A HORSE rider from Oswaldtwistle is hoping to gallop to glory if she makes it to the prestigious Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham later this year.

And Joanne Bond, of Albert Street, has every reason to be hopeful - for her 10-year-old horse has already proved that luck is on his side.

Three years ago, Ali, whose show name is Salazeer, was rescued from the knacker's yard - just hours before he was due to be shipped abroad for horse meat.

The Arab grey's previous owner, Michelle Yates, discovered his fate after a routine phone call to the Scottish woman she had sold him to, and she immediately drove down to the horse dealer's in Birmingham, where Ali was being kept, to take him back home.

Joanne, 26, then agreed to buy the horse and the pair have been inseparable ever since.

Joanne, who has a seven-year-old daughter, Shannon, said: "I had just lost my previous horse when I saw the advert for Ali, so I contacted Michelle and she let us have him on loan for a three-month period. Since then, he has done quite well, considering what could have happened to him. He has brought me nothing but pleasure and I have had a lot of success with him in competitions."

Joanne, who owns four other horses, added that she was still trying to qualify for the Horse of the Year Show, and is on the lookout for sponsorship to cover her costs.

She said: "The Horse of the Year Show is just something that I've always wanted to do and if I don't get in this year I'm not going to give up. When I started doing smaller shows, people said I was wasting my time and I could do much bigger and better things with him. Professional riders have even offered to buy him, which must mean that he is something special.

"Although other riders have offered to ride him for the competition, I want to do it myself. Qualifying would be a dream come true."

If anyone is interested in sponsoring Joanne, she can be contacted on 391581.