A BERE Ferrers horse rider has appealed for sponsorship to help her compete for Britain in the European Junior Horse Trials in the Czech Republic next year.
Three day eventer Samantha Cutts, 17, from Bere Ferrers has come under the British selectors? eye after a superb season, but in order to contest next year?s trials she needs to obtain local sponsorship.
?We have sat down and worked out the cost of training and competing for next year to be approximately £6,500, due to the long distance of competitions, high entry fees and no prize money for juniors,? said Samantha.
?My family cannot support this alone, but I have already obtained private sponsorship for half that amount, provided matched sponsorship can be found,? she said.
Samantha is now looking for the remaining £3,250 in sponsorship to allow her to compete. Samantha says eventing is a sport which makes ?good provision for sponsors because they realise how important they are.?
Samantha has only been riding her horse Piccola Star since the start of this season, but already they have performed excellently.
?The horse has just passed all expectations. This has always been a dream, and to have it turning into reality is pretty fantastic,? she said.
This season, Samantha and Piccola Star?s impressive string of results include finishing ninth in the junior championships, representing the South West, winning the area event for her pony club and being placed in the top five in every novice event she has entered since March.
?Any little amount is fantastic for me,? said Samantha, who explained that eventers were reliant on sponsorship, because it simply was not possible to make a living even as a professional eventer, as entry fees were high, but prize money was often not.
Samantha combines her eventing with six A-levels at Devonport High School for Girls, and is hoping to go on to study a degree in veterinary medicine. ?Its hard work,? says Samantha, ?but always worth it ? and I?m determined to make it into the European team.?
Samantha says juggling her studies and eventing is not easy: ?I just have to be organised, there is some catching up to do. If I didn?t love it, I couldn?t do it, but it?s worth it for me.?
Samantha wants to secure one of the four places on the Britain team travelling to the Czech Republic in August next year ? her last chance as it will be her final year at junior level.
Samantha has been riding since the age of three. She said there were many young riders in a similar position, who needed sponsorship to be able to compete at the top international events. However there were not many local riders close to getting into the British team and she was particularly looking for sponsorship from West Devon firms.
Anyone interested in sponsoring Samantha should contact her on 01822 841253.