HERSTORY on RTRFM: M’Liss Henry

M’Liss Henry grew up on a rural station in Condoblin, New South Wales, but her love for horses and horseriding has taken her all over the world.

At age 21, Henry was selected as a reserve to go to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and subsequently rode racehorses for trainers in India and France. She finally settled down in Perth and founded the Claremont Therapeutic Riding Centre (CTRC) in 1972, which became the first Riding for the Disabled in Western Australia.

Over the past 50 years, Henry has helped people with physical and mental disabilities grow and connect with horses as chief instructor at CTRC. In 2008, she was awarded The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) and Coach of the Year for the WA Disabled Sports Association for her service to her community and people with a disability. She has coached her students to compete on the world stage, in countries such as Taiwan, England, France, Italy, and the 2015 Special Olympics in Los Angeles. She was also the Special Olympic Equestrian Coordinator for Western Australia in 2019.Henry’s extraordinary achievements and passion for helping others makes her an admirable and influential individual.

M’Liss Henry was inducted in the Western Australia Women’s Hall of Fame in 2019.

In this episode of HERSTORY on RTRFM, M’Liss Henry speaks to Bec Bowman about her passion for horse riding, her most memorable moments at CTRC, and helping people with disability.

HERSTORY is an RTRFM podcast series about some of the most remarkable women in the Western Australian Women’s Hall of Fame.

Join us as we shine a light on the lives and careers of women who have demolished barriers, lived incredible lives, and built a legacy of possibility for the girls and young women who follow in their footsteps.

Produced with the assistance of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at www.cbf.org.au.