A CLEVELAND rider has qualified for the 128cm show jumping final at this year's Royal International Horse Show just a week after her eighth birthday.

Helen Smallwood, who lives in Thorpe Thewles and is trained by Stuart Russell, started riding three years ago and now competes regularly on two ponies - Metric, a show jumping veteran nearly three times her age, and My Jack Frost.

Helen and Metric qualified at the Royal Leisure show jumping centre near Brighton last weekend after a gruelling seven-and-a-half hour journey in strong winds and snow. They will be off to Hickstead in July.

Her mother, Kate, said: "At each of the eight qualifying competitions, only three pony/rider combinations qualify for the final at Hickstead.

"There were 15 starters in the competition and after the first round there were only six riders through to the first jump off. This was then reduced to two riders for the third and final jump off.

"Helen took the second qualifying place, being beaten on time in the final round by Danika Plumley riding My Little Tinker."

The 128cm class is open to competitors who are a maximum of 12 years old and it is more normal for those who qualify to be in their final years of the age group.

"We are delighted with this result," said Mrs Smallwood. "As Helen has only been riding Metric since October we really didn't expect her to qualify this year and were only jumping the qualifiers for experience."