Leading Ladies
Madawi Al Qahtani, Saudi Arabia’s First Licensed Female Jockey
A team of female equestrians including riders from Saudi Arabia made history in 2019 when they became the first women to ever perform at the Kingdom’s renowned Souq Okaz Festival. Less than two years later, another woman has made horse riding history by becoming Saudi Arabia’s first licensed female jockey.
After 15 years of horse-riding experience and skill to her name, Madawi Al-Qahtani received her jockey license this week from the Equestrian Square in Janadriyah, Saudi Arabia, making it the second national qualification for the skilled rider. Her first license was a show jumping training license from the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation. She adds the achievement of these two licenses to other key milestones in her career on the field, such as setting up the first horse riding school in Janadriyah for women and girls in 2016.