A young horsewoman who won the chance to train with two former Olympic show jumpers is encouraging riders to register for an exciting competition at next month’s Countryside Live.

Fourteen-year-old Ellie Meldrum spent a weekend with two of the UK’s most famous equestrian experts, Graham and Tina Fletcher, after winning the X-Factor style competition at last year’s event with her pony, Sylvester.

Countryside Live, now in its 12th year, is the little sister to the Great Yorkshire Show and is a showcase of rural life and a fun day out for all the family. It is organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

The two-day event takes place at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October, with around 12,000 visitors expected to flock to the show.

One of the weekend’s most popular events is the ‘Search for a Talented Show Jumper’ competition which is open to riders aged 10 and over. The Fletchers put dozens of entrants through their paces over a series of heats throughout the weekend, before choosing the eventual winner in a nail-biting finale to the event on Sunday. Entries for this year’s contest close on Friday 26 September.

Ellie, from Jedburgh, Scotland, described her two days at the Fletcher’s yard as “an amazing experience”. Since then she has gone on to compete as part of the British Showjumping Association Scotland Junior Academy team on Sylvester.

“It was wonderful spending time with the Fletchers – it really was amazing and I’d encourage anyone to enter ‘Search for a Talented Showjumper’. The whole experience has encouraged me to go for it, and believe in myself,” said Ellie, who is competing in the Northern Show Cross section at next month’s Countryside Live.

“The highlight of my prize with the Fletchers was riding Tina’s ‘Hello Sailor’ which had competed at the Olympics. Over the weekend I learned so much,” she said.

Throughout the Countryside Live weekend, there are a host of other equine events including the Mountain and Moorland Ridden Championships, a qualifier for December’s Olympia, and fun showing competitions plus a ridden fancy dress class The Northern Show Cross finals are being held in the Main Ring and include an inter-team relay competition for the first time. Northern Show Cross has grown in popularity in the three years since it was introduced two years ago.

“This is the third year at Countryside Live for the Northern Show Cross Team and it has grown from strength to strength,” said joint organiser Janice Mewse.

“For the first time the top 60 juniors and top 60 seniors will compete in the showground’s Main Ring. The inter team relay idea has proved more popular than we ever imagined, and we now have a waiting list,” she added.

Elsewhere around the event, there will be pony rides for the first time, while dog agility demonstrations, mountain biking, farrier competitions, tug of war contests and have-a-go archery are all sure to entertain the crowds.

As well as classes for cattle, sheep and horses, Countryside Live includes sections for pigeons and poultry, as well as fruit and vegetable classes which are organised through Knaresborough Horticultural Society.