THE niece of an OIympic silver medallist has been selected for the British eventing team, only 18 months after taking up the discipline.

Storm Straker, a pupil at Queen Mary's School, Topcliffe, near Thirsk, will be the youngest member of the British squad the European junior show jumping competition, to be held at Bishop Burton College, near Beverley, from August 14 to 16.

Storm, 16, overcame nerves to be placed seventh at trials in Leicestershire, impressing selectors in both the cross-country and showjumping disciplines.

Her father, Nick, said selectors were particularly impressed with Storm's recent consistently strong performances on her 12-year-old bay Versace.

He said she had developed her skills riding with the Zetland hunt and on the family's farm at Caldwell, near Richmond, while she had received support from her aunt, 1988 Olympics eventer Karen Dixon and inspiration from 2012 Olympics silver medallist Nicola Wilson, of Morton-on-Swale.