A TEAM of four girls from South Dorset Pony Club finished fourth at the prestigious Pony Club Championships.

More than 340 pony clubs from across the country entered and 40 teams qualified for the championships at Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire.

The South Dorset team qualified for the championships for the first time in more than a decade and the competition required them to undertake three disciplines – dressage, showjumping and cross country.

South Dorset’s team was comprised of 19-year-old Ellie Goldsbrough and Maddy Taylor, 15, who keep their horses at the Royal Armoured Corps at Bovington, Lucy Ferguson, also 15, from Studland and Wareham’s Millie Evans, 14.

Taylor finished second overall in her section while the team were fourth overall.

To top their achievement, the team went clear over the difficult cross country course and were awarded the coveted Horsemanship Trophy for showing the most competent horsemanship skills in that discipline.

Coach Caroline Lovelock said the result was fantastic and she was thrilled with the dedication of the team and the help of the supporters.

She is looking forward to trying again next year with a new selection of up-and-coming riders.

Paul Warwick, the assistant coach on the day, said the team did incredibly well on the cross country course which was tricky from the first jump.

Stephanie Buchanan, the founder and manager of the RAC Saddle Club, said that it was a fabulous weekend and that she enjoyed celebrating the success of the team that night.