WEST Rounton rider Holly Stevenson is hoping to prove her abilities at national level after qualifying for a top show jumping championship.

The 15-year-old Eaglescliffe School pupil is among the qualifiers for the Nutri Science national amateur show jumping championships this weekend.

The event, now in its second year, is staged at Addington Manor Equestrian Centre near Buckingham and is open to riders not featured in the current BSJA show jumping rankings. They have been chasing qualifying places in three national amateur finals of varying heights across Britain over the past couple of months and Holly will be one of the youngest contenders in the 1.05m final.

She will ride the 17hh ex-eventer Wiley Fox, a chestnut mare bought as a schoolmaster for the teenager. The pair gained their ticket in a qualifier at Northallerton Equestrian Centre with a quick four-fault round in the jump-off.

Holly's mother, Liz Stevenson, said: "We've had Wiley Fox for a year now and Holly has done really well with her. She qualified for two finals at the national Scope Championships this autumn and already has the double clear rounds she needs to qualify for the British Novice and Discovery regional finals next year." Holly, trained by Peter Allen, has been successful on ponies in the past and will go on to horses full time in February.

"Holly was also selected for the British Show Jumping Association silver training scheme this year and spent two days training with coach Susie Gibson," added Mrs Stevenson.

Swedish rider Gabriella Petersson, who spent time based in the Barker family's yard at Northallerton, has qualified for the top 1.20m final. But the young rider, who is about to turn 19, has returned home for a spell and will not be taking up her place at the championships, although she may return to Britain in the future.

Thirsk-based Kate Brennan-Vacaro is through to the 1.05m final, riding the ten-year-old dark bay gelding Cottage Glen. Stockton duo Sophia Cuthbert and Darren Smith have also qualified for Addington. Sophia is through to both the 1.05m and 1.15m finals on the six-year-old Maserati and Darren has qualified the nine-year-old Ideal Prospect for the 1.15m final.