A YOUNG dressage rider has spoken of her pride at representing her country with not the ‘most straightforward’ of horses.

Amy Lloyd, 18, rode for Wales twice this summer with British Dressage Youth Wales at the Inter-Regionals at Vale View Equestrian, Melton Mowbray, and the Home Nations at Sparsholt College, Winchester.

She was teamed up with her homebred mare, Diva Royale (Perdy) who she is training up the levels herself.

Amy, who lives near Lampeter, said: “It was a great honour to compete for Wales again this year having previously represented Wales in 2017.

“But for these two times it was extra special as we never thought the horse to get me onto team Wales again would be Perdy.

“For anyone who knows her, she hasn’t been and still isn’t the most straightforward, but we love her for it, as it makes all the successes even better knowing I got her there myself.”

Amy finished fifth in the B+ squad at the Inter-Regionals, and 15th out of 37 at the Home Nations, which is an achievement in itself as Perdy is still learning this level and the competition was fierce.

Amy’s hard work and determination led her to being selected to be on the British Dressage Foundation Academy Pathway, which consisted of two training camps with one-to-one training with Olympic-level coaches, strength and conditioning, nutrition and performance profiling.

Amy achieved all this whilst doing her A-levels at Ysgol Bro Pedr in mathematics, chemistry and geography and is now a first-year student at Swansea University studying business management (marketing) with a year in industry, which entails a lot of travelling back to home near Lampeter, between studies to carry on the training.

She added: “For 2024, I aim to put myself forward for team Wales selection again, for both the Inter-Regionals which will be in Arena UK, Grantham, and the Home Nations at The David Broome Event Centre, Chepstow.

“I also hope to qualify for the Pet Plan Summer Championships at Medium level, and the Summer Regional Championships at Elementary level.”