Genevieve Michel
Thirteen years after an horrific career-ending injury, history -making former professional jockey Genevieve Michel has discovered a whole new world of challenges. She represents South Africa this weekend in the Union Cycliste International Masters World Cross-Country Mountain Bike Championships in Lillehammer, Norway.
Genevieve, the first woman to be accepted into the SA Jockey Academy and the first of her sex to ride in the J&B Met, landed on her head and broke her neck while riding work at Milnerton in September 2001.
Genevieve rode King Shore for Geoff Woodruff the year Horse Chestnut won the Met.
She hails from a racing family- her Dad Kenny was a former top heavyweight jockey in Cape Town, and her Mom Wendy rode in amateur races for many years.
Wendy still works as an assistant in the Dean Kannemeyer yard at Milnerton.
Genevieve rode her first winner at Clairwood as a 16yo apprentice two decades ago.
The petite but athletic sports fanatic , who turns 37 next month, is married to a medical doctor based in Windhoek in Namibia and has two children, Anna and Caleb.
Genevieve is racing to defend her title this weekend and has already earned World Champion Stripes.
When contacted by the Sporting Post with best wishes from South Africa, she said that she was fit and ready.
“It is good to hear from you and thanks for the good wishes from everybody back in SA. I hope to bring the title back but have every respect for the strong opposition. Norway is such a beautiful country!” she said.
