DALRY horse rider Stuart Muirhead’s showjumping career is coming on in leaps and bounds.

Stuart, 16, has been riding since he was four years old and recently competed as a member the Scotland team at the British National Championships at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, where he and his team mates picked up a very respectable seventh place.

A couple of days later they were representing Scotland again at the British Showjumping Academy Team Finals at nearby Weston Lawns where the Under-21s Big GrownUps team picked up bronze medals.

Stuart’s mum Christine said: “Stuart has had a few ponies over the years earning him great experience riding the not-so-easy ponies in our game, which in turn gave Stuart a fantastic introduction to the world of showjumping.” Last year Stuart purchased his dream horse Merllyn’s Mondena – ‘Ginger’ to the family – a 14-year-old chestnut mare.

Stuart and Ginger’s first show was at Scottish Horse of the Year Show at Morris Equestrian Centre near Fenwick where they jumped a fantastic round to win the 1 mile Open Championship.

Since then they have had numerous wins at various different British Showjumping shows and local agricultural shows and the family fireplace now has an abundance of silverware.

Plans for the rest of the year include a visit to Bishop Burton College near Hull for the British Showjumping Bronze League Semi Final.

If successful, he will qualify for the prestigious Horse of the Year Show at Birmingham NEC in October.