BRADFORD on Avon horse riding instructor Emma Hulbert-Brown came fourth in the Senior Winter League Showjumping Finals at the weekend at Cricklands, the David Broome Event Centre in Chepstow.

Hulbert-Brown, 27, and her 10-year-old home-bred Arab mare, Silver Moon, known affectionately at home as Weed, won her place from a starting line up of 43 riders in the 75cms class.

The senior league is a championship for grassroots riders, with Hulbert-Brown reaching riding at Widbrook Equestrian Centre in Bradford on Avon.

She said: “I couldn’t be more happy. Weedy took the competition all in her stride and tried so hard and fourth place was really great against so many class horses and riders.”

Meanwhile, Stonar School pupil Hannah Hudson has gained a place on the Leg Up For Talent apprenticeship scheme.

The 17-year-old joined Stonar School in Year Nine, successfully gaining a riding scholarship into the sixth form and tasting success at BS National Championship level.

Hudson has three horses, her two main competition horses are Expresso and Capilar and she successfully qualified and competed at the Dodson & Horrell National Showjumping Championships at Aintree in November.

She will be competing in the British Novice Regional Finals in May this year and she has also been placed in the top 25 of the Horse of the year show bronze league in their region.

The Leg Up programme, whose ambassadors include top equestrian names ambassadors include top names such as Laura Tomlinson, offers young riders help towards the development of a long term partnership.