THE King’s School in Macclesfield is known for its traditionally male dominated sports.

Former England and Lions Rugby Union captain Steve Smith is an old boy as is current England cricket coach Peter Moores.

Now, King’s is leading the field in equestrianism, the first school in Cheshire to set up their own Equestrian Society, with classes and competitions currently being arranged against schools and clubs from the North and Midlands areas.

The King’s Equestrian Society has already attracted 24 young riders, who meet at livery centres and stables across the county on a weekly basis to develop their skills in dressage and show jumping.

It is the brainchild of two teachers, both with a consuming passion for horse riding. History and Politics teacher Rachel Maddocks who, at the age of 12, won the Showhunter Pony of the Year Class at the Royal International Horse Show, has a life-long passion for the sport.

Rachel, 28, said: "On any given Sunday I will spend from 8am til 6pm with my horse. My husband just doesn’t understand, but I am afraid there are times when he comes second."

Rachel will be concentrating on developing dressage skills, while Dr Jenny Pinkham, head of General Science at King’s, will be developing the show-jumping side.

Jenny said: "I ride with my daughter Holly three or four times every week and, just as dads and their sons bond through their sport, so we share this wonderful common passion.

"We are hoping to compete together in Hunter trials pairs competitions this summer."

The majority of participants are from the King’s Girls’ division, which was established in 1993 after 500 years of all-male education at King’s.

However, it is also attracting some of the boys.

Rachel added: "It is an expensive sport. Pupils must have their own horses and stable expenses and travel can obviously be prohibitive for some families, so I am delighted that King’s has chosen to help us fund the project with assistance towards training costs for us to work together on a regular basis."

She added: "Horse riding isn’t just about enjoying the ride, but about caring for your animal and learning about the essential disciplines of animal husbandry."

She continued: "It instils a care and compassion for other creatures as well as providing strenuous exercise, a love of the outdoor life and the environment plus the development of horsemanship skills and a patient mental approach.

"We believe it is a valuable part of the children’s education and we are delighted that King’s has backed our initiative."