A GROUP of riders from the Erme Valley Riding for the Disabled Association have qualified for the National RDA Championships in July.

13 riders from Erme Valley RDA will travel to Hartpury College in Gloucestershire, joining hundreds of others of all abilities for the flagship event.

The show jumping regional rounds were held at Erme Valley RDA headquarters The Brook near Ugborough, with 25 riders attending from across the South West.

Of the Erme Valley competitors taking part, Imogen Darke qualified for the level 4 competition on her horse Jimmy, with Kirsty Mabin on Tilly, and both Mikey Bygrave and Patrick Pearce riding Mr Jones qualifying for level 2.

The regional dressage took place in Cornwall, and saw qualification earned by Erme Valley riders Annabelle Taggart, Mikey Bygrave and Kirsty Mabin. Nine Erme Valley riders also qualified in the Countryside Challenge, a fun course focused on school movements with some animal encounters for horse and rider.

Erme Valley RDA managing director Peggy Douglas, speaking on behalf of the directors said: ’We are very proud of all our riders and are very grateful to those who so generously loaned their horses for RDA use. We are currently short of horses, partly due to the sad loss recently of two of our own.

’We are holding a Dressage Open Day at The Brook on Saturday, July 2, and we would invite anyone who would like to join us to come along.’

Further details and information about Erme Valley RDA can be found on the website www.ridingatthebrook.co.uk