Lisa Allpress

One of New Zealand’s leading jockeys never had a desire to pursue the career. But what an illustrious career it has been so far. Four national premierships, over 1700 winners, the first female to ride a winner in Saudi Arabia, and national honors from the Queen are just some of the highlights of a long and successful career with some more stories and tallies to be added to. Lisa, along with her husband Karl and her two children, have traveled the world with racing and chasing goals and taking risks, and getting bigger rewards. Lisa is a testament of hard work never fails and someone to aspire to be.

Lisa’s very first introduction to the racing industry was through her best friend’s dad. He happened to be a horse trainer and Lisa often found herself hanging out with her friend at the stables and often mucking around there. She had been riding show jumpers in New Zealand before she received her trackwork license in Japan with perks of her brother living over there. Upon arriving back, her friend's father Warren Dymond suggested she be a jockey considering she was the right build. From there she pursued her jockey’s license.

Lisa was very driven by success but more by failure. She had to prove to herself that she could ride one winner and then kept ticking along from there to now where she has ridden over 1700 winners and competed and succeeded across the globe. It was simply fear that caused her success. She had an opportunity to go to Macau as an apprentice which gave her confidence that she was a talented rider and this was a career she could be successful in. She also got to travel to Singapore and Japan and attend race meetings early on in her career which is where she got the bug for international racing. Lisa didn’t want to just compete in New Zealand, after seeing the international stage on holidays and while on riding licenses she had the desire and drive to compete internationally, seeing the world and riding in races.

The week in a life of Lisa looks roughly like a bit this:

She helps Karl feed the calves and then does any farm jobs. Tuesday is usually trials or jumpouts, Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday races and then she tries to attend kids’ sports during the week where she can. Depending on the rides she’s getting, if she is looking for those ‘better’ rides and feels she’s not getting them she’ll go through some form and have a sort out. To do this she gets on the phone, attends some extra trials, and goes to trackwork to ensure she can keep the quality rides.

Dealing with injuries and illness is rather philosophical for Lisa – everything happens for a reason. A little disappointing but you’ve got to get on with it. She broke her leg, missed out on a ride in the Melbourne Cup, came home instead, and won the premiership. But you get up and you find another fast one and try again.

Riding is pretty up and down. Lisa has high expectations for herself, and frustrations can come when she walks away from a race day without a winner. But with a glass half full attitude and little inspiration from Danielle Johnson and Sam Collett, Lisa keeps in the back of her mind that people out there are desperate to be sitting on the quality of horse she gets and the opportunities she gets given. To put it simply she picks up her bottom lip and tries to find her next winner.

The biggest success has been family. She wouldn’t have met Karl, her husband, and had her two beautiful children if it wasn’t for the industry. Without Karl being in the racing industry and his support, she wouldn’t have been able to continue her career. In racing her biggest success has been riding in Asia, a prestigious honor that not everyone gets the opportunity to be given, and on top of that having success over there. She won 4 premierships in New Zealand and became the first woman to ride 1000 winners and as a female has had the most number of winners in New Zealand.

She has also presented a chance to ride in Saudi Arabia, where she was successful and won a race, becoming the first woman to win a race there. An incredible experience for the international stage the race meeting was presented on, and that Lisa became a pioneer for women (not that Lisa would say that) by showing that women can compete with the boys and be successful.

Lisa was made an officer of the New Zealand order of merit for her services to racing. She described it as a humbling experience and was very privileged to receive such an honor but it was also “really weird”. Her contributions and success in racing have made her one of the best jockeys in New Zealand and compete and be successful globally but she credits her team around her and especially Karl for getting her to where she is today.

One thing she would like to see a change in the industry is stake money. Mainly, to retain our top horses in New Zealand instead of selling them offshore. It also helps everyone make a better income from prizemoney. Lisa also would like to see more positive publicity for the industry about the participants. More people can get involved from this, and those already involved get more recognition.

The greatest joy was Karl and Lisa bred a horse called ‘Words of Wisdom’, who they owned, and Lisa got to ride him in a race. That was certainly a highlight and something that bought them great joy. Currently, Karl and Lisa are racing a horse with her mum too which is very exciting for them.

In all, Lisa has been a pioneer for women and girls to look up to in the industry. An inspiration for future jockeys and future horsewomen wanting to pursue a career with thoroughbreds. Through all the success, Lisa remains faithful and continually thanks to the ‘village’ around her that helps her live the life she gets to live. For every win, loss, injury, success, and record broke, Lisa has been the same person throughout, a person who will give 100% to you and the horse. Someone who loves the horse first and someone who is always willing to help others. A genuine superstar and the industry will be forever grateful for her contribution to the industry.

One of New Zealand’s leading jockeys never had a desire to pursue the career. But what an illustrious career it has been so far. Four national premierships, over 1700 winners, the first female to ride a winner in Saudi Arabia, and national honors from the Queen are just some of the highlights of a long and successful career with some more stories and tallies to be added to. Lisa, along with her husband Karl and her two children, have traveled the world with racing and chasing goals and taking risks, and getting bigger rewards. Lisa is a testament of hard work never fails and someone to aspire to be.

Lisa’s very first introduction to the racing industry was through her best friend’s dad. He happened to be a horse trainer and Lisa often found herself hanging out with her friend at the stables and often mucking around there. She had been riding show jumpers in New Zealand before she received her trackwork license in Japan with perks of her brother living over there. Upon arriving back, her friend's father Warren Dymond suggested she be a jockey considering she was the right build. From there she pursued her jockey’s license.

Lisa was very driven by success but more by failure. She had to prove to herself

that she could ride one winner and then kept ticking along from there to now where she has ridden over 1700 winners and competed and succeeded across the globe. It was simply fear that caused her success. She had an opportunity to go to Macau as an apprentice which gave her confidence that she was a talented rider and this was a career she could be successful in. She also got to travel to Singapore and Japan and attend race meetings early on in her career which is where she got the bug for international racing. Lisa didn’t want to just compete in New Zealand, after seeing the international stage on holidays and while on riding licenses she had the desire and drive to compete internationally, seeing the world and riding in races.

The week in a life of Lisa looks roughly like a bit this:

She helps Karl feed the calves and then does any farm jobs. Tuesday is usually trials or jumpouts, Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday races and then she tries to attend kids’ sports during the week where she can. Depending on the rides she’s getting, if she is looking for those ‘better’ rides and feels she’s not getting them she’ll go through some form and have a sort out. To do this she gets on the phone, attends some extra trials, and goes to trackwork to ensure she can keep the quality rides.

Dealing with injuries and illness is rather philosophical for Lisa – everything happens for a reason. A little disappointing but you’ve got to get on with it. She broke her leg, missed out on a ride in the Melbourne Cup, came home instead, and won the premiership. But you get up and you find another fast one and try again.

Riding is pretty up and down. Lisa has high expectations for herself, and frustrations can come when she walks away from a race day without a winner. But with a glass half full attitude and little inspiration from Danielle Johnson and Sam Collett, Lisa keeps in the back of her mind that people out there are desperate to be sitting on the quality of horse she gets and the opportunities she gets given. To put it simply she picks up her bottom lip and tries to find her next winner.

The biggest success has been family. She wouldn’t have met Karl, her husband, and had her two beautiful children if it wasn’t for the industry. Without Karl being in the racing industry and his support, she wouldn’t have been able to continue her career. In racing her biggest success has been riding in Asia, a prestigious honor that not everyone gets the opportunity to be given, and on top of that having success over there. She won 4 premierships in New Zealand and became the first woman to ride 1000 winners and as a female has had the most number of winners in New Zealand.

She has also presented a chance to ride in Saudi Arabia, where she was successful and won a race, becoming the first woman to win a race there. An incredible experience for the international stage the race meeting was presented on, and that Lisa became a pioneer for women (not that Lisa would say that) by showing that women can compete with the boys and be successful.

Lisa was made an officer of the New Zealand order of merit for her services to racing. She described it as a humbling experience and was very privileged to receive such an honor but it was also “really weird”. Her contributions and success in racing have made her one of the best jockeys in New Zealand and compete and be successful globally but she credits her team around her and especially Karl for getting her to where she is today.

One thing she would like to see a change in the industry is stake money. Mainly, to retain our top horses in New Zealand instead of selling them offshore. It also helps everyone make a better income from prizemoney. Lisa also would like to see more positive publicity for the industry about the participants. More people can get involved from this, and those already involved get more recognition.

The greatest joy was Karl and Lisa bred a horse called ‘Words of Wisdom’, who they owned, and Lisa got to ride him in a race. That was certainly a highlight and something that bought them great joy. Currently, Karl and Lisa are racing a horse with her mum too which is very exciting for them.

In all, Lisa has been a pioneer for women and girls to look up to in the industry. An inspiration for future jockeys and future horsewomen wanting to pursue a career with thoroughbreds. Through all the success, Lisa remains faithful and continually thanks to the ‘village’ around her that helps her live the life she gets to live. For every win, loss, injury, success, and record broke, Lisa has been the same person throughout, a person who will give 100% to you and the horse. Someone who loves the horse first and someone who is always willing to help others. A genuine superstar and the industry will be forever grateful for her contribution to the industry.