Saudi Arabian equestrian talent Sara Jedea eyes Olympic dream

Riyadh: Training for the Olympics is a lifestyle, even if the Games happen to be six years away.

That is the mantra of Saudi female equestrian star Sara Jedea, who dreams of representing the Kingdom at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

It will be the culmination of an ambition Jedea has had since she started taking part in jumping competitions in 2009, at only 15 years old.

But having first started riding at the age of 6, she told Arab News that it is the journey and not the destination that counts — and this is what inspires her every day to represent Saudi Arabia at various competitions.

Jedea, who was born in Switzerland and moved to Manhattan, New York when she was 4 years old, said: “As a young Saudi in a big city, I loved going upstate as a child, where I rode and interacted with horses. That’s when I realized how special the bond can be with animals as smart and intuitive as horses.

“Growing up, all my friends in America were into performance art, theater and music. I loved being with my horses and in nature. I found the same passion and expression in the competitive arenas as my friends did performing in theaters and concerts." 

While she was in school, she realized her heart was in the equestrian world and wanted to embrace the sport fully by dropping out of university and building a career in competitive riding.

Jedea has now been competing in horse shows at the national level since she was 18, enjoying a successful junior career. She was also hand-picked by the Saudi Equestrian Federation to represent Kingdom’s national team at a competition in the UAE in January 2020.

“Competing for me today is more meaningful than ever before. It’s a chance to present the tangible outcomes that Saudi’s Vision