Back Yourself!
Sign-up and start betting with Ladbrokes in 2 minutes!
Back A Winner with Neds!
Sign-up and start betting with Neds in 2 minutes!
Daily Racing Specials!
Sign-up and bet with Australia's best new bookmaker!
#1 Ranked New Bookie
Sign-up and bet with Australia's #1 ranked new bookmaker!
Best Of The Best Odds!
Bet With Palmerbet and get Paid Top Fluc or Top Tote!
Massive Odds on All Races!
Sign-up and start betting with PlayUp in 2 minutes!
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
Set a deposit limit.
Search
 

To the wider racing industry, the vast majority won’t know who Vivienne Leggett is and what she has done for racing, spanning three decades.

She was a very successful sponsorship manager of the Hawkesbury Race Club (HRC). She joined in 1991 and worked there for 26 years, with her hard work pumping significant money into the HRC.

That love, passion and dedication for her job came to a grinding halt in May 2016 when Greg Rudolph, a former Racing NSW deputy chairman of stewards, was appointed CEO. Fast forward five months and thanks to sustained bullying from Rudolph, Leggett was left with depression, fatigue, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

After the HRC ‘repudiated’ her contract, Leggett took her battle to the courts and after several years of fighting, the Federal Court ruled in the corner of Leggett, where the HRC was ordered to pay her a total of just over $2.8 Million. Full findings can be found here.

In an interview with Adam Page from Justhorseracing, Mrs Leggett details what she has been through over the past six years.

AP: Thanks for your time Vivienne. First of all, how are you?

VL: Well besides feeling broken from this almost six year ordeal, I feel all my emotions have been validated by the Federal Courts Honour’s judgement and orders set down recently.

AP: If I say the name Greg Rudolph, what comes to mind?

VL: Arrogant, anxiety, heart palpitations and disgust.

AP: That first meeting with him back in 2016…how long did it take you for realise what he was like?

VL: I knew straight away that he was a control freak as he very proudly told the admin staff this the first day he started. I thought at our first meeting that he was going to make my life difficult as he told me I was “a nothing”.

AP: How disappointed are you in the HRC for not being in your corner during the time of bullying?

VL: Extremely disappointed. Their actions or lack thereof made my condition far worse.

AP: Does Brian Fletcher have questions to answer, in your opinion?

VL: No I don’t think so, although he did recommend Greg Rudolph to the Board. But, the Board should have done there own due diligence before hiring him and maybe set some perimeters during his time on probation.

Our agreement we had in place was by handshake and mutually agreeable however the fact I did not have a contract in place gave Rudolph the idea that he could just bully and harass me because I had no formalised contract, but Justice Rares understood that I did have a contract in place for my 26 years as that’s how I was being paid and in the eyes of the law that is a contract in itself.

AP: During the darkest of dark times during this period, how low was your mental state and how serious were the suicidal thoughts?

VL: I was referred to St John Of God Rehab because of my suicidal thoughts and mental state but Racing NSW refused to pay under Workers Comp and they withheld any funds from me for 13 months so I could not afford to go to rehab.

AP: How big of an issue is the bullying of women in racing?

VL: Bullying of women in the workforce seems to be rampant, not just in racing.

AP: What would your advice be to someone getting bullied at work?

VL: My advice would be to trust yourself and know it’s not your fault. Talk to your doctor and get help before your mental state spirals out of control.

 
*Existing customers only. 2nd Racing bet. Excl SA & WA. T’s & C’s apply. Gamble responsibly.
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
Set a deposit limit.
Tags:
Featured News

FREE BETS – Claim $1000’s in Bonus Bets at the TOP Betting Sites

We take a look at the BIGGEST and BEST Free Daily Racing Offers and Betting Promotions from Australia’s leading online...

Golden Slipper Likely Field – 2024

The biggest two-year-old race of the year will jump this Saturday in arguably one of the best fields in recent...

Former trainer handed a five-year ban for pulling stewards pants down

Former trainer Todd Balfour has been handed a five-year disqualification by Racing SA stewards after a misconduct incident at the...

Melbourne Cup champion Verry Elleegant passes away

Verry Elleegant, one of the great mares in the history of Australian racing, has died while giving birth to her...

Watch 📺 Jockey banned from all racing premises over ride

Jockey Dylan Kitts has been penalised with a disciplinary officer exclusion directive due to non-compliance with an inquiry regarding his...

Group 1 winner returns positive swab

Racing Victoria stewards are investigating a positive swab from Group 1-winning mare Prowess, the racehorse trained by Roger James and...

Alligator Blood injured, career in doubt

Cult galloper Alligator Blood may have run his last race, with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott confirming the star galloper had...

Nikita Beriman returns to the saddle

July 1, 2023 to January 26, 2024 … that period represents the just shy of seven months that Nikita Beriman...

Australia's Best Betting Sites

New Betting Sites Australia + Top List Bookmaker Apps $$$

Betting in Australia has never been more popular thanks to a large increase in new betting Agencies and Apps available...

Top 10 – Funniest Race Horse Names

Horse racing. Known as the ‘Sport Of Kings’, an industry worth billions, a very serious business…but to some, it’s a...

Best Horse Betting Sites in Australia

Best Horse Racing Betting Apps and Betting Sites – March 2024

We take a look at the best online betting apps to bet on horse racing in Australia for the month...

Golden Slipper

The Golden Slipper is one of the biggest and most prestigious horse races in Australia. Taking place each April at...

Australian Bookmaker Reviews – Online Bookie Ratings $$

Which bookmaker should you bet with? We Review each of the leading online Australian Bookmakers and rate them in order...

 
 
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au