SUCCESSES AND DREAMS OF JOANNA WYRZYK

Który to już Twój sezon na Służewcu? 7 sezon, w 2014 miałam swój debiut.

Po 7 sezonach masz zdobyty tytuł dżokeja, wygrane Derby. Co dalej?

Zostało mi wygrać Wielką Warszawską. Jest to moje marzenie i myślę, że uda mi się je spełnić.

Jest ktoś taki kto Cię inspiruje oprócz taty?

Oczywiście, cała moja rodzina. Moja mama, chłopak, brat, siostra, znajomi. Mam poczucie, że dużo osób rzuca mi kłody pod nogi. Jednak mimo tego zawsze jest ktoś, kto mnie wspiera.

Kim się teraz czujesz?

Nie lubię się chwalić, ale wydaje mi się, że jestem dobra w tym co robię. Derby mnie naprawdę podbudowały i pokazały jak silna może być kobieta. Zawsze byłyśmy w cieniu, a nagle okazało się, że dziewczyna potrafi wygrać tak duży wyścig. Będę długo powtarzać, że wyścigi wygrywa się zimną krwią i zdrowym myśleniem, nie płcią.

AUTHOR: ANNAMARIA SOBIERAJSKA, PAULINA MAZUREK PHOTOS: SŁUŻEWIEC RACECOURSE

What are your biggest racing dreams?

Winning the Derby and the Wielka Warszawska.

You partly succeeded in fulfilling it.

Yes, I didn’t win the Great Warsaw Race, but I still hope it will happen one day. The victory in the Derby was really unexpected. Nobody expected it, not even myself.

What did you feel after the victory?

It’s hard to describe. Now as the time goes by, I can say that how I rode helped Guitar Men win, but when it comes to excitement after the race it will take me a long time to come to my senses. The fact that I was the first woman ever to win the Derby and thus go down in history, is a great accomplishment for me.

How does it affect you? Do you feel more confident in the saddle?

I have definitely become more confident. There were trainers, not only my father, who signed me up to ride their horses and I think they did that thinking that I would be able to give the horse wings. It was encouraging that they recognized how the rider behaved during the race would make a big difference. It gave me wings and boosted my self-confidence, which is something I often lack.

Are you happy with yourself and how you ride now?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes I make simple mistakes, which make me angry with myself. I have a lot of experience, I am a jockey, but I don’t always get it right. As far as my riding in general is concerned, I think I have improved a lot. I heard from some people that my hand ride and how I move can be compared to that of men. I am most satisfied with my tactical approach to races and thinking about what I am doing. That matters the most to me.

Who do you owe it to?

The people who surround me. It is mainly my father that has a big influence on my career. He is the one who taught me everything from scratch, all the foundations. After the race he would take me aside and say “look, here you made a mistake, here you made a good move. Here you made this mistake, and here another.” Thanks to this, I have the ability to draw conclusions and I know when I am going wrong. After a race I can admit that I could have done something better or even won. Then I am very angry with myself. People put all their heart into preparing a horse for the whole year and I waste it in two minutes. It is the most painful thing. This is when, at the back of my head, I feel that I let down the trainer, the owner, those who work with the horse on a daily basis. On the other hand, it is nice when I win with a lower-ranked horse, when everyone laughs that he is fat or ugly. Then I reply „we will soon prove you wrong.” Those kinds of victories are the most pleasant, because

they demonstrate it is possible to win races thanks to good tactics and well-planned riding.

We talked about the Derby because it really was a pivotal moment, but the season went on for several months and I think it was somewhat bittersweet for you.

It was, kind of. When I won the Derby I thought there was nothing better that could happen to me. And then I managed to win the whole Women Power series. There are good times and bad times throughout the season. Indeed, there was a moment when I couldn’t win anything, but there were days when I placed high and those were unexpected victories. In general, I consider this season very successful. I think it’s great that my father gives me opportunities all the time. He sees potential in me. You could say that I took Szczepan’s place and that is what makes me very happy.

What does the victory in the Women Power Series mean to you?

I think it’s an encouraging victory. Last year I didn’t manage to do it. I was ahead of Daria Pantchev. Back then the decisive factor was the advantage of first places. This year I won by a large margin. Women’s races are special and they have a completely different atmosphere. It is great that so many girls want to race and that there are trainers who provide them with horses. Life, or I should rather say my father, has given me a little bit more chances. He wants me to excel and stand out and he helps me achieve that. Not all girls are so lucky, but they are not discouraged nonetheless. The Women Power races give women a chance to demonstrate their capabilities.

How many seasons have you been at Służewiec? This is my 7th season. I made my debut in 2014.

After 7 seasons, you hold the jockey title and you are the Derby winner. What’s next for you?

What’s left for me is to win the Wielka Warszawska. This is my dream and I believe I will be able to accomplish it.

Is there anyone else, apart from your dad, who inspires you?

Of course, my whole family. My mom, boyfriend, brother, sister and friends. I have a feeling that a lot of people try to stop me from going forward. But despite all that, there is always someone who supports me.

How do you feel about yourself right now?

I don’t like to brag but I think I’m good at what I do. The Derby really encouraged me and made me realize how strong a woman can be. We’ve always been kept somewhat aside and all of a sudden it turned out that a girl can win such a big race. I will keep repeating that it takes cold blood and sound thinking, not gender, to win races.