A KEEN horsewoman from Crook has achieved success in a national event.
Sandie Minto, 18, of Crook, has scooped a top award in her first Pony Club National Championship.
Competing against 30 teams of riders from all over the UK and Ireland, Sandie and her team finished fifth.
Her horse, Cheb, defied the odds and returned to competition following a serious injury.
Miss Minto is completing an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship in accountancy with County Durham's Learning and Skills Council, which sponsored her in her first national event.
She said: "The competition is close and we were delighted to come fifth. I had only been riding the horse for a few months as well, so I was a bit apprehensive."
Miss Minto has been riding for ten years, and has won more than 150 rosettes for dressage, showjumping and horse trials.
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