A TALENTED young dressage rider is celebrating after becoming a national dressage champion.

Florence Human, 17, won the British Dressage National Summer Freestyle Championships by performing a dressage routine to her music from Hamilton.

The determined rider is currently studying for her A Levels at Strode College but still finds the time to train every day with her horse, Fulgencio, whose stable name is Dylan, at her family home in Mark.

Speaking about her victory, Florence said: "I have been riding since before I could walk and have done everything from pony racing to gymkhana. "Since buying Dylan I have been solely focussed on dressage and he has been the horse of a lifetime - and we’ve only had him two years! During the test I was smiling from ear to ear as I love performing to our music.

"So to find out we had won was just the icing on the cake - I was almost in tears.

“I always feel privileged when I ride down the centre line with him”

Florence also won her class in the British Dressage Youth Inter Regional Championships where she was representing the South West region.

She also represented the South West for England in the British Dressage Youth Home Internationals where she came 3rd in the medium class and her team were runners up.

William Human, Florence's father said the 17-year-old is training hard so she can compete Advanced Medium level in dressage competitions and she is looking forward to taking on more competitions the future.

He said: "We are really proud of Florence as she has worked hard to be national champion.

"I am looking forward to seeing what the future brings for Florence."