An ex-Kingsbridge Community College student has qualified for the British Dressage National Championships.

Emily Farleigh, 27, instructor at Dittiscombe Equestrian Centre, has qualified for the national competition that takes place next week, on her self-produced horse Wake Up, known in the yard as Whoopie.

She bought Whoopie as a three-year-old, who she then backed and produced herself. He qualified for the Young Dressage Horse Championships as a four- and five-year-old, and now as a six-year-old, has taken Emily to the British Dressage National Championships.

Emily describes Whoopee as “laid back, straight forward and gentle”.

To qualify for the regionals at Bicton Arena on Tuesday, July 18, Emily had to win 15 points, eight of which from qualifier classes, with all her dressage tests being marked at 65 per cent or higher.

She had to win the regional competition to qualify for the nationals, which she did, much to her own surprise.

“To qualify for the British Dressage National Championships is very exciting and slightly shocking”, Emily said. “My aim for regionals was to get a rosette, which you got if you were placed in the top ten, so to win was a massive shock and bonus.”Talking about her expectations for the national championships on Thursday, September 14, she said: “Just for him to go well and get placed would be great. If we got in the top 20 I would be really happy.”

She thanked her trainers, but especially her mum and "top trainer" Alex Farleigh for supporting her journey to the nationals.

The British Dressage National Championships will see the likes of Charlotte Dujardin CBE, the top British dressage rider, triple Gold Medalist at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics Games, European Champion, World Champion and who holds all three World Records in the sport of Dressage, but Emily stresses Charlotte is “not in the same class as me!”