Jessica Mendoza : “It Was Never Planned, It Just Happened”
Back in Rome After 11 Years Returning to Piazza di Siena in Rome after 11 years, British rider Jessica Mendoza reflected on the journey that has taken her from a successful pony career in England to representing Great Britain at the highest levels of the sport.
Mendoza last competed at the iconic Roman venue in 2015, where she claimed victory aboard Spirit T, the mare that would go on to shape much of her early senior career.
“I jumped here about 11 or 12 years ago and we won. That was pretty special and that was the last one I jumped here, so I’m excited to be back.”
Seeing the venue again brought back memories of one of the most important periods of her career.
“The ring was still incredible. It has such a nice setting. It doesn’t really matter if it’s grass or sand. It’s lovely.”
The Early Years: From Ponies to Seniors
Like many top British riders, Mendoza started her career on ponies.
“I started in ponies. I did ponies in England when I was at school and I had a very successful career.”
She then moved into the junior ranks, where she was partnered with the horse that would become a turning point in her career.
“I got my junior horse, Spirit T, who actually ended up being my Olympic horse.”
Unlike many riders who progress through every age category, Mendoza made a direct transition into senior competition.
“We skipped young riders and we went straight to seniors.”
That rapid rise eventually led to appearances in senior Nations Cups and championship teams.
A Natural Step Into Top Sport
Competing against some of the world’s best riders at a young age could have been overwhelming, but Mendoza explained that the circumstances made it feel surprisingly natural.
“It didn’t really feel like pressure because it wasn’t planned. It just sort of happened.”
Rather than setting a long-term target and working towards it for years, opportunities arrived as her horse continued to develop.
“It wasn’t like I was waiting to go to a certain Nations Cup or waiting to be selected. My horse just proved herself and then they asked me if I would go.”
Because of that, she never viewed those early opportunities as a source of pressure.
“It never really was a huge goal or that pressure that I had on myself.”
Looking back, she remembers that period positively.
“It worked out great and it was a great time.”
The Horse That Changed Her Career
When asked which horse had the biggest influence on her career, Mendoza immediately pointed to Spirit T.
“I would say it’s Spirit T.”
The mare accompanied her through many of her first major milestones in senior sport.
“She kind of took me to all my firsts in seniors. My first Nations Cup, my first championship, my first five-star Grand Prix.”
Spirit T was also the horse that brought her to Piazza di Siena for the first time and helped establish her on the international stage.
Back then, Mendoza approached the sport differently than she does today.
“I didn’t really have a plan and that was what I wanted to do necessarily. It sort of happened.”
As riders gain experience, expectations often increase, but Mendoza remembers those early years as a period where things developed naturally.
“As you get older and you start to make a few more plans and goals, then you tend to put a bit more pressure on things.”
How Jessica Mendoza Approaches Pressure
One of the most interesting parts of the conversation was Mendoza’s perspective on pressure and competition.
While many athletes spend significant time analysing every detail, she describes herself as someone who keeps things relatively straightforward.
“I’m not such a thinker.”
When she walks a course, her process is simple.
“When I walk the course, I kind of go over it once or twice and that’s my course. I stick to my plan.”
Even when representing her country in Nations Cups, her approach remains the same.
“Obviously I want to jump clear and that’s the main thing. If I ride well enough and my horse jumps well enough, that’s what happens. If I don’t, it won’t.”
Rather than focusing on expectations or results before entering the ring, she concentrates on the job she has to do.
“For me, no matter how much pressure you want to put on something, it doesn’t matter. How you do your round and how you ride, that’s going to be the result.”
She also recognizes that her ability to move on quickly after a class can be both positive and negative.
“Sometimes I just kind of easily move on to the next round, which is a good thing and a bad thing, I think.”
Her philosophy remains simple.
“You take it day by day. If it wasn’t meant to be, then you can do better next time.”
Learning Through Coaching
Since moving to the United States around six years ago, Mendoza has built a successful career not only as a rider but also as a trainer.
Working with students of different ages and ambitions has given her a broader perspective on the sport.
“I have so many different goals and different personalities.”
Through coaching, she has become increasingly aware that there is no single formula for success.
“It’s interesting to see how everyone’s mindset works differently in the sport.”
She believes there is value in understanding how different riders process pressure, challenges and competition.
“A lot of different people go about things a different way.”
Rather than seeing herself only as a teacher, Mendoza also views coaching as an opportunity to learn.
“It’s pretty cool to learn from even my clients sometimes, how they approach different things and different mindsets.”
For her, understanding those different perspectives has become one of the most interesting aspects of training riders.
“It’s good to know everyone’s mindset.”
Building a Career in the United States
Moving to the United States has played a significant role in Mendoza’s professional development.
While the level of sport remains high internationally, she believes the opportunities available through owners and clients have helped her build a stronger foundation for the future.
“I think the biggest thing for me being in America is the owners.”
Through her training program, she has developed long-term relationships with riders and families who have become invested in her horses and career.
“I train the girls and they end up getting horses.”
Those relationships have allowed her to continue developing new horses and maintaining a competitive string.
“To be able to get the level of owners that I have is much harder in Europe.”
She believes that support has been one of the key factors behind her ability to continue growing.
“That’s what has got me this string of horses and hopefully a future string as well.”
What stands out most to her is the close relationship she has with the people involved in the program.
“All of the clients, the ones that are on the horses and not on the horses, are like a family.”
The support extends well beyond the stable.
“They love to come watch. They follow online.”
That sense of shared involvement creates an environment that Mendoza clearly values.
“It’s nice.”
Looking Ahead
As the season progresses and major championships approach, Mendoza remains focused on the horses in front of her rather than forcing long-term plans.
“Long term, I would like to do the Olympics. That would definitely be my long-term goal.”
In the short term, however, her priorities remain flexible.
“There’s the championship this year. If it happens, it happens.”
Her focus remains on doing what is best for each horse.
“If my horses aren’t ready or it’s not the right timing, then that’s okay.”
Instead of chasing specific events, she prefers to let the horses determine the path forward.
“Doing some really good Nations Cups this year and doing what’s right for the horses at the time. If that’s going to a championship or a Nations Cup, that’s what I’ll do.”
More than a decade after her victory in Rome, Jessica Mendoza returns to Piazza di Siena with the same straightforward mindset that has defined her career: trust the process, trust the horses, and focus on the next round.
Valentina Sozzi Ph Stefano Secchi
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