Steventon showjumper Ami Measor booked her place at the Horse of the Year Show at the NEC, Birmingham, later this year with a brilliant display aboard Belle Fleur at Towerlands, near Braintree.

The 21-year-old rider clai-med the third of the three qualifying places in the British Amateur Classic from a field of 105 on the eight-year-old mare from Jane Dexter's Blewbury Riding Stables.

A clear round put Measor into the jump-off along with 35 other riders.

She then produced a terrific clear round against the clock to go second – before she was eventually relegated to third – which clinched a place at the NEC on Wednesday, October 7.

Going into the jump-off she knew she had to post a quick time to qualify – but didn’t know how her mount would react.

“For the warm-up I got her going fast and then hoped she would turn into a racehorse when we got in there and she did,” said Measor.

“A lot of people knocked fences down by going too fast and not concentrating on the fences, but Belle jumps well.

“I was 25th to go and there were already five clear rounds, so I knew I had to go fast to be in with a chance of qualifying, so I thought just gallop.”

It saw Measor qualify for the sport’s showcase event after a series of frustrating near misses in 2008 when she finished fourth in five separate qualifiers.

Her success also means she will be competing at the NEC for a second time this year, having finished sixth aboard Belle Fleur at the British Open Amateur Championship last month.

“It is amazing really because I did the British Open and now I am going to the Horse of the Year Show,” she added.