08/03/2024
Key Details
To mark International Women’s Day, join us as we celebrate women who are pushing boundaries in their area of the racing industry. This Zoom Webinar will feature a panel discussion; we will hear from our brilliant panellists about progress being made and their views on opportunities for change. The interactive, thought-provoking session will provide opportunities to ask questions of the panellists individually or as a whole.
Horse Racing presenter, reporter and producer Vanessa Ryle will host the webinar and our brilliant panellists include:
Saffie Osborne
A Group-winning professional jockey, Saffie recently bounced back from injury to become the first female jockey to win a race at Meydan last month. Saffie was crowned Racing League Champion Jockey in 2022 and is a key part of her family training operation in Lambourn. Before becoming a professional jockey, Saffie competed ponies successfully on the British eventing circuit, winning Double European gold medals in 2018, Double European silver medals in 2017 and British champion in the same year.
Dr Eleanor Boden PHD PGCE SHEA
Eleanor is responsible for Managing the Scottish Racing Academy and its education provision which includes recruitment strategies and employer engagement. Previously, Eleanor was a Senior Lecturer at Myerscough College where she earned the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy status as well as multiple nominations for her outstanding teaching delivery. Eleanor completed her PhD at Durham University which involved researching the experiences of females from different education streams and employment in the horseracing industry. During Eleanor’s professional and academic career, she has consistently focused on improving the awareness and understanding of equality, safeguarding and inclusion, to ensure a safe space for participation and the opportunity for all to thrive. In 2021 Eleanor was appointed as the Equality, Wellbeing and Safeguarding Director of horse Scotland and in 2023 Eleanor became Chair of British horseracing’s Diversity in Racing Steering Group. Eleanor’s PhD research “Where did all the girls go?” was published in December 2023 and incorporated into the British Horseracing Authority’s safeguarding strategy.
Eileen Harte
Hailing from Dublin, the bloodstock industry was not a natural progression but Eileen was struck by the racing bug at an early age. Her passion for horses continued throughout her life and she eventually turned this into a successful career with her husband when they set up Keith Harte Bloodstock Ltd. Now over 18 years in the industry they are settling into their newly acquired farm in North Essex.
Breeding and selling thoroughbreds fill their days but the young people coming into the industry is something Eileen and her team concentrate on. This focus is continued through her volunteer work with Racing Welfare and her role as a Judge on the panel for the Thoroughbred Industry Employers Awards. Developing her skills around this focus is a priority and Eileen was recently awarded a Bronze Certificate In Transformational Coaching and is going into her final years training to be an Individual Psychotherapist.
Dr Kate Clayton-Hathway
Dr Kate Clayton-Hathway, is an Associate Researcher with the Centre for Diversity Policy Research and Practice at Oxford Brookes Business School. She led both the 2017 diversity project for the horseracing industry and the 2020 Racing Home study. Kate’s research specialism is in gender equality within organisational structures, and she is particularly interested in promoting progressive institutional change. She is also an activist, and supports a women’s educational charity in Oxfordshire.
The webinar is also an opportunity to hear from WiR about the programmes that are free as part of WiR membership that help women across the industry to flourish and succeed.