‘It’s on my bucket list for my grandad to see me ride in a race’: teenager inspired by Khadijah Mellah makes dream come true
A teenager who was inspired by Khadijah Mellah to pursue her racing dream will take on the Markel Magnolia Cup (31 July) in a full-circle moment.
Sienna Anderson has always had a passion for horses and racing, but never thought a career in racing could be an option for her.
“My great-granddad, my nan’s dad, loved racing, and when he passed away, it became an annual thing that we would get a coach up from London and spend the day at the races,” Sienna, 18, told H&H.
“I’ve always loved horses and through watching the races, that ignited my love for racing. I just never really knew how to get into it or had the chance to do so.”
Sienna said the first time she met and rode a horse was as a birthday treat as a child. Her aunt had a horse on loan and took Sienna down for the day. From that moment, she was hooked.
“I chewed my mum’s ear off from then onwards,” she said. “At Christmas and my birthday, a pony day was the only thing I wanted – it was like gold.”
She spent as much time as she could helping and riding at Mottingham Farm Equestrian Centre, which she said holds a special place in her heart.
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The centre, and its manager Chloe Williams, were also hugely supportive in helping Sienna take the next step in the equestrian world through the Riding A Dream Academy. The initiative is inspired by 2019 Magnolia Cup winner Khadijah to support talented young riders from underrepresented communities into racing.
“I was watching the news while I was getting ready for school one day, and the montage of the Riding A Dream Academy came on. I think what caught my eye was Khadijah, as I had watched her documentary with my mum – and that made me realise that it was possible,” she said.
“So I applied for Riding A Dream and didn’t really think too much about it, as I didn’t think that I would get the chance. I couldn’t believe it when I found out that I had got in. That was the start.”
Sienna was part of the first cohort of students on the programme that runs at the British Racing School in Newmarket and the students went for the weekend once a month.
“Every weekend there would fly by,” said Sienna. “I struggled in school, because I knew what I wanted to do, and I knew that it wasn’t there – what I was learning at school wasn’t what I wanted to learn. The weekends at the racing school I would think, ‘Wow, this is where I want to be – how do I make this my life?’
“The weekends were over in a blink and then I’d be sitting, waiting, watching the days go by until the next one.
“I was being exposed to this world I didn’t know existed outside where I lived and I was getting to live my dream. I feel like it sounds over-exaggerated, but I genuinely thought it was impossible [to get into racing], like there was absolutely no way – you had to be a certain person, or have a certain amount of money, or be related to someone, and I didn’t come under any of those things.
“So when I did Riding A Dream, I felt I was a part of the industry and knew that this is where I want to be.”
After graduating from the academy, Sienna sat her GCSEs, then returned to the British Racing School for a 12-week foundation course.
“I loved every minute of it. And I think because I struggled quite a lot in my life in London, I then saw a different side of myself once I had moved to Newmarket,” she said.
Sienna, who works for Charlie Fellowes, has since completed a level two apprenticeship and will become the second Riding A Dream graduate to ride in the Magnolia Cup when she lines up at Goodwood.
“Khadijah has done an incredible job already, and has been my living role model. I know that there are people in the exact position I was in when I was 12, 13 years old who feel like this is impossible. Riding A Dream is living proof that it isn’t impossible, and there are so many of us [graduates] coming through now and it’s nice to see everyone making their own success stories,” she said.
On a personal level, she is excited about having her family there to watch.
“I speak about my mum very highly as she is such a role model to me and she has sacrificed a lot for me to do this. So for me, to have her there to watch and for me to almost give back, in a sense, it means a lot,” she said.
“And for my granddad as well, he and I are very close and have similar likes and similar passions – he loves the horses as well – so for him to be able to be there… That is one of the things on my bucket list, is for my granddad to see me ride in a race. So that will be very emotional; I’m very excited for him to be there, it’s really special.”
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.