HOLLY Woodhead has said that being the youngest member of the Great Britain team does not faze her as she prepares for her first European Championships.

The 21-year-old, who is based at Dayhouse Farm in Coate, was selected in July as part of the 12-strong team heading to Blair Castle in Scotland for the FEI European Eventing Championships.

Woodhead has said it is surreal being alongside some of the eventers she grew up watching on television, but, along with her horse DHI Lupison, she has impressed selectors and she is hoping to make the most of the step up.

“I want to go there and put my mark down with the senior riders,” she said.

“When Yogi (Breisner, British team performance manager) rang me I didn’t really know what it was for but I knew the team announcement was being made that day.

“When he told me I did think he was joking at first and then it sunk in and I was absolutely thrilled and now I am really excited.

“I am technically still a young rider and because I am so young and there are so many good riders and horses who have all had amazing performances this season, I thought my chances maybe weren’t so good.

“I would have thought they would have picked others over me, but I have got an incredible horse and he has been on form this year so I am really happy.”

Woodhead was part of the British team who competed at the Nations Cup in Aachen last month and got a second place finish individually there, having been left on her dressage score of 34.3.

That result has given the 2014 Young Rider European silver medallist a big boost and she says that the duo are in good form ahead of the travelling to Scotland.

“I have been training and I went with the Nations Cup team to Aachen, which was an amazing experience and a huge learning curve for myself and the horse,” she added.

“He was really good out there and I just had a little rider mistake in the cross country, but we got it out of the way and we’re looking forward to Blair now.

“I expect that we can go there and do the best we possibly can and to get a result will just be a bonus.

“I believe my horse is good enough and I have got the most amazing support team and help, and, with the more senior riders on the team, I will have the support and help when I need it.

“I don’t think I will have as much pressure as I did in the young riders, because I am a lot younger and a lot less experienced than most of the other combinations.

“With it being the European Championships and a home crowd as well we will be under a little bit of pressure to perform well.”

n HIGHWORTH-BASED rider Paul Tapner is among the top names competing at the Whatley Manor International Horse Trials at Gatcombe Park this weekend.

Australian Tapner, a previous winner, joins Zara Phillips and Badgerstown-based New Zealander Sir Mark Todd at the event which has attracted riders from 13 other countries.