Former Penola woman Caitlin Jones recently won the International Jockeys Challenge in Saudi Arabia.

Jones joined seven female and seven male riders from across the the world who were invited to participate.

Jones received a call from Sarah Judge, associated with the Saudi Arabia Racing Club, who had spoken to the Head Steward in Dubai and asked if he had suggestions for another female rider.

“So he put my name in the hat and Sarah made contact with me and asked if I was interested and I absolutely was,” she said.

“The Tuesday before the Friday that Saudi was on, I got the email from Sarah to say that I had got the call up, so it was a quick trip but it was very surreal with the outcome.”

Jones said she was very excited when she won the International Jockeys Challenge in Saudi Arabia and received a hefty trophy to take home.

“I was just excited to be a part of it, it was fantastic, so to win it was just a whole new level,” she said.

“It was very overwhelming, obviously I went there with no expectation of winning, just enjoying the opportunity to be there and be invited and be a part of that.

“To win it was certainly something I will be very grateful for, because I did not see it coming.”

Jones rode four races in Dubai and four in Saudi Arabia.

She said both horses ‘He’s a Balter’ and ‘Parsifal’ raced exceptionally well and both won prizemoney in all of their races.

Jones now lives in Adelaide but she was born in Penola and recently arrived back home on Australian turf.

The talented jockey has a long history with horses; she said she started amateurs when she was 20 and had been a professional jockey for eight years.

“I was born into horses really, I have always loved them,” she said.

“I had a pony from a very young age and Dad had an Owners-Trainer’s licence so I learned to ride track work originally for him.

“I was more on the equestrian side of it for a long time and then I got more involved riding track work for Dad and I just always wanted to be a jockey since I was little and it ended up working in my favour in the long run.

“I just pursued racehorses and loved the industry and stuck with it.”

Jones has previously won two listed races in Adelaide, including one for Richard and Chantelle Jolly on a horse called Regalo Di Gaetano.

She also tasted victory in her first week as a senior rider, for Tony and Calvin McEvoy on a horse called Savatoxl.

“It’s been great to get out and travel a bit more, but obviously to go internationally and abroad, it’s fantastic,” Jones said.

“It was great to be given the opportunity to be able to go over there and then to win it, it was very rewarding.