A SOUTH Herefordshire horse riding stable which uses the sport to help the confidence of people with disabilities now boast two National Champions.

Redbrook Farm, near Hoarwithy, saw a host of their athletes competing at the Disabled Association National Championships recently coming away with 16 podium places.

Megan Pritchard, from Peterchurch, won the Totally Visually Impaired (TVI) walk and trot dressage to become the National Champion.

She also won the TVI walk and trot dressage to music and came second in the pairs dressage to music with Sarah Smith.

David Chaffey was also crowned National Champion after winning the Partially Visually Impaired (PVI) walk dressage along with also winning the PVI walk dressage to music.

Lesley Sayers won the PVI walk and trot dressage to music while Georgina Fowler won the walk dressage to music where Heather Cooper took second and third in the walk only dressage test.

Maddie Stephens won the junior section of walk dressage to music while Matt Carsley won the Countryside Challenge and Vicki Manley came third in a separate classification.

Alex Stevens and Morgan Haines also did well in the show jumping competition coming second and third respectively in their individual classes.

Janet Alderton, Head Coach of Ride 2 Achieve, and owner of Redbrook Farm said she was 'over the moon' with the results.

She said: "It was an absolutely brilliant show and we had some excellent results.

"I think nationally we probably had more placings than any other group. We did really well particularly our music and dressage to music where we won virtually every class we compete in.

"We have an amazing lady named Kim Warren who is a dressage judge and she puts music together for our pupils and matches the music to horses and individuals to what they want."

The results have been so successful that budding Paralympic athletes now want to train at the Hoarwithy yard.

"More people want to work with us and more riders are coming on board," Alderton added.

"We have now been approached by Paralympic riders looking to be trained with us ideally to get into the National circuit which is a stepping stone to the the bigger picture which is the Paralympics."

Currently the centre is trying to raise £2,500 to buy their latest 12-year-old horse named Patch who helps visually impaired riders and are still £1,000 short of their target.