Michelle Payne became a national icon when she captured the hearts of a nation after winning the 2015 Melbourne Cup on the 100 to 1 priced Prince of Penzance.
The first and only female to win the event, Michelle’s triumph catapulted her into stardom where she is now a highly successful trainer, jockey and author.
Growing up on a farm at Miners Rest, near Ballarat in Central Victoria, Michelle is the youngest daughter of the ten children of Paddy and Mary Payne. Tragically, Michelle’s mother Mary died in a motor vehicle accident when Michelle was only six months old.
Being born into a racing family, a career in the saddle always beckoned Michelle, and she followed seven of her brothers and sisters when she rode in her first competitive race at just 15.
Michelle’s career hasn’t been without challenges. In 2004 she suffered a fractured skull and bruising to her brain after a race fall. Michelle suffered another two serious falls in 2012 and in May 2016, the latter required pancreatic surgery and a long recovery, before yet another inspiring comeback to racing.
In 2016, Michelle was awarded the highly coveted Don Prize for Most Inspirational Australian Athlete at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Awards, along with the Sportswoman of the Year for the Cosmopolitan Magazine Awards and the Women of Style: Sport Award for InStyle Magazine. Michelle and her brother Stephen were also given the honour of being named Queen and King of Moomba.
In 2017, Michelle received The International Longines Ladies Awards in Washington celebrating women who have consistently achieved at the highest level within the equestrian world, and in 2022 this year was awarded the Order of Australia medal (OAM) for services to horse racing.
Michelle released her first book, Life As I Know It in 2016, and in 2019, her inspiring story made its way to the big screen as the major motion picture Ride Like A Girl, the highest-grossing Australian film that year.
In 2021 her Melbourne Cup victory was voted by the public as the most significant Sport Australia Hall of Fame moment from a shortlist of 20 outstanding sporting moments over the past 60 years.
Michelle now runs a very successful training facility in Ballarat and has recently expanded to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
Convention Breakfast
Date: Tuesday 19 September 2023