Four young showjumpers from a Dundee riding school are taking on the best in Britain.

They're hoping to deliver a 'National Velvet' result - by riding to success on a shoestring budget, in scenes similar to the film starring Mickey Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor.

Kirsten Macpherson, Alex Barr, Teigan Getty and Mackenzie Fyfe have all come through the ranks at Claverhouse Equestrian, a riding school on the edge of the city's housing schemes.

They entered the qualification stages for the British Showjumping National Championships for fun and will now compete in the team final at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on Sunday.

"It's so exciting, we didn't actually think we would qualify, we just did it for fun because we're all friends here and we were lucky enough to make it through," said 20-year-old student Barr, who rides Cartier.

"We're not from rich areas, we're just normal girls who've got into this and are enjoying it along the way."

Showjumping is an expensive sport and the top horses can cost millions.

Team Claverhouse say they're proving that it's not just for the wealthy, and winners can come from all walks of life, such as Getty's horse Paris.

"She used to live in a field with pigs. She couldn't really do anything, she couldn't jump, she would buck me off every day, but then a few years of training and she has turned out to be a one-in-a-million horse," said the 17-year-old trainee riding instructor.

Miss Getty added: "I couldn't fault her one bit. She's honest, she jumps round anything you put her at, so to ride her at a national championships is amazing, a dream come true."

At 16-years-old, Fyfe is the youngest, replacing original team member Rhiannon Bruce, who broke her leg in a fall.

She said: "It's amazing to be picked, as obviously I wasn't supposed to be going at first, so I'm so happy that I was chosen to do it.

"We've got as much chance as anyone else so hopefully we'll come home with a rosette."

The team, which is captained by 24-year-old Macpherson, had to raise more than £1300 to make the ten-hour journey to Warwickshire.

Barr said: "Our sponsors have helped to make the trip possible and hopefully we can reward them by getting placed, maybe even winning.

"It's really good for the younger generations to see us doing this. Hopefully we can promote riding in the area and show that anyone can do it."