Lilly Pinchin's documentary on ADHD has won an award at an international film festival. The jump jockey opened up for the first time about living with her condition in the film 'A Racing Mind', which picked up a prize at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards.
A Breakthrough Documentary
The 27-year-old, described by the legendary Ruby Walsh as 'the next generation of female riders' when she first burst on the scene, had kept her condition a secret known only to those closest to her until 2025. The jump jockey, who has ridden 112 winners, had achieved her successes despite being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when she was aged three.
Lilly agreed to open up about her life for the documentary, 'A Racing Mind', made with school friend Louis Gill of the Cotswold Film Company. The documentary followed her all over the country during the 2023-24 campaign as she hunted down the wins she needed to ride out her conditional jockeys' claim, a feat which only a handful of female jumps riders have accomplished.
Originally released on YouTube, it gained a much wider following when it was picked up by streaming giant Amazon Prime.
Impact and Recognition
"Admitting I have ADHD has been a real benefit," Lilly told Mirror Racing. "I have managed to help so many people with ADHD. People have gone and got diagnosed. Parents have thanked me so much for my documentary; their children are now medicated and their lives are so much easier. Me putting it out there has helped a lot of families, including even high profile people in the racing industry. The reaction has been incredible."
She adds: "We planned to make a documentary just about me riding out my claim but then thought we could make it much better if I talked about my ADHD."
Cotswold Film Company entered the documentary in the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards with the main purpose of introducing it to a wider audience. "We were absolutely thrilled with being shortlisted," said Gill. "Being mentioned alongside the likes of Disney, ESPN, beIN Sports was extraordinary really. Considering we are a Cotswold based production company, that at the time had only three people working in the business, to be in the same conversation as major global companies was huge for us. We were shocked and surprised that we won the silver tower in our category. ESPN won the category with a documentary about the Boston Red Sox, but that shows the kind of competition we were up against."
Inspiring Others
Gill, whose aim is to help "put National Hunt racing on the map," added: "Lilly and I always wanted to inspire young people who had perhaps been misunderstood at school, or had maybe been told that they're naughty or stupid. We wanted to show them that you can really do anything if you discover the thing you love. It's passion that drives success in my opinion and that is why Lilly has achieved so much as a jockey."
