A Somerset resident has been selected to represent England at a prestigious equine event.
Amanda Hamley will compete in the upcoming Home International Endurance Championships.
The selection of the Wheddon Cross resident was made by the Endurance GB International Committee.
The Home International Endurance Championships bring together teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland to showcase their equestrian talents.
The event is scheduled for August 10 and 11 in Kilkenny, Ireland.
Ms Hamley, who began her endurance riding career in 2018, will be partnering with her two horses, Lady and More Salutes - more fondly referred to as Morse - for the competition.
Morse, bred at Kildaragh Stud, which is just an hour away from the championship venue, has had a successful career in endurance riding.
In 2024 alone, he has completed several 80km rides, and has accumulated almost 700km of competition experience in his career.
His achievements include being the National Novice Champion in his first season and being the current RoR Elite Endurance Champion.
Ms Hamley said: "I am absolutely delighted that Morse and I have been selected to represent England.
"What a dream come true!
"Never would I have imagined that when I picked Morse up as a recently off-the-track 4-year-old, that 5 years later we’d be representing England.
"It’s been a long and not always easy journey, but I’m so proud of how far we’ve come together and thrilled that we have the opportunity to show how amazing former racehorses can be when retrained for endurance.”
The England squad’s Chef d’Equipe, Bella Fricker, said: "We are delighted with our final team.
"With such a huge pool of talent to choose from, the selection wasn’t easy.
"We have every confidence in the squad’s ability to tackle the Irish terrain, particularly with such established combinations to represent us."
The Endurance GB International Committee relayed its best wishes to the entire England Squad in their journey to the Home International Championships.
Those who wish to support the England team can visit their crowdfunding page at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/england-team-home-international-fundraising?exp=exp-pledge&expv=A
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