The area four British riding clubs winter dressage qualifier took place last Saturday at Richmond Equestrian Centre with more than 57 teams of four taking part for the four qualifying places up for grabs.

Two being for the winter novice championships at Hartpury college next March/April with one for juniors and the other for seniors, with the remaining two for the intermediate dressage championships at Bury Farm, Luton for both junior and seniors.

Malton Riding Club galloped away with three of the four qualifying places, both the junior and senior teams won the novice qualifier for Hartpury and the juniors again for the intermediate at Bury Farm with Selby riding club seniors taking the last spot.

It is the first time that Malton seniors have walked away with the top spot at the winter qualifiers, which had 27 teams from all over area four competing in that particular section. Becky Blyton riding On a Whim II took away first place in her arena, Nicky Lyons riding Chloe Fairley’s The Happy Prince managed second place in her arena, new member Katie Stephens Grandy riding Smooth Operator walked away with third place and Sam Bell riding her sisters, Daiquiris Magic Rhythm finished seventh meaning the team could not be beaten and giving them a nine point lead from their nearest rivals of Northallerton riding club. The Scarborough castle team comprising of Rowan Haywood, Jacqui Hanson, Kelly Brown and Natalie Robinson managed a very creditable fifth place in both the novice and intermediate sections.

The club's junior members entered two teams, taking home a team first and second in the novice qualifiers. The purple team consisting of Amy Small and Wellbrow Dewdrop, Ellie Fairclough and Abbey Park, Jess Sanderson and Little Byrom Patchwork and Jess Johnson and Mr Boyze finishing first, second, second and fifth respectively leaving them the outright winners but just behind them were the gold team consisting of Amy Small and Triumph, Jess Johnson and Dolce Vita III, Erin Chan and Iceford Toffee, and Megan Bell and Daiquiris Magic Rhythm finishing a very close second as a team. It is the fourth year that the Malton juniors have consecutively won this title.

A new qualifier for this year, the intermediate dressage was also won by the Malton junior team just narrowly beating the Ackworth team by one mark, that team consisted of Amy Small and Triumph, Ellie Fairclough and Abbey Park, Jess Johnson and Dolce Vita III and Erin Chan and Iceford Toffee all finishing with first, first, third and third in their arenas respectively.

Results as follows:

Senior novice – 1 Malton gold, 2 Northallerton yellow, 3 Selby, 4 Eldwick, 5 Scarborough castle, 6 Northallerton purple.

Senior intermediate – 1 Selby, 2 East Yorkshire gold, 3 East Yorkshire blue, 4 Harewood stripes, 5 Scarborough castle, 6 Calderdale.

Junior novice – 1 Malton purple, 2 Malton gold, 3 Ackworth wizards, 4 Eldwick red, 5 Selby, 6 North Ryedale.

Junior intermediate – 1 Malton, 2 Ackworth ghouls, 3 Northallerton, 4 North Ryedale.