EQUESTRIAN: Jessica dreaming of opportunity in Rio (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

EQUESTRIAN: Jessica dreaming of opportunity in Rio

12:00pm Friday 11th January 2013 in Sport

SHOWJUMPING sensation Jessica Mendoza is allowing herself to dream of a trip to the Rio Olympics after her inclusion on the programme, writes SAM MORSHEAD.

The St Mary’s Calne School pupil is one of 15 jumpers who will receive top quality mentoring and coaching, as well as access to human and equine sports science and medicine expertise over the course of the next 24 months.

After impressive performances on the pony and domestic circuits, Mendoza topped off 2012 with a second-placed finish aboard Tixylix in the JJ Junior Stakes at Olympia before Christmas.

This year will see the Tockenham rider challenging herself in senior competition.

“I was really pleased to be named on the programme. I didn’t expect to be on it because I’m still quite young,” she said.

“Hopefully it will help in terms of getting sponsorship, funding, training and being able to have that kind of support will be really good.

“It’s a really big opportunity for me and I’m very excited about it.

“The Olympics is what everyone looks at.

“It depends if I have a good horse. Four years is a long time and I’ll be 20 by then, so you never know. It’s something I’d love to do.

“The Senior Nations Cups would also be good in maybe the next few years and some five-star shows as well.”

Mendoza will be assessed every six months by the British Eventing authorities under the terms of the programme.

She said: “I’m completely onto horses now, I’m off ponies, so I’m hoping to compete in a lot of the European events and travel a bit more.’’