A TEENAGE riding sensation has won a major riding championship after months of preparation.

Dylan Deutrom qualified for the Petplan Equine Medium Bronze Championship in August and spent the past six months in training.

The 19-year-old rode Balance to the podium at the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships at Hartpury College.

He said: "It’s a really good feeling to be here.

"We competed earlier in the week and he was a bit tense, so today I was very pleased with how he relaxed."

Balance is a 16.2 hand gelding and helped his rider net an impressive 70.59 per cent in the championship ride.

Mr Deutrom worked as a stable rider for two and half years.

He has been riding ‘Bolly’ for two years’ of this time and credits a lot of his development as a rider to the gelding.

"He’s a really nice horse though he can be quirky," Mr Deutrom said.

"He’s really taught me a lot."

The five-day competition began on April 12 and saw riders from across the country compete.

British Dressage’s Chief Executive Jason Brautigam said: “I am so impressed with the level of participation in the Petplan Equine Area Festivals series.

"This amounts to an astounding almost 50 per cent of all British Dressage members qualifying to take part in the series, which is something to be applauded."