Emma Mackenzie was heading home after a fairly eventful night working at Wentworth Park when she called her mother Chantelle and said: "So, I did this thing tonight ..."
In her role as a steward with the Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission, Emma was working at Headquarters and excited about the night's racing with heats of Group 1 National Derby and National Futurity on the card.
But back to that conversation with mum and the thing. It was performing CPR and saving the life of trainer Greg Corless who had collapsed and gone into cardiac arrest.
"Mum asked if was ok and I said I am for now, but I debriefed a lot with my mum," Emma said. "My mum's a nurse. She's never actually had to do it (perform CPR). My sister, she's a nurse too and she's never had to either. Yet here I was, doing it at my job."
When the call for first aid came through, Emma didn't sense any urgency. She continued on scanning dogs, and giving the all clear to the chairman of stewards. Assuming it was nothing major, maybe a sprained ankle, and others would be there attending to the problem, she gradually made her way there.
"I got there and oh crap. Greg's on the floor. Greg's turning blue. I guess I'm going to be the one to do it.
"I've done extensive CPR and First Aid, first response training. I was a fulltime lifeguard for four years previously at Wet and Wild (Raging Waters). I'm also heavily involved with the Rural Fire Service in my area.
"It was like my training kind of just kicked in. I just turned off the emotions and did what I needed to do. I had a feeling there would be a point in my life where I'd have to do it, just with some of the circumstances and situations I'm in, like I'll go to a car crash or a house fire with the RFS and I was a lifeguard so there was the likelihood of it happening there, even in my own home with an elderly grandparent. But I didn't think it would happen at work.
"I'm just glad I was able to do it successfully. He kept going on about how I broke 12 ribs, but statistically he had a very slim chance. I'm just glad he's ok.
"I just hope for the industry it's a bit of a wake up call. If you don't have a defibrillator at the track, please get one and train the staff up to be able to do what they need to."
Emma is one of many women now involved in the greyhound racing industry, from owners and trainers, to club officials, vets, administrators, and stewards like herself, and today as an industry we celebrate them all on International Women's Day.
"There are so many trainers dominating at the moment, women like Melinda Finn, Kayla Coleman, and Jodie Lord, they're trainers I deal with frequently, women who have pursued it fulltime, where traditionally that would have been more of a male thing," she said.
"We have female stewards around the State now, and there's a movement of women moving into the industry and I hope we see more women in important roles. There are a lot of really strong women coming through."
Emma's grandmother was one of those strong women in the industry. Christine Mackenzie was secretary of the Richmond club for more than a decade, and also worked at the Greyhound Control Board.
It's not surprising Emma found her way into the sport as her grandfather Don was a steward and also secretary of the Penrith, Bulli, Singleton and Wentworth Park clubs at various times. Her father Grant worked as a starter and did odd jobs at Richmond and Penrith.
"My nan would pick me up from school and some nights when there was a race meeting on, I'd be running around the track as she got the race meeting together.
"Both my grandparents trained and reared as well so I spent my childhood running around with and socialising the pups. I guess I was destined to find my way into the industry.
"I used to work at Richmond club while I was doing my university studies - I actually have a degree in environmental sciences. I ended up swabbing and really liked that, and some of the stewards suggested I should come across with them as I would be good at it, so I applied for a casual role, got it, and I really haven't looked back.
"But I never contemplated training. I really enjoy travel and having dogs ties down your lifestyle and it's not for me. I think if I end up leaving stewarding, potentially I could own, but training, I don't think will happen.
"Where I am, I think I'm an asset to the industry and the team, and I'm really enjoying it."
This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.
