Omani female jockey eyes the big time

Rising up the ranks, she hopes to see female riders from Gulf countries make their mark in the Dubai World Cup
By M. Satya Narayan, Chief Sports Reporter

Azhar Al Wardi, Omani female jockey Abu Dhabi:
Oman's Azhar Al Wardi is hoping to break into big-time flat racing like her countrywoman Salima Al Taleei. Currently racing as an amateur in the Fegentri Cup and in the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR), the 25-year-old has already scored some important wins and among one of her aims is to race on Dubai World Cup night. “ There are some very good lady jockeys in the Fegentri Cup riding as amateurs. In fact it gives us lady riders from the Gulf countries the belief that we can do very well in international races too. ” Azhar, who has taken part in flat races regularly in Oman, has also raced in Turkey, the Netherlands, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Australia. Her exploits in a fledgling career were acknowledged as the Oman lady jockey won the Best Jockey award in the newly-instituted HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards. Azhar was in Abu Dhabi last week for the announcement of the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR). In an exclusive interview with Gulf News, she said lady jockeys in the region were fast catching up with their counterparts from the rest of the world. Following are some excerpts from the interview:
Gulf News: Did you watch the Dubai World Cup race meeting? Azhar Al Wardi: Every year I watch it on TV but this year I was there and watched all the races live. I was so happy that lady jockeys were taking part in the Dubai World Cup meeting. It was great to see them compete against some of the best male jockeys and in one of the world's best set of races.
As a lady jockey yourself, how did you feel when you saw lady jockeys take part in the Dubai World Cup meeting?
Hayley Turner in the sprint race and Chantal Sutherland in the Dubai World Cup looked so cool and confident. Though they did not manage to win, they looked so much part of the great meeting and I wished I was there riding. But I am sure in the future, one of the lady jockeys from the Gulf or Arab region will race on Dubai World Cup night. The HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) series is now going to be open for professional lady jockeys too.
How do you see this affecting amateur jockeys like you?
It is a good move and it will be beneficial to us. We can get a lot of experience while racing with the professionals. In fact, it will be like a small competition between the amateur jockeys and the professionals. We will be motivated to do well against the professional lady jockeys. It will give us a chance to show that amateurs can also win when competing against professionals. It will be a good learning experience for us. You have become the first winner of the Best Jockey in the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards which is now going to be an annual affair.
How did you feel winning it?
The award gives me a great feeling. There are some very good lady jockeys in the Fegentri Cup riding as amateurs. In fact it gives us lady riders from the Gulf countries the belief that we can do very well in international races too. We can prove all the doubters wrong that lady jockeys from the Gulf countries lack the skills. In fact, now we are keen to ensure we win races and qualify to race in the HH Shaikh Fatima Bint Mubarak World Championship (IFAHR) race to be held in November in Abu Dhabi.
How many years do you think it will take for lady jockeys from the Gulf countries to catch up with the rest?
I honestly feel there is no gap between us and the lady jockeys from other countries. I have already won seven races in the Fegentri Cup series and I feel that is a good yardstick of our level of skills. So, I am already there racing in the Fegentri Cup series. Fatma Al Manji [from Oman] won the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race in Houston in March. Shathra [Al Hajjaj of the UAE] I hope will soon join us in the Fegentri Cup. So we are already there.
What do you think are the hurdles you face in what is a male-dominated sport?
We never had many opportunities to race. But since the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival launched the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak races for lady jockeys last year, now we are getting some opportunities. The more races we take part in, the more experience we will gain and hopefully we will get to race in big meetings like the Dubai World Cup night. Once we do well and prove ourselves in the ladies races, then the connections will begin to take notice of our potential.
Source: http://gulfnews.com/sport/other-sports/omani-female-jockey-eyes-the-big-time-1.1011712