International Women’s Day with professional golfer Rebbecca Artis

Narrabri Shire celebrated International Women’s Day at an evening with professional golfer Rebbecca Artis.

The event on Friday at the Narrabri Golfie saw about 40 people in attendance.

Mrs Artis was the special guest speaker at the event hosted by Jocellin Jansson and sponsored by Narrabri Shire Council.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day was #EachforEqual – in which ‘an equal world is an enabled world’.

Mrs Artis said it was ‘a privilege to be the guest speaker.’

“I was honoured to be asked,” she said.

“I’m new to Narrabri, people know that my husband Geoff and I are here, but sometimes people get a little bit shy about asking questions about where I’ve come from and what I’ve done.

“So it was nice for people to hear my story and what I’ve done in my career.

“Then they opened questions to the floor so people could ask individual questions.”

Kim Rozendaal, Abby McClure, Elizabeth Campbell and Taylah Lein. Kim Rozendaal, Abby McClure, Elizabeth Campbell and Taylah Lein.

Carmel Harvey, Renee Murphy, Martine Smith, front, Natalie Raeck, Diana Burtenshaw and Jenny Bradshaw. Carmel Harvey, Renee Murphy, Martine Smith, front, Natalie Raeck, Diana Burtenshaw and Jenny Bradshaw.

Allyce Escurale, Allison Bell and Tara Foley. Allyce Escurale, Allison Bell and Tara Foley.

Emily and Jenna Flood. Emily and Jenna Flood.

Sue Holmes, Kristy Farris, Debbie Foster and Clare Felton-Taylor. Sue Holmes, Kristy Farris, Debbie Foster and Clare Felton-Taylor.

Mrs Artis said the event was a good way for the women of the Narrabri Shire to talk about a shared goal.

“It’s nice for us to get together and chat about a common cause,” she said.

“We’re all there for the same reasons really.

Whether you’re in sport, like I am, or in the corporate world there needs to be change.

“And slowly it is shifting and the gap is closing.

“I feel, certainly in the corporate world, the gap has probably closed more than in the sporting world.

“But it’s just nice for us to get together and brainstorm some ideas and talk about where it’s all heading.

“It’s one common goal and that’s to change it in the years to come.”

Mrs Artis said the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day related to her professional experiences.

“The ‘Each for Equal’ theme for International Women’s Day, I can really relate back to that,” said Mrs Artis.

“Being a professional athlete and being a lady in professional sport, the prize money is considerably different between female golfers and male golfers.

“I would love to see, over the coming years, a real change, and that gap closed. But it may take some time for that to happen.

“There’s one event here in Australia that we play every year which is the Vic Open.

“And it has the men and women playing on the same two golf courses on the same week.

“We play for separate prize purses but the prize purses are both equal.

“So that’s a real change in golf, and it’s the first of its kind anywhere in the world,” Mrs Artis said.

“It’s a great initiative and I would like to see more events like that around the world within woman’s and men’s golf.

“But not only in golf but in all sports, just to see that gap closed between male and female sports.”