St Kevin’s College pupil Emma Gillies competed at the New Zealand Jumping & Show Hunter Championship in Christchurch last month.
She and her horse, Benrose Black Jack, won bronze in the NZ Grand Prix Championship 1.40m-1.50m.
The competition was held over three days with several rounds each day.
Gillies was in first place after the first round but slipped to third place overall.
"I was a bit disappointed with the last day, but overall I’m happy with how I went," she said.
"I really enjoyed the first day. It was probably my best day. It was a very competitive class."
The 17-year-old loved taking on the best in the country.
"It was a great atmosphere, a very big competition. So it was very good to be jumping again in the higher [grade]."
The result rounds off a successful month for Gillies, who also came third in the Lady Rider of the Year at the Horse of the Year show earlier in March.
She has the opportunity to head to Australia during the upcoming school holidays for one final show this season, but nothing was confirmed yet, she said.
Gillies will have a break over the winter before competitions begin again in September.
