunters Chase just 10 weeks after giving birth, and she lacked nothing in experience having ridden her first point-to-point at the tender age of 16, and had 99 rides against professional jockeys. The great joy of her placement of fifth was that she came five places ahead of Amberleigh House whose trainer Ginger McCain had threatened to bare his bum if a lady rode the winner of the National.

In 2006 Nina Carberry took over the ride of Forest Gunner, but sadly her credentials were not matched to the horse ? he was now 12 years old, 3lb heavier and past his best, but despite all this they still managed to come ninth.

Women are asserting themselves more and more in the world of sport and it will only be a matter of time before a woman is given the opportunity to ride an outstanding chaser in the Grand National!