The champagne corks are popping down at the Aspley Leagues Club this morning at the news that their most famous member Pamela Kay O’Neill – universally known and loved as Pam or Pammy – has been honoured in the Australia Day awards for her outstanding contribution to the status of women in racing with the prestigious Order of Australia Medal.
What a wonderful and totally fitting honour it is for an outstanding Queenslander, a trail blazing pioneer for women who fought for nearly 20 years for the right to ride in professional races, and in the process broke down the sexist walls that had kept her and other women from competing against the blokes on the track, an act of selfless sacrifice that paved the way for the Michelle Payne’s and Linda Meech’s and Jamie Kah’s of today to achieve the great things that they have done.
See that brilliant sunshine dawning over the horizon?
That’s the smiles of Pam’s much loved and ever-loving kids Gav and Cherie, and her sons and daughters in-law, and her grandkids, and everyone in racing, overjoyed that the Queen of Queensland racing, a person who has given so much to them, to us, and to our sport, has been so richly rewarded for her service not only to racing, but to women of every creed, colour, profession and persuasion around this great wide brown land in which we live.
There is no-one in Australia who deserves this honour more.
Following Pam’s much loved and dearly departed husband Colin’s induction into the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame last year, the circle is now complete.
All hail our Pammy, OAM.
Good on you gorgeous!
We’re all as proud as punch.