Woman manages both motherhood and jockeying together

ISTANBUL

This Mother’s Day, millions of sons and daughters joined celebrations far from their mothers because of a full lockdown ongoing in Turkey due to the pandemic.

Mothers across the world and from all walks of life are the cornerstones of every human being and leave their children in awe at how they juggle life as mothers and as working women.

One such woman is Damla Atasoy, a successful jockey who came first in many women’s rider races under the roof of the Jockey Club of Turkey (TJK).

Atasoy, who also works at the club’s therapy center with horses, is a mother of three.

Starting the day early, Atasoy goes to Veliefendi Hippodrome in Istanbul every morning to feed, water and groom the horses she is in charge of.

Then her main day job starts, and she takes children with disabilities, who are brought to the center for therapy throughout the day, for a horseback ride.

When she returns home in the evening, Atasoy’s other task begins: Preparing dinner for the family and taking care of her children.

“I love my job because I love the horses that I do not separate from my children. My kids tire me too, but that’s okay, they’re everything to me,” she says.

Damla Atasoy was instilled her love for horses by her husband Kıvanç Atasoy, a former jockey who is still working as a trainer at the club’s apprentice center.

Damla Atasoy had an ordinary job at an office until the age of 24, which had nothing to do with horses, before her first date with Kıvanç Atasoy, who she would later marry.

The couple moved to New Zealand immediately after their marriage, where they coached and groomed racehorses for a year.

When the duo returned to Turkey, they started working at the hippodrome, and then their three children were born.

Noting that motherhood strengthens her even more, Atasoy is nowadays shuttling between her house and the hippodrome, mothering her children and the horses there.