Pioneering jockey Khadijah Mellah paid a special visit to Hartpury for the latest series of CBBC’s children’s education programme Operation Ouch! The visit, filmed last summer, appeared in the second episode of the series that aired on 1 March.
Magnolia Cup winner Khadijah – the first hijab-wearing jockey in a competitive horse race – made the trip to Hartpury University for a feature entitled ‘Brilliant Bodies’ focusing on individuals with impressive physical skills and accomplishments.
Khadijah’s strengths and abilities were highlighted by the programme as she was put through her paces and assessed by Hartpury’s sports science team utilising data from the hi-tech equine and sports facilities at its Rider Performance Centre.
Housed within the Equine Therapy Centre, The Margaret Giffen Centre for Rider Performance is a unique facility where riders of all levels and abilities can access world class resources and expertise. It contains a strength and conditioning suite, treatment rooms and the Racewood Eventing Simulator – one of several hi-tech riding simulators used by Hartpury students and professional riders alike.
Operation Ouch! is a factual TV programme all about medical science and the wonders of the human body, aimed at six to 12-year-olds.
Now in its 10th series, it was launched in 2012 by twin brothers Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken to educate children in an engaging and informative way about medicine and biology.
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.”
