Description

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Aborigines and the ‘Sport of Kings’ is a celebration of the significant involvement and impact of Aboriginals in Australian horse racing history. Beginning with the remarkable history of Australian Aboriginal people’s first contact with horses and how the European animals caused them bewilderment and terror, this book then discusses how, over time, they caught horses and taught themselves to ride and showed an uncanny affinity with horses. The work then goes on to share numerous stories of some of Australia’s most successful and famous Aboriginal jockeys, including Merv Maynard, Norm Rose, Frank Reys, Richard Lawrence ‘Darby’ McCarthy, and Leigh-Anne Goodwin, Australia’s first female Aboriginal jockey to ride a winner at a metropolitan track. A complete guide to Indigenous jockeys across all forms of racing, including jump racing, this book stands as an important contribution to the history of Australian sport.

About the Author

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John Maynard is a professor of Aboriginal studies at Newcastle University and the author of Aboriginal Stars of the Turf and Fight for Liberty and Freedom. He is one of the most prolific and respected voices writing about Aboriginal history in Australia today.

Praise For…

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"Some of the stories are splendid. And every time a horse was ridden by M Maynard, my Dad would back it. We never knew that he was an Aboriginal jockey. Or perhaps he did and Dad being a fierce nationalist most probably felt he should support him." —Alan Jones, first edition of Stars of the Turf