THE title of Show Jumper of the Year has gone, for the second year running, to Charlotte Clark on Mr Finnegan - despite her being badly injured just a week before.

Ms Clark she was in intensive care the week before, having been kicked in the head by a horse. She was still sporting a black eye at the event.

As winner, Ms Clark receives a year's sponsorship from Port Royal Equestrian Centre, which includes free entries for the year, saddlecloths, rugs, jackets, £100 café vouchers and more.

The junior title went to Ellie Sedgewick.

The spokesman said: "Both Charlotte Clark and Ellie Sedgewick put in three tremendous clears and in the quickest times making the testing track, built by British showjumping course builder Liam Hodgson, look easy."

The Port Royal Show Jumper of the Year is one of the most prestigious titles on the unaffiliated circuit.

It was started at the centre in 2004 and has been hotly contested ever since. Riders have to qualify to enter by jumping a double clear in the 85cm class at Port Royal any time during the year from September to September.

Over the period 2015 to 2016 more than 1,000 have come forward to try and qualify.

A representative from the centre said: "The atmosphere on the day is electric and you can really see the riders desperate to win.

"We always aim for it to be a true show jumping class rather than a gallop round, so it is run over three rounds, rule A8, with the course going up 10cm at each new round.

"Just six juniors and six seniors made it through to the third and final jump off yesterday at 1.05m high."

Qualifiers for the 2017 Championship start again on October 2, where a double clear is required to book a place and there are opportunities throughout the year at all the unaffiliated show jumping shows.

For more information, go to portroyaleec.co.uk