A TALENTED dressage rider schooled in Ombersley is dreaming of representing Great Britain at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Ashleigh Jones has ridden for the past 13 years and is part of the World Class Podium Potential programme as a leading competitor.

The 20-year-old trains four times a week with Leonie Smith at Daneswood Dressage and has competed internationally at junior and young rider levels.

But Jones, who has cerebral palsy, is appealing for help to buy a horse which would allow her to compete at the top level.

Jones and her family are now trying to raise around £20,000 to help achieve her ambition of representing Great Britain at the highest echelon.

Her mother Yvonne Jones said: “To make Ashleigh’s dream a reality, we need to purchase a horse of the required calibre — a very special horse with a trainable temperament along with the ability to perform and win of course. But these horses are a rare find and extremely expensive to buy.

“There is so much interest in the Rio Paralympics later this year but people are unaware there are athletes already preparing for the next games four years away.”

Smith, a Grand Prix dressage rider and para-coach, has been building a close partnership with Jones since last year.

“Ashleigh is one of the most dedicated riders I have worked with and never lets her disability become an excuse not to achieve her goals,” said Smith.

“She has an amazing feel and empathy with a horse which makes her a talented rider and her sense of humour and determination, even when luck has not gone her way, is awesome.

“Ashleigh is willing to do whatever it takes to improve her performance, be that hours at the gym working on her balance and symmetry of passing or working on improving her test movements to improve the smallest of details.”

Jones has had cerebral palsy since birth and it affects the right side of her body with partial paralysis, making daily life a challenge.

She began riding at the age of seven as a form of physiotherapy but she was told she would never be able to ride properly.

But Jones started competing at 12 years old, was part of the national development programme at 13 and has progressed on to the world-class level.

She won the RDA (Riding for the Disabled) National Championships at 15 and has competed internationally, including in major one and two star competitions.

Jones also goes to the gym four times a week and is on her second cycle as part of the world-class podium scheme.

Her mother said the Great Britain squad will be re-selected at the end of this year.

She continued: “The overall amount of places in the GB squad is only four or five and the competition is very fierce.

“There are a lot of talented riders around but it’s a struggle to get to the top unless you are from a privileged background and have a suitable horse.”

Jones, who hails from south Birmingham, has launched a new website to raise her profile and produced a short promotional video.

Yvonne said: “We are hoping to create a huge campaign to get the whole of the West Midlands behind her, both financially and in spirit to help achieve her dream of representing Great Britain.”

Coach Smith added: “Ashleigh really deserves to be able to achieve her goals and I’m looking forward to working towards achieving an Paralympic place with her.”

For more details about her riding ambitions, go to crowdfunding.justgiving.com/AshleighJonesParaDressage