A TEENAGE horse rider has topped off an impressive year with an Outstanding Achievement award after winning a dressage hat-trick at a prestigious international show.

Gracie Morgan, 15, and her British-bred pony Ella performed strongly in the European Championships in Poland in the summer and celebrated a triple victory at the prestigious Keysoe International show in Bedford in October.

Gracie and Ella scored top marks in the team test, individual and freestyle competitions at Keyso, capping off a remarkable year for the youngster.

Her accomplishments earned her a Youth Under 25 Outstanding Achievement award which was presented to her by the CEO of British Dressage, Jason Brautigam earlier this month.

Mum Julie said she is ‘very proud’ of everything Gracie has achieved so far.

She said: “She has done really well, especially because although she has lessons, she pretty much does everything herself.

“She keeps Ella at home, not on a professional yard, and schools her herself."

Gracie, who lives in Hunton, is a member of British Dressage North and East and was selected to be a foundation academy rider in 2019 at just 13-years-old, making her the youngest rider to be chosen for the top training programme.

She then went on to be one of only a dozen riders across the country to be selected by British Dressage as a national academy athlete in both 2020 and 2021.

The academy, funded by Sport England, selects the brightest talent in the country and gives them specialist training and support to help them reach their full potential.

Julie said: “I think British Dressage are really proud of Gracie too because it shows that their academy system is working.

“The riders are chosen for their determination and for their improvement potential.

“A lot of the time it’s elite riders who already get a lot of support, so it’s great that the academy works for riders like Gracie.”

Gracie is now preparing to move from pony dressage into competing on horses next year.

Julie said Gracie would love to become a professional dressage rider in the future and also has ambitions to become a vet.