A DOWNTON vet and her horse Doc-tor Fox have qualified for the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead writes Clare Savage.

Rebecca Hamil-ton-Fletcher, who has worked at Endell Veterinary Practice in Salis-bury for 13 years, said she was thrilled when eight-year-old Doctor Fox was selected after competing at Newbury earlier this month.

Only the top three horses in the Amateur Light-weight Show Hun-ter section qualified for the prestigious Hickstead event.

Ms Hamilton-Flet-cher, said: "I hadn't dare to imagine he would be selected and I was thrilled.

"I worked hard to get him into shape, to make him gleam," said the 43-year-old. "He behaved very well on the day, but it took a lot of hard work to get him there. But it was all worth it."

"I knew he was a good horse when I brought him 18 months ago and I did buy him with a view to showing him."

Doctor Fox, a 17hh chestnut Irish thoroughbred gelding, also won the Reserve Supreme Champion title in the Thorney Island Show last week.