Two local riders have qualified for the prestigious Horse of the Year Show, to be held between October 4 and 9 at the NEC in Birmingham.

Jack Bowlby, 15, from Wantage, will compete in the South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB) Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship, while Cropredy’s Flora Harris takes part in the Express Eventing final.

Bowlby won the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Class in Leicestershire recently, riding Greg and Mia Bone’s ex-racehorse Giggles O’Shea.

The pair fought off stiff competition from 38 other competitors to get to the Horse of the Year Show.

Harris, 23, who is a former Team Great Britain young rider, is relishing the opportunity of competing in Birmingham.

She said: “The prize money is an obvious draw, but it’s also a great showcase of young eventing talent, and I want to be a part of that.”