Equestrian: Darbi hoping to leap all the way to the top

A TEENAGE event rider from Market Rasen has been selected for a programme that will hopefully help her progress to Olympic standard.

Darbi Murphy, 15, was offered a place on the Lincolnshire Elite Athlete Programme (LEAP) in December – and now needs financial backing so she can continue to compete at national level.

IN ACTION: Darbi Murphy competing in the NSEA Championship. Picture: Shotz Photography.
WINNER: Market Rasen rider Darbi Murphy. Picture: David Neve Photography

LEAP is a programme designed to co-ordinate the support for talented sportspeople from Lincolnshire.

It will form part of Lincolnshire 2012 to help athletes in the county make London 2012 and provide a legacy supporting athletes being selected for future games.

A student at De Aston School and captain of the De Aston School Equestrian Team, Murphy and her horse, Jessie's Tinker, now embark on a programme supported by the Lincolnshire Sports Partnership initiative for the county's up-and-coming talented athletes.

Murphy has been eventing against adults since she was 12 years old and was one of the youngest event riders competing at National British Eventing level in Lincolnshire in 2009.

She has been lucky enough to be trained by some of the region's best trainers, such as Steph Cooper, list one British dressage judge and grand prix rider; Lionel Dunning, former Great Britain international showjumper; Caroline Peatfield, British eventing area accredited trainer; and Joanne Burns, British showjumping area trainer.

Following on from her many successes last year, Murphy recently qualified out of a field of 60 for the British Eventing Jumping and Style Championships at Addington Manor in Buckinghamshire on Wednesday, February 22. She is also hoping to represent De Aston School on the NSEA Midland Eventing Squad at Oasby Horse Trials in March.

Mum and De Aston team manager Sandra Murphy said: "I am so proud of Darbi and Jessie.

"They are an incredible team starting out on their journey with fantastic success. It's such an exciting time for them both.

"If she continues to progress like this, and with the support of LEAP, there is every chance she will compete in the 2016 Olympics."

Anyone interested in sponsoring Murphy can call Sandra on 07903993879 for more details.