This 20-year-old woman is creating something new in Merano

In the 85-year history of the Grand Prix, she is the first woman to start in the big chase race. How did that come about?

Two years ago she first entered the male-dominated stage of obstacle racing, and since then she has fought for a permanent place in the riding camp. Lenka Neprasova will be competing in her first Grand Prix at the tender age of 2 in the saddle of Fly Filo Fly. At first, nothing had indicated that she would become a professional rider.

Unlike many of her colleagues, Lenka does not come from a family with equestrian interests. It was only when she was 10 years old that she came into contact with horses through a friend and made her first attempts at riding. But horses soon became the focus of the young girl's life and her desire to pursue a professional training in equestrian sports matured.

With the support of her mother, she moved to the vicinity of Cyse and attended the state vocational school for riders. There, Jan Faltejsek and his wife Elzbeta noticed the ambitious blonde and took her on to their team. Two years ago, she became a professional rider and had her first ride.

A rapid rise Although Lenka was initially met with some scepticism and often ridiculed by her colleagues, she soon gained respect. Thanks to her tactical sense, she compensated for her physical disadvantages and her first successes soon followed. The quiet and modest rider has now collected 12 victories on the racetracks in her home country, in France and Italy.

She is prepared to make many sacrifices for her career. The alarm clock usually rings at 4 a.m., followed by 3 to 4 training rides a day, as well as stable work in the late afternoon. While her peers are partying in the disco, the jockeys often have to travel for hours in bumpy horse transporters to races abroad.

But Lenka Neprasova is happy to make these sacrifices for her sporting dreams. With her ride in the Grand Prix of Merano on Sunday, one of them will come true and she could soon set another milestone in her career by competing in the “Velka” in her home town of Pardubice.

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This 20-year-old woman is creating something new in Merano

At first glance, one would mistake her for a gymnast or ballerina due to her petite stature, but Lenka Neprasova will be making a debut at the Merano racecourse on Sunday.

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