Women are "under-represented in the most prominent areas of British horse racing," a report into gender diversity in the sport revealed, according to Joe Wilson of the BBC. Nearly 400 people at all levels of racing "took part in the study." It found that "more women are entering racing from college courses," outnumbering men by a ratio of nearly 7:3. But the report identified what is being described as "career stagnation" once women try to make progress. Among the key findings are:
- Some areas "remain male-dominated," and women from across the industry report being "patronised, not being taken seriously or being denied opportunities because of their gender."
- Some report an "old boys' network" with practices which exclude women. Many held a "centre ground" view that, on the whole, the industry is a meritocracy which welcomes dedication and hard workers, but some had experienced "entrenched prejudice and discrimination."
- A number of women had been made to "feel unwelcome when considering applying for more senior roles."
Despite the high number of women employed at racing yards around the country, the report "highlights the failure of many women to make progress in high-profile roles as trainers or jockeys" (
BBC, 5/17).
