Sienna Charles; The Art of Trust

For Sienna Charles, showjumping has always been part of everyday life. Growing up at Heathcroft Farm in Hampshire as the youngest daughter of Olympic gold medallist Peter Charles, horses were never simply a sport. They were part of the family, the education and, eventually, the career.

Now firmly established on the international circuit for Great Britain, Sienna has taken significant steps forward over the past two seasons. In 2025, she and Stardust finished second in the CSI5* 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier at Falsterbo, one of the strongest results of her career to that point. In 2026, she was part of the British team that won the Longines League of Nations in Rotterdam with Chawton, before the pair produced a double-clear performance to finish third in the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix at Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Stardust has played an important role in Sienna’s progression into five-star competition, giving her experience at the highest level and helping her establish herself among the next generation of British senior riders. Chawton has been equally significant, with the home-bred gelding becoming the horse Sienna describes as her heart horse.

Behind those results is a philosophy built around trust, patience and understanding the individual horse. For Sienna, the relationship comes first.

The final line at Windsor

There are moments in showjumping when everything comes down to one final line. At the 2026 Royal Windsor Horse Show, Sienna found herself heading towards the last line of the first round knowing there had only been one clear before her.

“Going down the last line in the first round as there was only 1 clear before me. Felt unreal”

Sienna and Chawton produced the clear they needed to make the jump-off, before doing it again against the clock. Their double-clear performance secured third place in the CSI5* Rolex Grand Prix, putting Sienna on the podium in one of the sport’s most prestigious classes.

It was a major result, but for Sienna the significance goes deeper than the placing. It reflects years of building a partnership with a horse she knows inside and out.

Trust comes first

“The trust I have in both and the trust they have in me. The time it’s taken to build that partnership is what makes it all work and everything comes together.”

That trust has been central to Sienna’s progression with both Chawton and Stardust. The two horses have each played an important role as she has moved from the youth ranks into senior five-star competition.

With Stardust, Sienna has gained valuable experience on the international circuit. Their second-place finish in the 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier at Falsterbo in July 2025 was a clear indication of their growing confidence at five-star level. Sienna finished just 2.16 seconds behind the winner in the speed class, with the result making her the best of the British riders that day.

Chawton has taken on a different, deeply personal role. He is the horse Sienna has grown up with, and together they have continued to take on bigger challenges.

Their progress was evident again in Rotterdam in June 2026. Sienna and Chawton represented Great Britain in the Longines League of Nations, helping the team secure victory in a dramatic three-way jump-off. Sienna produced a clear in the second round, contributing to the British team’s winning total.

Chawton, the heart horse

Some horses become special because of the results they achieve. For Sienna, Chawton is special because of everything they have experienced together.

“Chawton is my heart horse because we’ve grown up together and iv fallen in love with his personality and the amount of fight he has. He always tries his hardest.”

Chawton, who was bred by Sienna’s father Peter Charles, has been an important part of her progression into senior international competition. Their recent results show just how far that partnership has come, from competing at five-star level to standing on the podium of the Rolex Grand Prix at Windsor.

For Sienna, though, what makes him special goes beyond his ability in the ring. It is his personality and the way he approaches his work that she values most.

Letting Chawton be Chawton

Every horse has its own character, and Sienna has learned that Chawton performs best when she allows him to do things his own way.

“Chawton again. To meet him halfway and listen to what he’s telling me as he’s got his own way of doing things. He’s very unique with how he goes so you have to listen and let him do his thing. If you try and mold him into something else then it won’t work.”

It is an approach that says a lot about Sienna as a rider. Rather than trying to make every horse fit the same mould, she believes in understanding what is already there and finding the best way to work with it.

That understanding has also taught her one of the most important lessons in producing horses: patience.

Patience is part of the process

“Patience is key. You have to somehow work harder than anyone else as everything takes time to re build. You also have to trust yourself and your horses. Without trust, it’s hard to do the job at hand.”

Sienna has experienced that process throughout her own career. Her move into senior competition has been gradual, with horses such as Stardust and Chawton helping her gain the experience required to compete consistently at five-star level.

The results across 2025 and 2026 show that progression. Falsterbo gave Sienna and Stardust a major five-star podium finish, while Rotterdam and Windsor brought further milestones with Chawton.

Learning from those around her

Sienna grew up surrounded by elite showjumping. Her father Peter Charles was part of Great Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning team at London 2012, while her brother Harry Charles has gone on to become one of the leading riders on the international circuit.

For Sienna, having that experience around her from such a young age had a lasting impact.

“Huge influence on me. Getting to work with them and watch them everyday growing up. It’s engrained a lot of instincts and positively impacted my career. Having role models to work with is a privilege.”

Watching top riders work every day gave Sienna an early understanding of what the sport demands. It also gave her the chance to learn from people who had already experienced the pressure and responsibility of competing at the highest level.

Looking beyond the arena

Sienna’s ambitions extend beyond her own results. Breeding and producing horses have become an important part of her plans, reflecting the environment in which she has grown up and her interest in every stage of a horse’s development.

“Become the best rider I can be and horse person. I have very big goals as like everyone else. Hopefully I can continue to breed top sports horses and bring them on like I did with Chawton. I find a lot of satisfaction in the breeding side so that’s definitely something to continue.”

It is a natural progression for a rider who takes so much satisfaction from developing partnerships over time. Chawton has shown Sienna what can happen when a horse and rider grow together, while Stardust has helped her gain valuable experience and achieve a significant five-star podium during her rise through the senior ranks.

A partnership still being written

The past two seasons have brought some of the biggest moments of Sienna’s career so far. In 2025, she and Stardust stepped onto the five-star podium at Falsterbo. In 2026, Sienna and Chawton helped Great Britain win the Longines League of Nations leg at Rotterdam before producing a double clear at Windsor to finish third in the Rolex Grand Prix.

Yet when Sienna talks about her horses, the focus is rarely on the results alone.

It comes back to trust, patience and listening.

For Sienna, Chawton’s individuality is part of what makes him special, while Stardust has been an important partner in her progression towards the highest level of the sport.

The results are beginning to reflect that progression. The partnerships are what make them possible.

ph VLV Media

© Rights Reserved.