PEEBLES pupils are rightly riding high following their first ever canter to the prestigious National Schools Equestrian Association Championship.

Fierce qualifying rounds have been taking place up and down the country for the past year.

And last weekend the cream of the crop arrived at Addington Manor in Buckinghamshire.

Some 900 competitors in total took part in the four-day event.

And it was the first time Peebles High School had reached the finals in all three equestrian disciplines.

The 700-mile round trip didn't have any ill effects on the five strong team of Persia Bhatia, Alice Bryce, Maddie Collins, Daragh Ramage and Natasha Thorpe.

And Persia, aboard Dundrum Misty, doubled up to win silver as part of the Scottish Nations Cup Dressage team.

The great performances kept coming from the Peebles riders with third year pupil Alice Bryce, on Millennium Belle, finishing a highly creditable sixth in the individual dressage.

The Peebles team, which also featured fourth-year student Daragh on Neila, Natasha, who is third year, aboard Paddy, and first-year pupil Maddie on Meriestoun Little Gun as well as Persia and Alice, finished 17th out of the 47 teams over the three disciplines of dressage, showjumping and arena eventing.

The team is very grateful to local companies Stobo Castle Health Spa, Harbro, Brysabb Car Sales, Wemyss and March Estates and Webber for their generous sponsorship of their memorable trip to the NSEA Championships.