From the tender age of four, Miraya Dadabhoy dreamed of being an equestrienne — a unique passion born out of her love for animals. She accomplished the dream faster than most would have thought, becoming the country's prodigy in the challenging sport at 15.
Chennai-based Miraya began competing actively in 2021. Within just three years, she has achieved what many riders aspire to do in a lifetime. Miraya excels in both dressage (rider and horse 'performing' pre-determined set of movements from memory) and show jumping (riders test their horses' ability to jump over a course of fences at a pre-determined pace). Her achievements in dressage include numerous team gold medals and a series of top placements at events like the Senior National Equestrian Championship and the Concurs Dressage Nationals.
While Miraya continues to train in show jumping, her primary focus in 2024 has been on excelling in dressage, where she has demonstrated exceptional skill and versatility.
Her trophy cabinet is decorated by a team gold at the Junior National Equestrian Championship in December 2024 and the prestigious title of Best Asian Youth Rider at the FEI World Dressage Challenge, a highly competitive international event. Miraya ranked World No. 5 in youth at the FEI World Dressage Challenge, achieving an impressive score of 72.325%.
Four-year-old Miraya fell in love with horses not long after she sat on the elegant creature for the first time. Spending a lot of time around horses has helped her in further sharpening her skills, the teen sensation told the press recently.
While focus is pivotal for the sport, it is equally important to learn how to effectively communicate with the stallion, she said. The animal and rider need to respect each other, which is integral to their bonding. There can be no mistakes when it comes to interpreting the beast's mood, energy level and feelings, she told The New Indian Express while adding that a horse should be treated like a partner or pal by the rider.
"You start to understand the body language [of the horse]. The partnership is built on trust and clear communication. So you have to just work on it, and it’s a lot of spending time together," she told the daily.
Her short-term goal is to keep doing well in regional, national, and international competitions so that she can earn a world ranking before 2026 arrives. In the long run, she wants to practice under top coaches and represent India at the highest level including Asian Games and Olympics.
“With the right support, I believe I can continue to achieve great things and represent my country at higher levels of international competition,” she said.
And she is not standing idly by, waiting for the resources to arrive. Her routines may seem tough for a girl of 15 but Miraya is not a regular child. Her day begins at 5 in the morning when she leaves for the stable. She spends some time with the horse before preparing for her lessons at 6. The training, she says, is all about groundwork, pull work, and stretching.
Acknowledging the youngster's talent and determination, the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu included Miraya under the High Cash Incentive Scheme for emerging athletes. While she is well aware that there are miles to ride before she and her four-legged friend can afford to rest, Miraya Dadabhoy is happy with how things are at the moment. "My training is very focused, and it’s a very professional training environment compared to someone who is riding for fun," she had said.