TWO HEREFORDSHIRE sportsmen are among a quintet of county people receiving awards in the New Year's Honours List.

Jump jockey Richard Johnson, from Pembridge, is rewarded with an OBE for a distinguished career which saw him notch his 3,500th winner back in September.

Reigning champion jockey Richard, 41 and originally from Madley, gained his first success at Hereford on Rusty Bridge back in 1994.

He still has some work to do to overhaul A P McCoy's all-time record of 4,348 winners but, at his current rate of around 200 winners a season, could still achieve that goal.

He is leading the race to achieve a fourth straight champion jockey title and has more than 150 winners already this season.

Hereford-born explorer Colonel John Blashford-Snell was awarded the CBE for services to scientific research abroad and young people in the UK.

Colonel Blashford-Snell is a Freeman of Hereford.

Sporting administrator Bryan White's service to sport in the county stretches back more than four decades.

A former head of PE at Hereford Sixth Form College, Bryan was the founding secretary of the Herefordshire Sports Council and continues to hold the office to this day.

He receives a British Empire Medal, as does Karen Jones for her work with Kingsland Cub Scout Group.

Alan Stoyel from Kington is appointed MBE for his services to Water Mill Heritage.

And Gillian Aitken, Director general General Counsel and Solicitor, HM Revenue and Customs is made a Companion in the Order of the Bath for services to taxpayers and to social mobility.