Olympic eventing: Morocco’s Noor Slaoui riding her way to history

Slaoui’s love for all things equine started as a child growing up in Casablanca.

“My parents were very big on hiking, so we’d go up in the mountains in the desert with the horses and mules,” she explained.

“That’s what really developed my passion. It was really the love of the animal.

“I find them so interesting, so majestic. And to create a partnership with such an animal for me has always been so special.

“I’ve always been fascinated by horses. It’s the thing that’s always been on my mind since I was four.”

Driven to become a professional rider, Slaoui moved to France at the age of 18 to join a national horse riding school.

“That’s where I stepped foot into the professional riding world to understand how it worked,” she said.

“It really shaped me as a person. The school was originally a military school and the atmosphere there is very, very military.

“I had to do a lot of learning. Learning to be on time, learning to not cut any corners.

“Physically, I learned to be more precise in what I did. I’m very grateful for that experience.”

Slaoui then embarked on a degree at the University of Warwick in the English Midlands, living in the Cotswolds where she was further motivated by the many eventing opportunities on offer.

“I would drive past these big horse shows like Badminton – the pinnacle of the sport for us in eventing – and I just loved it.”

After graduating, she went into business in the area with her coach, Deborah Fellous, and the pair co-own a yard where Slaoui is still based.

Around six years on, the Moroccan is set to break new ground at the 2024 Games in Paris.