RISING British showjumping star Jessica Mendoza is all set for her third British Nations Cup team appearance when she returns to compete on home soil for the first time this year at the Longines Royal International at Hickstead.

Hailing from Tockenham near Royal Wootton Bassett but now based in Holland for easier access to the international circuit, Jess has taken the showjumping world by storm since turning 18 in April, 2014.

Within a year, she had broken into the world's top 100 in and she is now ranked 74th in the world and 34th in the Longines Global Champions Tour League.

That makes her Britain's fourth best rider in the tour rankings and the second top female British rider (behind only Laura Renwick) in the FEI rankings.

Jessica is one of the youngest ever riders to represent Britain in Nations Cup teams and was a member of the winning GB squad in Rotterdam last month, riding Spirit T.

She rides Spirit T again at Hickstead in the Furusiyya FEI 5* Nations Cup on Friday, July 31.

Jessica will also have individual entries at the show: Spirit T in the King George (Sunday), new ride Zahra II (in the 1.50 classes) and Ramiro De Bellevue in the 1.45s.

She will face stiff competition from a contingent of international stars, with some countries using Hickstead as a prep for the upcoming FEI European Jumping Championships in Aachen next month.

"I am really enjoying the team spirit of the Nations Cup and am looking forward to competing back in the UK," said Jess.

"We always take one competition at a time and my main ambition for the next few months is to break into the world's top 30."

Jessica's horses have been in top form this spring and early summer with consistent results in Italy, Hong Kong, France, the Netherlands and Belgium.

She has held her own against the best in the world, regularly finishing in the money in Grand Prix events including a sixth place finish in the Longines Global Champions Tour in Shanghai.