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last updated on March 28, 2006 00:00

Laura Bechtolsheimer, who became the youngest British National Dressage Champion aged 20 in 2005, has qualified for the 2006 FEI World Cup Dressage Finals in Amsterdam, Holland, 20-23 April. She finished eighth in the FEI World Cup Western European League Final Standings.

Laura maintained her place in the standings, thereby qualifying, after competing against the world’s best in this season’s final qualifier in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Holland, 23-26 March. She rode her father’s 15-year-old 17.2hh gelding Douglas Dorsey into 10th place with more than 74%.

Holland’s Anky van Grunsven, who has won the World Cup final a record seven times, rode her reigning champion Keltec Salinero to a phenomenal victory in the ’s-Hertogenbosch qualifier with a record-breaking score close to 88%.

Laura said: “I was the first to go in the qualifier, which is always nerve-wracking, but it meant I had the chance to watch everyone else, including Anky perform her world-record test. It was an amazing experience to ride among all those big names and I am thrilled to be going to the finals.”

Laura was going to be joined at the finals by another British rider, Wayne Channon, who was one of five riders to have received an additional place. However, Wayne has had to withdraw as his wife Debra's 13-year-old 16.3hh Dutch-bred stallion by Ferro, Lorenzo CH is injured.