RIDERS and horses enjoyed warm sunshine at Manor Farm, Thornthorpe on Saturday, as the spring-like weather heralded the start of a new competition season.

After a winter that seems to have lasted forever, and with riders keen to be out and about again, the unaffiliated dressage competition attracted a good number of entries and an excellent standard of riding.

Eloise Fairclough hot-footed her way to victory, in the first of the prelims, after guiding Polly through a fluent and consistent test.

Ginny Jones secured a well-deserved victory in the second prelim after performing a smooth, well-polished test with her useful bay mare, Let’s Play. Cara Shardlow and Master Freeman took second place in this class, but this result was to be reversed in the novice section.

The results were as follows: Prelim 7 – 1 Eloise Fairclough & Polly, 2 Kelly Brown & Fred, 3= Stella Ketley & Foggy, 3= Joanne Legard & Cloud 9, 5 Helen Mason & Smurf, 6 Elaine Tranter & Dylan, 7= Jill Collier & Farrah, 7= Lucy Dyer & Jester, 7= Tessa Nelson & Harry Prelim 13 – 1 Ginny Jones & Lets Play, 2 Cara Shardlow & Master Freeman, 3 Joanne Legard & Cloud 9, 4 Rachael Tolhurst & George, 5 Karen Hyatt & Joker, 6 Alison Dalby & Mr Nutmeg Novice 28 – 1 Cara Shardlow & Master Freeman, 2 Ginny Jones & Lets Play, 3 Cara Shardlow & Danny, 4 Karen Hyatt & Joker, 5 Karen Woodall & Hercules, 6 Kerry Belchamber & Marco