DEVIZES para-dressage rider Belinda Cullen has the hunger for more international competition after representing Great Britain for the first time at last weekend’s CPEDI2* event at Bishop Burton in Yorkshire.

The 45-year-old, of Green Lane, was fifth overall in the Grade IV category with her ride Don Light and is now gearing up to represent England in the para-dressage home international at Vale View, Leicestershire, on August 20.

Not even a technical fault could ruin the day for Cullen, who qualified for Bishop Burton with victory in her section at last month’s British Championships.

“I had a floor plan all worked out but there was a problem with my music and it didn’t start playing when I first trotted out,” said Cullen, an equine sports massage therapist.

“I didn’t know if I was supposed to carry on our not but in the end, the delay meant that I had to ad-lib 23 seconds that I hadn’t prepared for.

“I was getting the giggles, but I carried on and everything went fine after that.

“It was a great experience and it was a really proud and emotional moment when they announced ‘Belinda Cullen riding for Great Britain’.

“A lot of the other people there had been riding for six or seven years and they were surprised that I’d only done seven competitions.

“I just can’t wait for my next international competition and hopefully I’ll get picked again in the future.”

Don Light, who is based at Coral Keen’s stables in Little Cheverell, also impressed on his own at Bishop Burton.

“He was so well behaved and he had his own fan club by the end of the competition – a lot of people like him,” said Cullen, who had her left leg amputated in 2006 after years problems following a point-to-point riding accident in 1988.

“He’s such a lovely, sweet horse and he didn’t bat an eyelid during the dressage.”