Camels are an integral part of the region’s heritage and the embodiment of the Bedouin way of life. But seeing a woman race a camel was uncommon until last year when we started seeing images of female jockeys racing camels to the finish line go viral on social media.
Our guest Linda Krockenberger, UAE’s first female camel jockey trainer and the co-founder of the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre in Dubai, which is the first licensed camel riding school in the region, is to credit for this revolution in a sport that has traditionally been practiced by men only.
Linda’s love for camels blossomed when she took a 14-day trek from Liwa in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi to Dubai on this friendly creature in 2019. She shifted her entire focus and career into building a riding centre with co-founder Obaid Al Falasi in 2021, where women felt welcome and encouraged to pursue it as a sport. The centre also established the first and only camel racing championship for female jockeys in the region last year.
Now, with a majority of students at the centre being women, Linda sees the vast potential of growing the sport across the region and also leading the way in shaping the regulations around jockey safety, animal welfare and preservation of heritage in the sport.
In this episode, we explore the camel racing scene in the UAE and get Linda to share memorable and pivotal moments in her journey, and the upcoming camel racing season for women, which begins on October 29.
You can follow the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre on @adcrc.me , www.adcrc.me
The schedule for season two of the championship for women can be found on their Race Page .
Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences.
Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.
Linda’s achievements prove that anything is possible when you are resolute in your mission. We hope it drives you to achieving yours. Enjoy!
For more info, visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset
Dawn & Afshan