ERIN Orford has been given a huge boost in her Rio 2016 hopes after being named by the British Equestrian Federation in their 2013-2015 World Class Development Programme.

The programme aims to identify and assist riders with the most potential in the Olympic sports of dressage, eventing and showjumping and the Paralympic sports of equestrian dressage.

The announcement is further good news for Orford, who has really emerged in the last year as a British rider to watch.

In fact, she might already be a Paralymic star. The 23-year-old from Wycombe was a whisker away from selection for Team GB last year, missing out to Natasha Baker in a what the selecters admitted was an extremely marginal call.

Baker promptly won two golds, but Orford had beaten her just weeks before the Games and just weeks after won the National Para Dressage championship.

Speaking after the event, she admitted Baker’s performance in London had only inspired her.

She said: “To go and win two golds at your first Paralympics is unbelievable, it makes me really want to complete.”