A young show jumper from Weston under Penyard is riding high this year as she and her horse, May, go from strength to strength in show jumping competitions.

Issy King, who is just 17 years old, started riding when she was four. Her parents, Pete and Michele are very involved with horses, they run a company which produces made to measure jackets for show jumpers. They are incredibly supportive of Issy and drive her all over the country to take part in shows and they have always supported her dream of owning and riding a top class horse.

However that is not just an expensive dream, sometimes even the horses with the biggest price tag fail to make the grade, but when Issy met two year old Quick Whirlwind, known as May, she was inspired to train her and turn her into a horse to be proud of.

And now it seems as if Issy's dreams are coming true. Despite a terrible injury to her leg earlier this year, when Issy was told that May's future was bleak and uncertain they are now back competing.

When Issy saw May for the first time she thought she was very sweet, a well-bred horse from good stock. However their first year together was very rocky but since Issy broke her in she said :?"She has been a complete dream," and Issy planned to enter, and win, lots of competitions.

Then May injured her leg in the summer and had to take three months off. Many people told Issy not to keep her hopes up as it was unlikely May would return to form.

Issy told the Ross Gazette:?"It has been a miracle, she is just as good as ever. She loves jumping, I only have to ask her to jump and she says how high. She is a feisty mare but as soon as she goes in the ring she is focused, she was born to be a star."

Issy?entered her for an event at Hartpury recently and she came third in her class. She was one of the youngest in the group at just four years old competing against horses who were much older.

Issy told the Gazette:?"I hope my story will inspire young horse riders in the area to never give up on their dreams. You don't have to spend thousands of pounds to find a superstar and producing your own horse can be so rewarding."