A TALENTED schoolgirl has qualified for a national horse riding competition with a little help from her faithful pony pal.

Jasmine Hawkins, 11, of Harwich has booked her place at the Junior Jumping Championships of Great Britain which is being held next weekend alongside her pony Paddie who she linked up with a year ago.

Since then Jasmine, who starts at Harwich and Dovercourt High School in September, has won two different events at Tendring show grounds and mother Tracy could not be more proud of her daughter.

“She has been riding since she was seven but since we brought her Paddie who had never jumped fences before,” she said.

“The partnership which has developed between these two has been amazing to watch and she goes to tend to him every day where he is kept in Ramsey.

“They trust each other 100 per cent and it has been amazing to watch the partnership grow over the year.”