A HORSE rider from Helston has earned a place to take part at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show.

Alicia Brassett finished second in the ponies class at the South Essex Insurance Broker’s Search for a Star 2014 qualifier held at the Summerhouse Equestrian Centre in Gloucestershire meaning she will now enter the world famous arena at the NEC in Birmingham when the annual event takes place between October 8 and 12.

The 17-year-old rode to success on The Grey Prince who is owned by Ross Durkin, whose son’s fiancé is Alicia’s older sister Natasha.

Speaking after winning her spot at the show, the teenager said she was so happy to be fulfilling a lifelong ambition of hers.

“I have always dreamed of going to the Horse of the Year Show”, she said.

“I just feel so fortunate to have been given the ride by my sister and cannot wait for the show itself.”

Her chance to ride in the qualifier came as a bit of a surprise in itself, because there was no intention to enter The Grey Prince at any events this year.

However, Natasha who works at the stables where the horse lives said he has really come through well in recent months.

Natasha explained: “We had no intention to show, but we had worked really hard on him all winter and he looked a completely different horse, so I got my sister Alicia to ride him.

“We never thought that Prince would be the one. He came from nothing.”

Along with the runners-up place in Gloucestershire, Alicia has riden the gelding at other shows this year and has also qualified for the Royal International Horse Show.