Memories of the moorland gallops above Bingley will be at the forefront of one show jumper's mind when he goes for gold in the Olympic Games in Athens.

Robert Smith, eldest son of former show jumping star Harvey, has been selected as one of two riders to challenge for a medal in the Individual Grand Prix event at the games which start on August 13.

Robert learnt his riding skills on his father's Craiglands Farm in Eldwick as a youngster.

It is more than 20 years since Robert tasted the excitement of the Olympic Games when he was a reserve for Moscow in 1980, but he never competed.

Then he was going to try for the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 but Harvey made Robert a professional which meant he couldn't compete as only amateurs were permitted.

Harvey competed in the Mexico Olympics in 1968 and his younger brother, Stephen, won a team silver when he rode for Great Britain in 1984. But his career was cut short after a motorbike smash in 1990.

Robert will ride his horse Mr Springfield with Nick Skelton and his mount the other Britsh hopeful in the event.

The 42-year-old said he was confident about getting gold at the games and faces several weeks of hectic preparation by competing in showjumping events in Holland, Dublin and at The All England Jumping Course at Hickstead.

He said he never doubted he would be given another chance at the Olympic Games.

"It obviously feels good to be selected," he said. "I probably should have been going there a few years ago to be honest. But circumstances never ran in my favour.

"I've got a chance at the Olympics. It's a bit of a lottery because a horse isn't a machine but I am looking forward to it."

Robert is still in touch with his dad, despite living in Warwickshire with his wife and four young children, but he said he hadn't discussed his Olympic selection with him.

He found out he had been selected when he received a phone call from British team manager Derek Ricketts who told him he had edged out rival Michael Whitaker for the second spot.

"We had four big shows around Europe where we competed with each other and I performed better," he said.

Retired Harvey still lives with his racehorse trainer wife, Sue, at the family farm. Sue trained two entries, Artic Jack and Ardent Scout, in this year's Martell Cognac Grand National but they failed to make an impression.