Unbreakable

Lata Brandisová was a truly inspiring woman: a shy countess who achieved the seemingly impossible. Not only was she the first woman to win the toughest horse race in the world, she was also the first woman to even take part. She had to fight a ferocious battle against prejudice simply to get to the starting line. She then showed repeatedly that she was tougher and better than the best male jockeys of her day. She won her greatest victory at the age of forty-two, in circumstances of extraordinary historical drama, on the eve of the Second World War, in a desperate showdown with Nazi Germany. Some believe that, by defeating the feared horsemen of Himmler's SS cavalry, she provoked Hitler into war. And that, remarkably, is only part of the story. She was stripped of her title, she defied both the Nazis and the Communists and was punished by both, she had her home and possessions taken away, her heart was broken in love and her successes in the saddle resulted from an even deeper love between her and her horses. Above all, it's the inspiring story of a woman who stayed true to herself in a man's world, refusing to be swayed from her chosen path no matter what the dangers or difficulties. In short: it's the story of a woman who was unbreakable.