Jemima Snook won the New Zealand Pony Club Association national horse trials junior championship at Nelson last weekend.

The 15-year-old home-schooled student also took out the secondary schools championship title for the highest placed secondary school competitor.

Snook was riding in the South Canterbury North Otago Ashburton colours at the teams event. However, as the area could not gain a full team she competed as an individual.

Aboard her 10-year-old bay gelding Pinball Wizard Snook was in second place by one per cent after the dressage then jumped clear in the cross country and showjumping sections to take the under-17 title.

"The other rider dropped a rail.. which I didn't know until I'd finished."

As she was riding last in the 40-strong class Snook admitted she was glad she didn't know, as her nerves were already rife.

She said the challenging cross country course was the biggest she had ever completed.

For her efforts Snook won a rosette and the prestigious Dorothy Campbell trophy.

The trophy dates back to 1953 and includes names such as Maurice Beatson and Kallista Field who are now internationally successful riders.

By scrolling down the list it also appears a South Canterbury rider has not won the junior championship since 1961.

Snook described the win as "unbelievable' and said yesterday it had had still not sunk in.

To make the win even more significant she has only been riding for six years.

"Most people seem to ride since they can walk," she said.

While the modest young horsewoman is not saying too much about her future just yet, an Olympics dream may not be too far out of reach.

"That would be even more unbelievable," she laughed.