A RIDER from near Whitby has received a wild card entry for the British dressage winter nationals at Hartpury, Gloucestershire, next month.

Cara Shardlow, of Beckside Livery Stables, qualified at the winter regionals at the beginning of February. Her top horse Detonator saw successes, coming third in the advanced medium open class and the St George freestyle class, plus a fourth in the advanced medium freestyle.

She said: "I was very pleased with these results as it was the first time at that level in the open sections so I was up against some of the top riders in the country."

Ms Shardlow also had her horse Sandonista competing in three classes, in all of which he finished in the top 10, plus a fourth in the novice open freestyle with a score of 73.06 per cent.

Ms Shardlow said: "I was really hoping with a score like that we might get a wild card to the nationals, and after a month's wait we found out that we have. It's fantastic to qualify another horse at that level and another one I have broken and produced myself.

"This will be Sandonista's first time at national level. I have competed Detonator there the previous two years and he will be going down to contest the Pet Plan finals at PSG and Inter-1 level which runs alongside the nationals, so it will be a busy few days."

Ms Shardlow is being sponsored by Wilf Nobles building supplies. She is also ambassador for Horslyx and is receiving support from Saracens horse feed and Millbry Hill. She added: "I would like to say a huge thank you to them all."