EMMALEE Weston from Yarrambat is a young rider with a difference.

Weston is one of only three Victorian young riders who will compete in the International CDI-Y Young Rider class at this week's PSI Dressage and Jumping with the Stars at the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre.

To be held from tomorrow until Friday at the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, the event has attracted over 280 horses from all states of Australia, and includes many of the winners and placegetters from last year's event.

With international judges and guest stars such as Ton de Ridder, Edward Doyle, Dr Ulf Moeller and Lydia Camp attending for masterclasses and guest riding of finalists, it is a star-studded event.

Weston has also volunteered to help and like last year will co-ordinate the Saddleworld Dressage Masterclass.

"No event of this size can run without volunteers and it's important to put back into the sport that I love so much," Weston said.

It's this commitment that resulted in Weston being named the 2008 Young Dressage Ambassador of the Year.

A member of the HAMAG Equestrian Victoria Young Rider Squad for the past seven years, Weston was recently named in the 2010 Australian Youth Development Squad.

She is the only Victorian rider on the squad.

Weston has already enjoyed international success.

In Year 11 she represented Australia twice, winning the Elementary championship at the Auckland Young Rider Festival on a borrowed horse.

At the United Sports Association of South Africa competition Weston gained the Reserve Championship in a derby-style competition.

She will be competing on her mare Ridermark Amore this weekend.

There is a fairytale feel to this combination.

Emmalee received Ridermark Amore as her 12th birthday present, a four-year-old chestnut mare broken in for just six months and bought sight unseen from Perth.

Some would say a recipe for disaster, as Weston was moving from a 13-hand pony on to her first horse and neither of them were experienced.

She credits her coach Virginia Creed for where they are today, eight years later, and successfully competing at Prix St Georges and Intermediate I level and steadily training towards Grand Prix.

Weston is also quick to thank her major sponsors - saddler Peter O'Brien and Eltham Stockfeeds.

Along the way there have been some impressive performances, first at Pony Club where Weston competed in eventing and showing as well as dressage, and then later in dressage, which she chose to specialise in.

With Ridermark Amore, winning the FEI Junior Victorian Championship at the 2007 National Young Rider and Pony Dressage Championships was one of their big wins, followed by placings in all their classes at the 2009 Australian Young Rider Dressage Championships.

Asked to name her competition highlight, Weston hesitates, before saying there have been too many to choose from. She then mentions winning the Best Performed Victorian Young Rider award at last year's Hamag Equestrian Victoria Young Rider Festival, closely followed by her inclusion in the National Youth Development Squad.

This is a qualifying event for this year's FEI Young Rider World Cup Final in Germany.

Other riders competing at this week's event include Olympians Heath Ryan (NSW), Mary Hanna (Victoria), Rachael Sanna (NSW) and Russell Johnstone (Victoria); Dressage World Cup Finalist and World Championship representative Rozzie Ryan (NSW), and Jumping World Championship representative Jamie Kermond (Victoria).