SHOWJUMPER Jessica Mendoza has established a second base in Holland The 18-year-old show jumper’s new yard in Eindhoven, Holland, will serve as training and competition base from which to continue her European campaign.

The new Team Mendoza European hub in Holland's main show jumping centre offers world class facilities for her current string, which now numbers over 12. That includes recent Antwerp Global Champion Tours 4* class winner, Spirit T and the Eindhoven Derby winner, Ramiro de Belle Vue.

“I have been doing A levels this Summer, back home in Wiltshire, and taking this coming year out to focus on climbing the world rankings,” explained Mendoza.

“Our new yard offers fantastic facilities and it means we can move up a gear with the international competitions, whilst keeping the travelling of horses to a minimum. It also gives us the scope to take on residential students looking to get a real flavour of the sport at top level,” added the Tockenham teenager.

In a short space of time, Mendoza, for whom this is only her second competitive season in horses, has already reached 16th position in the Team GBR rider rankings (as of 22 April) and broken into the top 200 in the FEI Longines World rankings.

The Longines Global Champions Tour in Antwerp in April saw Jessica ride and win her first ever 4* event, with Spirit T – owned by her mother Sarah and John Roberts – before going on to snatch another victory at that level, two days later with Ramiro de Belle Vue.

Last weekend, she rode in her first ever Derby at Eindhoven Competing in the CSI3* VDL Groep Grand Prix with Spirit T, the UK Sport lottery-funded World Class Development Programme rider produced a solid clear round – one of only nine in the 50-strong field – to see her through to the jump-off.

There, the combination replicated their earlier clear round – only three riders doing so – in a superb time of 42.20 to take second place, behind Germany’s Tim Hoster.

Earlier in the weekend, the Wiltshire rider had proved unstoppable, taking top honours – and a Mini – in the Itelligence Derby of Eindhoven.

Riding Ramiro De Belle Vue, the pair produced a clear in the first round of the competition – only one of two riders to do so – to go head-to-head against William Funnell on Billy Onslow.

With both riders recording four faults in the jump-off, it was Mendoza's time of 48.42 seconds, just 2.4 seconds ahead of Funnell, which sealed the win.

Jessica will be seeking European selection this year and is a member of the British Equestrian Federation’s UK Sport funded World Class Development Programme, which works with talented riders to maximise their potential and deliver success.