Sandra Hutchinson in South Australia, who died last week, will be remembered as a pioneer for women in Harnasracen.
Considered as fierce competitive, Hutchinson was the first woman in her state to receive a permit to compete in races against men – but only after he had fought hard to get the chance.
“Sandra participated in tests and Damese exhibition races and wanted to be desperately part of the racing scene,” said good friend John Conry.
“She went through the right channels, but felt that she did not get a satisfactory hearing. So the next step was to take her case to the equal opportunity council,” he said.
“She told them about the reason that she was not a license to ride on the races, was not because she could not ride – it was because she was a woman.”
The board gave her the ‘green light’ and Sandra successfully participated in Wayville and later when Trotting moved to Globe Derby Park. She would also travel to national meetings in Port Pirie, Whyalla and others.
“Records that date from those early days are difficult to obtain, but Sandra rode quite a few winners and was also consistent among the perpetrators,” said Conry.
“She often told a story about cutting being cut before her first racing drive in the mid-1970s by a male driver who asked who she thought she was told her that she could stay at home better.
“I don’t think it worried her too much and they both laughed about it years later.”
Sandra was very happy to win an Australian Lady Drivers Championship race on one occasion and later became a trainer. She started in the Weigall Oval era in the Adelaide -Buitenwijk of Plypton, in the early 1960s.
Many excellent horses were prepared by some great trainers in the WEIGALL OVAL complex. Young Pedro and Free Hall both won the Inter Dominion Finals, while Bon Adios got a Victorian derby.
At its peak, 60 horses were trained in the famous Ovaal, named after Sir Archibald Weigall, the Governor of SA in the 1920s. The track was closed in July 2019 and is now the home of football and baseball facilities.
Hutchinson withdrew from riding races in 2000, but remained a familiar face during Harness Racing meetings.
“Sandra turned her hand over to write articles for the Botra Magazine, which she enjoyed for a long time,” said Conry.
“She would also run fashion on the field during the Big Cup evening and always managed to get enough money that sponsors are given to spend vouchers on all sections.”
Conry said that Hutchinson’s inheritance should be honored for the leading role she played in promoting and progressing opportunities for women in the South Australian Harness races.
“We hope to get a set of Sandra’s row -colors and displayed in the bar of the Globe Derby Park Grandstand next to those worn by legends, including Wally Bowyer, Bill Shinn, Bill May and standard Webster,” he said.
By Terry Walk For Harnesslink
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