WILTSHIRE teenager Jessica Mendoza is bidding to retain the Cum Laude Clinic Eindhoven Derby title this weekend at CSI Eindhoven.

Th 19 year old from Tockenham took the Eindhoven title in her first ride ever in a jumping Derby on Ramiro de Belle Vue last year, beating Derby-specialist, William Funnell and will be competing on the same horse again this time.

"Last year we had trained Ramiro specially for the event concentrating on building his fitness so he was ready for the 22 fences he had to jump. It worked last year so we've prepared him much the same way again this time," she said.

Jessica moved into the world's top 100 riders last month (currently taking the 97th slot) and is the 10th top British rider (and second top female British rider) to feature in the Longines Rankings.

Her horses have been in top form this spring with consistent results in Arezzo, Hong Kong, Paris, The Netherlands and Belgium.

She has just returned from the Longines Global Champions Tour in Shanghai having achieved a triple clear to finish sixth in the Grand Prix on Spirit T.

Based in Eindhoven itself since last Spring, Mendoza has been busy competing on the international circuit but is looking forward to riding on the British stage this summer in two forthcoming majors - The Bolesworth International next month and The Longines Royal International at Hickstead at the end of July.