A changing part of New Zealand racing has caught up with Wairoa where a chiller has had to be moved to make more room for female jockeys.
Preparing for the town's annual races tomorrow and cup-day on Sunday, Wairoa Racing Club president Paul Toothill said: "There are now more women jockeys than men."
As it happens, 43 per cent of New Zealand's licensed jockeys are female. This comes 40 years after the famed Linda Jones, a Hawke's Bay jockey named Cherie Laxon and two others became the first to ride at the races in this country in August 1978.
But Mr Toothill said at least eight female jockeys will be among the 15-16 riding during the meeting of eight races each day.
"Times are changing," he said, hopeful the club has seen the back of the worst of them, which have threatened the future of a small club which dates back almost 140 years.