Jessica Mendoza is one the most exciting young stars in the world of showjumping and is aiming to qualify for the Rio Olympics.
Jessica Mendoza is one the most exciting young stars in the world of showjumping and is aiming to qualify for the Rio Olympics.
Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images/file
She overcame serious injury at the age of 10 after falling from her horse to become one of the most talented riders on the equestrian circuit.
She overcame serious injury at the age of 10 after falling from her horse to become one of the most talented riders on the equestrian circuit.
Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
A young Mendoza with her pony. "I was off for quite a while -- several months actually -- and I still really wanted to go back riding," she recalls. <br />"I went back before I was actually allowed and it showed how much I really wanted to do it."
A young Mendoza with her pony. "I was off for quite a while -- several months actually -- and I still really wanted to go back riding," she recalls.
"I went back before I was actually allowed and it showed how much I really wanted to do it."
Jessica Mendoza
Her fighting spirit has taken her to the summit of her sport. Here she is in action at the 2015 European Championships in Aachen, Germany.
Her fighting spirit has taken her to the summit of her sport. Here she is in action at the 2015 European Championships in Aachen, Germany.
Paul Harding and British Showjumping
Mendoza played a key role in helping Great Britain qualify for the Olympic Games with some impressive performances in Aachen.
Mendoza played a key role in helping Great Britain qualify for the Olympic Games with some impressive performances in Aachen.
Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
The 19-year-old was the youngest to represent the British team at the European Championships for nearly 40 years.
The 19-year-old was the youngest to represent the British team at the European Championships for nearly 40 years.
MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Jessica Mendoza talking to CNN EQ at the London International Horse Show at Olympia in December 2015.
Jessica Mendoza talking to CNN EQ at the London International Horse Show at Olympia in December 2015.
CNN
Mendoza moved away from her home in the UK and set up in Eindhoven to cut down the traveling distances and workload on her horses. The move has worked a treat.
Mendoza moved away from her home in the UK and set up in Eindhoven to cut down the traveling distances and workload on her horses. The move has worked a treat.
MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The Briton won and incredible 10 events last year.
The Briton won and incredible 10 events last year.
CNN
Her success was recognized at the 2015 FEI Awards where Mendoza was presented with the Longines "Rising Star" award. The presentation was made by Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, and Hollywood actress Bo Derek.
Her success was recognized at the 2015 FEI Awards where Mendoza was presented with the Longines "Rising Star" award. The presentation was made by Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, and Hollywood actress Bo Derek.
Jessica Mendoza
Mendoza capped an amazing 2015 in December by accepting the Raymond Brooks-Ward Memorial Trophy from Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at The London International Horse Show at Olympia Exhibition Center.
Mendoza capped an amazing 2015 in December by accepting the Raymond Brooks-Ward Memorial Trophy from Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at The London International Horse Show at Olympia Exhibition Center.
Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Jessica Mendoza: Can teenager become showjumping's next global superstar?

Story highlights

Jessica Mendoza hugely promising young rider

British teen aims to compete at 2016 Olympics

Suffered punctured lung, broken ribs aged 10

Named Longines "Rising Star" in 2015

CNN  — 

She’s one of the most exciting riders in the equestrian world – but Olympic hopeful Jessica Mendoza is lucky to be riding at all.

Mendoza was just 10 when she suffered the most serious injury of her career.

Now 19, she looks back on that day and the recovery period as the moment she recognized her hunger to become the best.

“I fell off and the horse trod on my back and my ribs and then my lung,” Mendoza told CNN.

“I was off for quite a while – several months actually – and I still really wanted to go back riding.

“I went back before I was actually allowed and it showed how much I really wanted to do it.”

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160101112105-mendoza-4.jpg?q=x_4,y_221,h_2435,w_4328,c_crop/h_540,w_960" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160101112105-mendoza-4.jpg?q=x_4,y_221,h_2435,w_4328,c_crop/h_540,w_960" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="
" data-timestamp-html="
Updated 7:51 AM EST, Fri January 22, 2016
" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="false" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2016-01-04T12:40:04Z" data-video-section="tv" data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/01/04/spc-cnn-equestrian-jessica-mendoza.cnn" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="spc cnn equestrian jessica mendoza" data-first-publish-slug="spc cnn equestrian jessica mendoza" data-video-tags="equestrian sports,sports and recreation,olympics,population and demographics,society,sports events,teenagers" data-details="">
Britain's Jessica Mendoza rides Sam De Bacon as she competes on April 12, 2015 in the International Jumping Competition "Les Talents Hermes" at The Grand Palais in Paris. AFP PHOTO MARTIN BUREAU (Photo credit should read MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)
Teen on brink of equestrian stardom
02:18 - Source: CNN

Her fearless nature is plain to see when she competes against some of the biggest names in the world of equestrian.

Named Longines Rising Star at last year’s FEI Awards, Mendoza enjoyed a stellar 2015.

She won 10 events and made history by appearing for Great Britain at the European Championships – making her the youngest to represent the team for nearly 40 years.

Her efforts at the championships held in Aachen, Germany helped Britain to finish fourth, ensuring qualification for the Olympic Games in Rio.

Her success has coincided with a decision to move to Eindhoven, Netherlands, where she has spent the past two years training.

“I think the move, as a rider, has changed me a bit,” she said.

spc equestrian european championships review_00021717.jpg
spc equestrian european championships review_00021717.jpg
video

Related video Equestrian's elite go head to head

AACHEN, GERMANY - AUGUST 20: Jessica Mendoza of Great Britain competes on her horse Spirit T during the Mercedes-Benz Prize Team Show Jumping competition on Day 9 of the FEI European Equestrian Championship 2015 on August 20, 2015 in Aachen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images)
AACHEN, GERMANY - AUGUST 20: Jessica Mendoza of Great Britain competes on her horse Spirit T during the Mercedes-Benz Prize Team Show Jumping competition on Day 9 of the FEI European Equestrian Championship 2015 on August 20, 2015 in Aachen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images/file
video

Related video The Oscars of the equine world

“I’ve had more training put into me, more flat work and it has really developed my skills as well as my passion.

“Traveling from England to Europe is eight hours every time and it’s a lot for the horses to do and it’s the best decision we’ve made. We love it out there.”

The next 12 months could be the teenager’s most exciting yet with the chance of appearing at the Olympics a real possibility.

After helping Britain clinch qualification, she is hopeful that a place on the team won’t elude her – though she is refusing to get carried away.

“It is my dream to be selected for Rio,” she said. “I think to do that at 19 would be unbelievable, so I’m hoping.

“I need to get better results than the other team members because they’re so much more experienced.

“I just need to prove myself and keep being consistent.”

Visit CNN’s EQ page for more equestrian news