Late jockey Carly-Mae Pye remembered a decade on

By Jordan Gerrans

A decade on from her tragic death, the late Carly-Mae Pye will be recognised this Saturday at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park after she put her ‘heart and soul’ into the racing industry.

Pye passed away following a fall in a jump-out at the Central Queensland track in October of 2014.

The Rockhampton Jockey Club laid flowers in their mounting yard on Monday of this week to mark ten years since her death and will run a race in her honour this Saturday afternoon.

The Rocky club have continued to recognise Pye’s legacy in the years since she passed away, annually running the race in her name, which coincides with the Caulfield Cup in Victoria.

As well as being a top rider in CQ throughout her career, Pye was also accomplished in the equestrian field.

Jockey Ashley Butler was an apprentice alongside Pye in CQ as they were coming through the ranks.

Butler will ride on the Callaghan Park card this Saturday and has competed in the event named in his late friend's honour on a number of occasions.

Butler – who is a two-time champion of The Archer – believes Pye’s passion in the equestrian field fuelled her career in the saddle.

“She really loved her horses and that was what made her a really good rider as she came from that background,” Butler said.

“She loved just spending all day with the horses.

“She had really good hands and a good feel for a horse as well as having a really good tempo on a horse.

“She was a really hard worker that had weight problems as a jockey and that is what helped get her through as she worked all day with the horses to keep her weight down.

“Being around the horses and the equestrian part of it all the time, that took her mind off the weight issues as they had a farm with a heap of horses.

“That made her as good a rider as what she was.”

Racing Queensland chief executive officer Jason Scott joined Butler in remembering Pye’s contribution to the sport in the area she grew up in.

“Carly-Mae Pye was an incredibly talented rider and horsewoman, having excelled in the equestrian field and as a jockey with almost 200 winners to her name,” Scott said.

“Ten years on, her incredibly sad passing is a timely reminder of the risks our jockeys face daily.

“It's a fitting honour to see the Rockhampton Jockey Club continue to honour Carly-Mae's legacy each year on Caulfield Cup day.

“Our most heartfelt condolences go out to Carly's family and friends on the anniversary of her passing.”

Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park was where Pye enjoyed the most success in her career, piloting 76 winners at the venue.

Ironically, the horse Pye arguably had her greatest association with was Rocky King.

She partnered the Easy Rocking gelding on six occasions at South East Queensland venues, registering four victories at Eagle Farm and the Sunshine Coast.

The leading female apprentice jockey in the CQ region in her younger years was particularly prolific between 2010 and 2013, riding more than 40 winners in three straight campaigns.

She was a part of history back in January of 2010 alongside fellow female riders Trinity Bannon, Alisha Taylor and Shayla Evans as they rode the card at Rockhampton. 

It was the first time in the Rockhampton club’s history that female jockeys won every race on the program.

The team of Pye and her partner Tim Cook was also a formidable one, claiming 22 races together.

Cook has three gallopers entered for Saturday’s races at Rockhampton.

Trophies will be presented to the winning connections of Pye's race by Cook.

RJC chairman Rob Carr said Pye will always be remembered.

“Losing her life on our track was tragic and it hit our racing community hard,” Carr said.

“The RJC and trainer Tim Cook, are proud to keep Carly’s memory alive with a yearly trophy race run.”

The RJC described Pye as a 'role model for young riders’.

The 32-year-old Butler is renowned as a heavyweight rider on the provincial scene in the Sunshine State.

He recalls travelling to the races on a few occasions alongside Pye as they were both trying to get their weight down for their upcoming engagements.

“Speaking from experience when you are losing weight all the time to ride, jockeys can get grumpy and she was never like that,” Butler said.

“She always had a smile on her face, always said hello to everyone and would always go out of her way to help people. She was a team player.”

The Carly-Mae Pye Memorial QTIS Three-Years-Old Handicap will be the opening race on Saturday from Rockhampton and will be contested over 1200 metres.

Butler has been booked to ride Lonhy's Fabre for Ricky Vale in the event.

The gelding is unbeaten in one career start, scoring at Mackay on debut early last month.

“It is really good that the club keeps the memorial there for her at the race track and they put the race on every year,” Butler said.

“She obviously put her heart and soul into the racing game at Rocky and I am glad that the club continues to recognise her in that way.”

The National Jockeys Trust also remembered Pye's legacy a decade on from her death. 

"Her passion for racing and unwavering spirit continue to inspire us all. Forever in our hearts and memories," the National Jockeys Trust said.