A YARM teenager is already aiming for the top on the dream pony bought for her last autumn.

Fifteen-year-old Hollie Davies and her six-year-old Connemara gelding Western Andy have made their mark on the equestrian scene in a very short space of time.

The pony was bought in September and Hollie put in three months of groundwork before jumping him in December.

This month they qualified at Rowallan in Glasgow for the JC class at the Royal Highland Show in June, deprived of first place by only half a second.

The pair are going to the Sapphire and Coral classes at the Blue Chip championships at Solihull next month and to the Scope festival at Stafford in August for the progressive and adventurer classes. They have also qualified for the second rounds of the Junior Newcomers and Foxhunter classes and go to Essex in April for the pony of the year show.

Hollie, who is trained by Peter Allen of Stainsby Grange, said: "I knew Andy was special from the moment I saw him. He is a dream pony with lots of potential for the future.

"My ambition is to get him to the Horse of the Year Show this year."