A PIONEERING jockey who was the first person to wear a hijab in a competitive horse race paid a special visit to Hartpury last month to film an episode of CBBC’s ‘Operation Ouch!’.
Magnolia Cup winner Khadijah Mellah visited the university and college campus to film a feature called ‘Brilliant Bodies’ for the children’s education programme, which aired on March 1.
The programme highlighted Khadijah’s strengths and abilities as she was put through her paces and assessed by Hartpury’s sports science team, utilising data from its hi-tech equine and sports facilities.
Operation Ouch! is a factual show about medical science and the wonders of the human body, aimed at six to 12-year-olds.
Associate Professor Dr Kathryn Nankervis, Equestrian Performance Research Centre Lead at Hartpury, said: “We were absolutely delighted to demonstrate the many important elements of equestrian sports science and support Khadijah and the team from Operation Ouch!
“It’s brilliant that the programme is trying to engage children in medicine and science in such an interesting way.
“Our students will be really pleased to know that many of the equine and sports facilities that they have access to at Hartpury were being utilised for this novel and innovative study.”