Cathy Gannon

Cathy Gannon (born 21 September 1981) is a retired Irish flat racing jockey.

Life and career Gannon was born in Dublin, Ireland on 21 September 1981. She learnt to ride on ponies at an early age, and when she was 15, she took the course at the Apprentice Jockey's School, located in County Kildare. After this, she went to Curragh, where she joined the stable of John Oxx.

Her first ride was at Wexford in 1998, where she finished in third place. Later in the same year, at Tipperary, she rode her first winner on Quivelly. She became the first woman to become Irish champion apprentice jockey in 2004 with 33 winners and was awarded the Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year Award. She relocated to England in 2006, where her chief employer was David Evans,