RIDING SCHOLARSHIPS

Sir — Unlike our national champions in other sports who can rise from grassroots beginnings to Olympic standard through sheer talent, it seems from the young rider’s issue (16 August) that reaching the top in our own sport requires an established and much-resourced background.

This is a pity as we have a wealth of talented youngsters in this country who don’t have the opportunity to develop their abilities to reach such heights, because they do not have such origins. A scholarship system through a network of riding clubs could help overcome this waste. Colin Cleaver Tanworth-in-Arden, Warks