The Iron Dames Project Extends to Equestrian Sport

As an expansion of its successful pioneering project, the Iron Dames has today announced its new commitment to the world of horse riding by building an elite women’s show jumping team with the ambition to compete at the highest level in FEI competitions, including the Longines Global Champions Tour and Global Champions League.

Since the project’s inception in 2018, the Iron Dames have spread their wings in motorsport, achieving historic performances at the highest level of endurance racing while raising awareness and showcasing their passion worldwide.

In the meantime, the team has continued to grow with more and more women joining, in line with the project’s philosophy of promoting and inspiring women in all areas of mixed sports.

Mixed sports are still often perceived as masculine worlds, with relatively low representation of women at elite levels and insufficient support and recognition for what they deserve. It is still the case in horse riding – the only Olympic sport featuring men and women competing directly head-to-head. They have been doing so for over 50 years, but it’s an aspect of equestrian sport that receives little public attention.

Building Iron Dames Equestrian meets this need for visibility and support for women in other sports and strengthens the development of the Iron Dames global project.

True to the values and spirit of a model that has proved its worth in motorsport, Iron Dames Equestrian also incorporates the development of talented young riders from junior categories to professional categories and promotes women in the professional equestrian world in all lines of work.

By taking this ambitious step forward, the Iron Dames project is further establishing itself as a leader in empowering women and pushing the boundaries of sports and gender barriers.

To mark the start of this new chapter in the project’s young history, Iron Dames drivers (Sarah Bovy [BEL], Rahel Frey [SUI], Michelle Gatting [DEN], Natalia Granada [ESP] and Doriane Pin [FRA]) and new Iron Dames riders (Natalie Dean [USA], Katrin Eckermann [GER], Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann [GER], Sophie Hinners [GER] and Kim Emmen [NED]) were brought together at Autodromo Vallelunga.

The track in Campagnano di Roma has a highly symbolic heritage since it was converted from a horse racecourse to motor racing. The event was held with the participation of the Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL ahead of the Roma leg of the 2023 championship, which the Iron Dames drivers will attend.