Seven championship titles, 720 victories and the first Indian woman to win an international tournament — all this in a sport, that not many knew women
played. That is Rupa Singh for you! Apart from dominating the horse racing circuit over the past few years, the 33-year-old jockey also stands as an example for self belief. She speaks to DC at length about her career, hurdles she faced and about the misconceptions about women taking horse racing as a profession.
“I’ve had an affinity towards horse riding right from my childhood, as my grandfather used to look after a private stable. But, I never thought that I would come this far,” starts Rupa, adding, “It was my father’s dream to see me become a successful jockey. He helped me push my limits and this boosted my confidence.”
Sharing with us the experience of taking part in her first ever competition, she says that she had mixed feelings post the race. “I still remember the day. Some people were looking at me strangely and a few even mocked me, as I was the only woman to participate in it. Hence, my morale was down and my confidence level decreased. But, I managed to finish fourth, and more than jubilation, what I felt was just exhaustion!”
The champion jockey gets instantly excited when we ask her about her achievement at the international circuit. Stating that the compliments she received from her counterparts across the world as a proud moment, she says, “The tournament I took part in Poland was a one-of-its-kind experience. Instead of burdening myself with targets, my focus was only on relishing the experience. But, when I ended up winning it, I got a unanimous applause. Being the first Indian woman jockey to win an international event will stay as a fond memory for the rest of my life.”
She says that the sport can be both physically and mentally tiring, and accepts that the latter aspect is one area, where, men have the advantage. But, she quickly shrugs off the misconception that horse racing is a men’s sport. “We, as women jockeys, can’t have any excuses. Of course, trainers prefer men, but it’s all about thriving amidst challenges, isn’t it? For me, this is more of a passion driven sport,” she muses.
For me, this is more of a passion driven sport. Hence rather than debating if it’s a sport that would be too demanding for women, I would just say that if you have the urge to succeed, you can cross minor hurdles,” she muses.
When we inquire about her future aspirations, she politely replies that she just wants to cherish every moment as a jockey — “I don’t believe in setting goals. Being a jockey is all I wanted to do in life and I just want to keep competing in as many tournaments as possible.”
On a concluding note, she gives a piece of advice for young aspirants who wish to take this up as a profession. “Horse racing is a combination of excitement, risk and adventure. If you whole-heartedly love this sport, and if you’re mentally prepared to face challenges, then you can definitely come out in flying colours — regardless of what gender you are,” she says and bids adieu.
