Born in 1946, champion horse trainer, Jenny Pitman grew up on a farm in Leicestershire. She told her father that if she couldn't spend all her time with horses, she'd join a circus. At 15 she left school and began working - in stables.
In the 70s she opened her own stables and began her career as a national hunt racehorse trainer. Her toughness and plain speaking helped her to penetrate a world where a woman trainer was unheard of and unwelcome.
After her first marriage failed, she was left with two young sons and considerable financial difficulties. Her talent and determination paid off and with her innate understanding and patience with horses and the help of her second husband she became an unrivalled success as a trainer. Her horses have won two Grand Nationals and she was the first woman to train a Cheltenham Gold Cup Winner in 1984 and went on to win the race a second time in 1991.
Her talent as a racehorse trainer has brought her many awards and in 1998 she was awarded an OBE.
