PEEBLES High’s newest sports club has just qualified for the national championships.

The Equestrian Team were competing for the first time at the National Schools Equestrian Association’s (NSEA) Dressage competition. They faced five other schools from as far away as Edinburgh and Northumberland.

And the four-strong team did enough to reach the top of the podium.

S1 pupil Alice Bryce, on Madame Trixy, got the team off to a solid start with a score of 64. Team captain Persia Bhatia, on Dundrum Misty, managed to achieve 71.3 - enough to finish fifth in the individual competition.

Caledonia Bhatia, on Derrartha Thomas, achieved 72.7 to secure second place and an individual qualification to the national Championships.

And Kerri Dow, on her lovely eventing pony Dessie Island, finished with a score of 65.9. After all the scores were added the team were announced as clear winners.

They now go on to the NSEA Championships in October at Addington Manor, Buckinghamshire.

The newly formed Equestrian Team at Peebles High now has 10 members and there will be further competitions in Showjumping and Arena Eventing later this year.