Diana Farah

DUBAI: 13-year-old Japanese girl Anne is determined to become a jockey and build a connection between Japan and the UAE through horse racing.

After moving to the UAE this summer for her parents’ work, Anne has already immersed herself in equestrian training, working with clubs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to hone her skills.

Her passion for horse racing began at age seven in Japan, where she regularly traveled alone to riding clubs.

In 2023, she represented the Kanto region in the national pony racing championships, finishing fourth at Tokyo Racecourse. Now, her sights are set on becoming the first UAE-trained jockey to be licensed by Japan Racing Association (JRA).

In the UAE, Anne trains three times a week in dressage, show jumping and endurance riding.

Dressage sharpens her ability to control the horse with subtle movements, show jumping hones her skills in navigating obstacles at speed and endurance riding allows her to experience the thrill of racing across the desert at 50 km/h.

In December, Anne will compete in a 40-kilometer endurance race in Dubai, a challenge she couldn’t have experienced in Japan.

Anne, who is known on Instagram as ‘Jockey Anne Rose,’ said her inspiration is jockey Holly Doyle.

“I want to be a female jockey who competes on the world stage,” she said. 

The 13-year-old has almost 12,000 followers on Instagram, where she posts videos and photos of herself in training or competing in a horse race. 

In Japan, a rigorous selection process awaits aspiring jockeys, where candidates aged 15 to 20 undergo an initial tryout comprising athletic ability tests, written exams, riding assessments, interviews, and physical measurements.

Out of approximately 200 hopefuls each year, those who succeed attend a second tryout, which is a three-day camp. After that, fewer than 10 students who usually pass the second tryout can enter the demanding three-year training program.

During this time, they study horse racing both in the classroom and in the stables, with strict rules governing their behavior—mobile phones and snacks are locked away, and any excess weight is punished just as it would be in the professional ranks.

Japan and the UAE have a growing connection through horse racing, with both nations sharing a passion for the sport. Anne hopes to be a part of that link, racing at top venues like Tokyo Racecourse and Meydan Racecourse while inspiring the next generation of jockeys.