YORK show-jumper Joanne Andrews will be competing in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at this month's Royal International Horse Show - one of the world's leading women-only titles - after qualifying in Scotland.
The qualifier at the Carluke Show attracted a record number of entrants from northern England and Scotland. Six riders made it through to the timed jump-off to chase three tickets on offer to the Hickstead-staged final.
"I was drawn first against the clock and, being me, I had to go for it," explained Andrews, who rode the German-bred mare Townhead Karribundi. "We had the very last fence down - it was a late falling pole and I turned out to be three seconds faster than everyone else!"
Two riders jumped steady clears to finish ahead of Joanne, but she held on to the third ticket after an agonising wait.
"I've competed in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup for the last five years and have been placed every time, finishing second in 1999," Andrews added. "This will be this mare's first time though and I think I'm looking forward to it."
Andrews, a past winner of the Young Riders Championship of Great Britain at Wembley, will now do a few more shows before travelling to Hickstead in Sussex for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on July 29, where there will be prize money of £9,000.
Updated: 12:15 Wednesday, July 04, 2001
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