Only a year ago, 13-year-old Chester schoolgirl Lavinia Johnson was contesting her first ever British Dressage Preliminary Test.

After a busy 12 months, she was selected in July to represent England at the British Young Riders Dressage Scheme (BYRDS) Home International at elementary level, as well as being a reserve for the GB Pony Progress Squad on her pony Dublin.

The Queen’s School pupil has had a spectacular year of success, ending with the prestigious magazine Horse and Hound singling her out as ‘one to watch’.

Successes along the way have included winning the British Dressage FEI Pony Team Test Championship at Sheepgate Under 25s in Lincolnshire in August.

She won both the FEI Pony Team and Individual Tests at the View High Profile Show in Leicestershire and the Medium Class at the National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) Championships at Addington Manor, Buckinghamshire in October.

She also came second and seventh in the NSEA showjumping classes which included being selected to jump for England in the invitational only Nation’s Cup Class on her first ever pony Bally Hane Lass Penny.

This is in addition to successfully competing in the Cheshire Hunt South Pony Club Show Jumping Teams and British Showjumping Association events (BSJA) at 80-95cm at local venues such as South View and Bold Heath Equestrian Centres in Cheshire.

The school’s equestrian team coordinator Ian Abell said: “These are all amazing achievements from Lavinia, especially considering how quickly she has developed in her sport. We are all very proud and can’t wait to hear what the future holds for her.”