MARLBOROUGH'S Chelsea Pearce is the latest local rider to triumph in the British Eventing (BE) Jumping and Style (JAS) series, a pre-event season warm-up open to all ages.

The pupil of St Francis School in Pewsey has fine sporting pedigree – her father is former England international footballer Stuart Pearce, now manager of the England U21 team.

The youngster proved a rising star in her own sport when she travelled to Hartpury College near Gloucester to contest a qualifying round of the JAS series, which culminates in a national championship final in Buckinghamshire at the end of the month.

It was only the her second outing in the series but she topped the opening BE90 section on her 14hh roan pony Rolly Rascal, who is four years her senior.

“Chelsea did two BE80 JAS training events and took part in her first ‘proper’ JAS competition at Hartpury at the end of January,” said mum Liz.

“This time the course was more up to height, which suited Chelsea, and she beat over 60 rivals to win.”

The duo, who have also taken part in some JAS type competitions in school events, jumped a double clear over the showjumping and cross country sections to finish on a style mark of 17.

“Senior rider Katie Williams, whose daughter Tilly rode Rolly Rascal in the past, was second,” added Mrs Pearce. “Chelsea feels the competitions are very good for your riding. She wants to concentrate on eventing and they help you feel your way a bit before the outdoor season starts.

“Rolly doesn’t have the longest of strides so had to move on to make the time, and there were places you could cut corners. He’s a super pony and Chelsea was delighted with his win.”

Two weeks earlier Pearce and Rolly Rascal claimed the novice title at the National Schools Association JAS Championships at Addington Manor near Buckingham, representing St Francis School.

The Tedworth Hunt Pony Club member, who has training from Alison Byrne and Laura Hattier, has previously proved successful in the pony showing world.

“Chelsea got to the Horse of the Year showing finals with her first ridden pony and now has the working hunter pony Pebbly Pipe Dream, with who she won the supreme championship at the Pony of the Year Show,” said Mrs Pearce.

“She plans to event this pony in 2011 but they’ll continue to compete in top working hunter pony showing classes too.”

Pearce is also keen to work on her dressage, vital for any modern day event rider, and is involved with the BYRDS (British Young Riders Dressage Scheme) programme.

Fellow Marlborough rider Laura Collett, the reigning Young Riders European team champion, kept up her good form in the JAS series. She headed both the Novice and Open qualifiers on the chestnut mare Jitterbug, who is becoming something of an expert at the classes and won the JAS Novice class at Solihull a fortnight earlier.

This time the duo came close to perfection in this class winning on a remarkable style mark of 0.1 – a record score – jumping a superb double clear.

They beat Nicholas Lucey, a double winner at the first Hartpury qualifiers last month, in the Open qualifier by a clear three marks.

Bromham’s Libby Seed was sixth in the Novice class on her mare Tara VII and filled third place in the BE100 qualifier on new ride Heliana.

Lici Hawker, the Hullavington teenager who has also gone well in the JAS series in the past, was third in the Open qualifier on Nankin des Ruettes.

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