CROWLE’S Caroline Richards has successfully gained a place at the 2008 Oliver Town-end Eventers Challenge (OTEC) finals, a new indoor winter series that proved a huge hit in its inaugural year in 2007.

The Challenge, backed by Olympic reserve rider Oliver Townend, is staged over a course that mixes cross-country and show jumping and is created by Jump4Joy.

Qualifiers take place at 15 venues, ranging from Scot-land to Devon, and the top three riders in eight age and height categories go on to the national finals at Arena UK in Lincolnshire on December 13 and 14.

Richards, aged 23 and a lecturer at Worcester College of technology in patisserie, was in action at the qualifiers staged at Hartpury College near Gloucester.

She was riding her partner of just three weeks, the 15.3hh bay mare Rosie, who competes under the affiliated name Berry Hill Rose.

“This was our first competition together and my first attempt at the Oliver Townend series. We really went just for the training experience,” Richards explained.

“It was a real bonus when we finished second in the 21 years and over section and qualified for the final.

“This was the top open class and was held over a 15-fence course in the smaller indoor arena at Hartpury, it was a very tight track. My mare is small and nimble though, so it suited her.”

Rosie, who is by the renowned sire Jumbo, was even-ted by former under 21 European medallist Alex Pos-tolowsky earlier this year and made the line up on all five of her novice one-day event outings in 2008.

“I hope to continue to do British Eventing competitions with Rosie next year, so long as it fits around my work,” Richards added.

“I’m also a member of the Cropthorne and Evesham Vale Riding Club, so I’ll do some club events too. Riding is just a hobby for me.”