Pam O'Neill pioneered the way for female jockeys like Melbourne Cup winner Michelle Payne

Decades before Michelle Payne took home the Melbourne Cup, one Brisbane woman was quietly making waves to get female jockeys racing with the men.

Pam O'Neill was the first woman licensed to ride in Australia.

Nowadays, women account for a large portion of all new apprentice jockeys, and the numbers are increasing each year.

Yet if it wasn't for O'Neill's persistence, they could still be trackside.

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Article written by: Jessica Hinchliffe