A TALENTED teen horse rider is delighted to have made her debut with Team Great Britain.

Charlotte East, 17, from Othery, was selected for the Great Britain Junior Eventing Team and competed in European Championships in Poland this summer.

The competition took place from August 27-30, with Charlotte and her team bringing home the bronze medal.

Charlotte, who has just finished studying as a day pupil at Millfield School, competed with her horse Clear Dawn, who she has bought two years ago, Charlotte said: “It was an amazing experience being part of the British team and the riders and support crew were so supportive, as well as the team trainer. “There has been a huge amount of hard work gone into it and I am so proud of my mare Clear Dawn.”

Eventing pulls together all three horse disciplines – dressage, show jumping and cross country fixed fence riding – and is reckoned to be the ultimate equestrian challenge.

“After selection, I had one week and then I went up to Leicestershire for three days of intensive training,” said Charlotte.

“We then drove Clear Dawn to Dover, where she was joined by the five others in the squad. “They went on a professional horse transporter and then on to Poland by ferry and road. “It was a three-day journey, accompanied by three grooms, a vet and a horse physio.”

Charlotte and her team went on to win bronze in the competition.; an achievement which she is very proud of.

“Our most experienced rider made a slight error of judgement on the cross country phase and fell off his horse and was eliminated from the competition, so we were reliant on the three remaining riders in the team performing well.

“Since the event, I am now riding full time as a career and really need to focus on the future.

“My plan is to buy a couple of young horses to produce to run alongside my two more experienced horses.

“I have enjoyed producing Clear Dawn and I would love to produce some more quality young horses to progress through the eventing ranks, but would need some local owners to partner with me to do this.

“Watch this space.”