25-year-old German Maike Riehl won her first race in France yesterday at the Cagnes-Sur-Mer racecourse with Makototonbokiri. Formerly a member of the national judo team, it is interesting to look back on the unusual journey of the German hopeful.
Maike Riehl ©RaceBets
Born October 31, 1996, Maike Riehl is part of it, just like Sibylle Vogt, of the best German female jockeys. At the age of 25, she signed her first victory in France yesterday (01/27/22), at Cagnes-Sur-Mer, in the saddle on Makotombokiri (Stormy River), a horse trained by Marian Falk Weissmeier, for who Maike has been going up for several seasons. The driver stayed in the middle of the peloton until the home stretch, before launching her partner 400m from the post then taking the best and overtaking a certain Christophe Soumillon. To date, the young woman has a total of 37 victories: 36 in Germany and one on French soil. During his young career, Maike Riehl has already had the opportunity to win at various German racetracks, but she was also able to perfect herself by participating in races in Morocco or Oman.
Maike Riehl and Makototonbokiri pass the post in the lead at Cagnes-Sur-MerIf today she is one of the most promising German jockeys, Maike Riehl had oriented his career towards a completely different sport… judo! Having started this combat sport very young, she took the title of German Junior Champion in 2014 before taking third place in the German Senior Championship in 2016. Maike Riehl was even able to join the national team and participate in several European Cup competitions. Born in the Cologne region and having always been surrounded by animals, Maike lived with dogs, cats, and horses. But that was not for her a career plan, at first.
Maike Riehl (left) during the final of the German Championships -52 kgIt was only after her studies that the young woman decided to get on horseback. At the time, she had knowledge of horses but was not part of the world of horse racing. It is therefore thanks to Peter Schiergen, based in Cologne, not far from her hometown, that she set foot in the stirrup. After spending two years as an apprentice alongside the number 1 German coach, discovering competition on the way, Maike joined the team of Jean-Pierre Caravalho in Bergheim. She now works at Marian Falk Weissmeier based in Mülheim and is increasingly present across the Rhine.
Maike Riehl and Peter Schiergen for his 4th victory, in Dortmund. © Deutscher GaloppFinally, the objectives of this competitor are to assert herself even more in a male environment and to become the best jockey in Germany by relying on the spirit of competition, determination and concentration brought by judo.
