“Where Eventing Lives”

Welcome back to Go Eventing, the podcast where the heart, soul, and stories of the eventing world come to life. In this week's powerful and inspiring episode, we invite you to look with us beyond the competition results, and focus more on how eventing can evolve to become more inclusive, more global, and more sustainable. Whether you’re an athlete, fan, coach, or advocate, this episode is a reminder that eventing’s future is global — and that there’s more than one way to reach the top.

🔎What’s Inside Episode 12?

Host Sally Spickard sits down with Noor Slaoui, the first woman from the Arab States region to compete in Olympic Eventing. From riding mules in the Moroccan mountains to training in France to England where she now runs a successful competition and training program, Noor’s journey is one of bold ambition, cultural pride, and a deep belief in what’s possible. She speaks candidly about the highs and lows of being a trailblazer, from the financial hurdles of high-performance sport to the cultural richness of Morocco’s equestrian heritage.

Also a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Noor opens up about the challenges of entering the sport later than most, her emotional debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and how she’s creating meaningful change in the Moroccan and global equestrian communities.

🔥 In This Episode, We Cover...

There wasn't a dry eye in the house during Mai Baum's retirement ceremony at the Event at Rebecca Farm, so Sally and Noor take us back down memory road with some of his and Tamie's most notable accomplishments. They also cover the upcoming 5*s to be tackled in Defender Burghley and the MARS Maryland 5 Star, as well as several exciting changes coming to Maryland with their new course designer, Paris Olympic designer Pierre Le Goupil. 

Sally and Noor dive into a deeper discussion from a recent COTH article by Matt Brown, titled "Working Ourselves Into The Ground: Rethinking Productivity In The Equestrian World".  Noor draws several parallels to the article from her own journey, and she and Sally discuss how sustainability in this sport requires a true step back to confront and address.

"What if we saw a professional who takes a rest day as someone who’s responsible, not lazy? What if we admired a trainer who works fewer horses but develops them slowly, thoughtfully, and with joy? What if we celebrated business models that prioritize sustainability over volume?" - Matt Brown

Congratulations to the winners of our Go Eventing Podcast 10th Episode Giveaway!

Noor's journey is quite the unique one, and as she and Sally discuss everything from growing eventing in smaller countries to the French education and horse production system, they shed some light on inclusivity, elitism, and longevity in the sport. Noor discusses her upbringing in Morocco riding mules in the mountains and desert, and how she often felt (and still feels) that she is playing a constant game of catch-up while giving her all to be an ambassador for her country. She pushes for advocacy, representation, and education globally, all while keeping both her past and future in mind.

Also, check out Cash In Hand's custom plastic shoes that he wore for the Paris 2024 Olympics!

Noor's organized and logical answer to our horse-sized ducks/duck-sized horses question gets a real laugh out of Sally, and she discusses various travel items on her horsey bucket list. In the game of Two Truths and a Lie, what do you think Noor forgot at home when she traveled to compete at Luhmühlen?? (spoiler alert: it's literally everything)

[Submit your question for our co-hosts here]

Upcoming guest co-hosts include Windurra #Supergroom Steph Simpson, Olympic Show Jumping Gold Medalist and US Eventing Team coach Peter Wylde, and a super-secret guest we hope to reveal soon!

🎧 Inspired by Noor’s journey?

Connect with us @goeventing and let us know how Go Eventing is sparking your own passion or purpose. You can also reach us anytime at [email protected]. 

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