A 16-YEAR-OLD from East Hanningfield is one step closer to her dream career of working with horses after winning her category in a national riding contest.

Yasmeen Saeed took part in the finals of the Trailblazers competition on July 31, winning the Preliminary category, after getting through local and regional stages.

Dad Nimo Saeed is very proud of his daughter, who he describes as an up-and- coming rider with great prospects.

Trailblazers gives unaffiliated competitors a chance to qualify and compete at the its Championship Finals free of charge.

Nimo said: “This was her first national competition riding a young five- year-old Hanoverian horse called Harmony that we bought one year ago, and she has brought the horse on herself with the help of her mum and a few lessons from various trainers.

“We had to retire her first pony and her first horse and I think most teenagers would have given up.

"In fact, it has made her even stronger and Yasmeen has already decided that a career in horses is what she wants and has her goal firmly set on being an equine chiropractor which will take about seven years to study for.”