Indian-origin woman jockey to make debut in Poland

Warsaw, Aug 24 (IANS)

An Indian-origin woman jockey will make her debut in a race in Poland's Sluzewiec horse race track.

Rupa Narpat Singh, who has been riding since the age of four, will Sunday compete with nine rivals in the 13th leg of the Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR), Gulf News reported.

The IFAHR is part of the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

"My grandfather introduced me to riding but my father encouraged me to be a jockey," Rupa Narpat Singh said.

"There were no women jockeys around, so my father thought it would be a challenge and create a record."

Lara Sawaya, executive director of the Shaikh Mansour Festival and chairman of the IFAHR Ladies Racing Committee, welcomed Rupa Narpat Singh's participation in the series.

"Poland is making history because it will see the debut of the top Indian professional lady jockey Rupa Singh, a winner of 506 races from 3,000 starts," Sawaya said.

"With India onboard, the countries which are represented in the festival have increased from 55 to 56 nations."

The Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with the Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society.