Camel racing a 20-year passion for Victorian jocke...

When Shepparton camel jockey Glenda Sutton mounts for a race, she has no idea what's coming next.

Key points: Shepparton's Glenda Sutton has been racing camels for more than 20 yearsShe'll be racing her 20th Boulia Camel Races this weekend – considered the Melbourne Cup of camel racesSutton says camels can be very unpredictable compared to horses

Because when it comes to camels, they're anything but predictable.

Like her youngest steed, Hajime.

He can go through numerous mood swings in just one race — and there's no telling what will set him off.

Then there's Brother Dan.

Sutton was racing him the other day when he caught sight of himself in a mirror, just as he reached the finish line.

"He fell over," she said with a laugh.

"I couldn’t believe it, he looked in the mirror and just fell over, flat on his side." Sutton is a champion camel jockey.(

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But while they may not have the grace or relative obedience of a racehorse, Sutton wouldn't have it any other way.

For her, camel racing has been a love affair of more than two decades.

And tomorrow, she'll take to the racetrack for her 20th Boulia Camel Races in outback Queensland – the sport's "Melbourne Cup".

Passion began with newspaper ad Racing camels has been  a passion for more than 20 years for Sutton.(

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Twenty-three years ago, Sutton spotted an ad in the paper which would change her life.

It was for camel racing lessons, in the United Arab Emirates.

She answered the call, and has been racing ever since.

"Horses are amazing — much easier to get along with in a lot of ways compared to a camel," she said.

"But once you break through to a camel, it’s a big achievement."

Today, Sutton is known as something of a pioneer of the sport.

She is one of the first – if the not the first – females involved in camel racing in Australia.

Among her greatest victories are the 400m final in 2019 at Boulia, and the 1500m cup final in 2017.

Sutton with race caller Andrew Saunders.(

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In addition to racing, she also trains camels.

"You can’t just take them to the racetrack and they just know," she said.

"You’ve got no steering, you’ve just got to teach them to think ‘racetrack’.

"If you don’t do that, you can have some pear-shaped things happen on the day."

Successful and rewarding career The jockey says camels can be unpredictable but lovable.(

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Compared to a horse, camels are a rough animal to ride.

And recently, Sutton admits she's started to feel the aches and pains of the sport a little more.

"Last week we did a ride in the 400m, we won the cup there," she said.

"But physically, afterwards, I felt, ‘Oh dear, I’m getting old’."

But with her track record of winning races, it looks like the jockey will continue her passion for years to come.

And as the lifespan of camels can be up to 40 years, she'll have her faithful – if unpredictable – steeds by her side.