WA Sports Star Finalists: Star jockey Tash Faithfull targets local triumph to add to gorwing success

When considering Tash Faithfull’s career as a jockey, for all her growing success, it’s as much about heart as it is about skill. Seven years ago, the now 32-year-old was flown to Royal Perth Hospital with six broken ribs, punctured lungs, three fractured vertebrae, a badly broken shoulder and a lacerated liver after her horse fell on her at Albany’s Middleton Beach. It’s enough to warn off even the hardest of warriors from even riding again, but not Tash, who was back in the Ascot winners’ circle only nine months later. And now, she’s one of the best and most popular jockeys in the country, bagging the nationwide 2024/25 provincial jockey premiership and an extensive list of feature race wins. With mother Sam a horse trainer, it seemed inevitable that Faithfull would pursue a career in racing and began working in stables from the age of 13. “As soon as I started working, even on the ground, I had such a passion for it, and I just had this feeling that I really wanted to be a jockey,” Faithfull said. “Your love grows for it, and you just slowly start getting better and better, and think, ‘I really can do this’. “I sort of got the bug for it. I wanted to jump on the racehorses and ride them, and it all led to where I am now.” In 2023, Faithfull achieved a lifetime goal when guiding the locally trained Said No One Ever to victory in her Albany hometown cup. It’s a trophy that now takes pride of place on her mantelpiece. “As a young girl growing up and starting your apprenticeship, things like that you thought weren’t possible to achieve,” she said. “It’s not just a business. You build real friendships and connections with people. To see the hard work they put in to be able to achieve it and to be a part of it, it’s a really good feeling.” A regular day for the dynamo hoop begins at around 3am where she’ll go out to ride for various stables. But aside from her dedication and hard-working attitude, one of her trainers says her pleasant demeanour sets her apart. “I think how nice Tash is goes a long way for her. All the owners love her, and she’s got a great relationship with our female syndicates,” Dan Pearce said. “Tash has obviously been dominating on the provincial circuit… I’m sure she’ll be riding plenty of winners moving forward.” Pearce and brother Ben provided Faithfull with her first black-type win aboard Let’s Galahvant in the 2022 Hannans Handicap. The top hoop lists recent Melbourne Cup-winning female jockey Jamie Melham as one of her idols, and while most riders have dreams of winning the nation’s biggest race, there’s a sentimental triumph Faithfull wants to tick off first in the Bluff Knoll slot race. “It’s Albany’s most prestigious race and there’s so much excitement and media around it,” she said. “I’m an Albany girl and it would be pretty special to win that race, for sure.” Now, Faithfull is one of the mentors of the weighing room and a flagbearer for the increasing number of female jockeys, who look up to her for advice. “You’re only in a competition with yourself and if you have the passion and keep working hard and keep turning up every day, the opportunities are going to be there,” she said. “You have one bad day but there’s going to be a good day coming around the corner, and there’s going to be so many times you doubt yourself and leave the races thinking, ‘why am I even doing this?’ “But you are good enough and if you stick to it and keep working, you will be successful.” Faithfull is a worthy nominee for this year’s WA Sports Star award, where she will vie for the title with 11 other finalists.