A NORTON rider has come back from a broken collarbone to win a regional eventing competition at the weekend.

Lois Teal, 20, rode her horse Z7 Catastrophe to a win in the British Eventing BE100 regional finals held at White Hall Farm at Norton Disney in Lincolnshire on Saturday.

Miss Teal, who is training to be a teacher at York St John University and also teaches riding at pony clubs in Ryedale, rode an eventing dressage of 22.5 to put her through to the national finals, which will be held in Badminton in May next year.

This was despite breaking her collarbone after coming off a horse in March and receiving several operations on it. She said that she wanted to thank the team at Jack Berry House, including physio Gemma Darley. “I’m only back riding because of them,” she said.

She added she had ridden in a few BE events before that but it was a thrill to win. “I’ve never won a British Eventing event before so it was really great.”

Proud mum Jackie Teal said: “It was a last chance saloon - she’d had three operations on her collarbone and we didn’t know if she would ride again this season at all.

“We’re absolutely delighted.”

She added they had bought Z7 Catastrophe as a six-year-old from a friend in Ireland. “He had a reasonable season last year and did very well on Saturday.”

Those who finish in the top 20 per cent of the BE100 regional final qualify for the annual Mitsubishi Motors Cup to be held at the Badminton horse trials in the spring. Miss Teal said: “A few friends are wanting to come along, so it should be good.”

The winners of each Mitsubishi Motors Cup classification win a new Mitsubishi vehicle for a year, prize money, trophy and plaque.