LINGDALE-based show jumper James Reveley scored a memorable win at the Horse of the Year Show, staged at the NEC Birmingham and attracting all the country's top riders.

The 15 year old, a pupil at Sacred Heart School, Redcar, headed the Junior Foxhunter Championship, for riders aged 16 and under on ponies. All the country's top young prospects were in action in the final and the jump-off proved a very closely run affair.

"29 ponies started in the final and 16 got into the jump-off," said James, who rode the eight year old mare Flame of Tara. "The first round course had been smaller than I expected but they put it up in the jump-off and the course then really suited me. There where plenty of tight turns against the clock and that suited my mare."

James had the advantage of coming towards the end of the draw, riding from 14th position, and he took full advantage of it.

"There was a tricky turn into the last in the jump-off, where you came over an oxer at an angle and then had to come inside a fence to the final double," James continued. "Quite a few had tried it but it didn't work for them - we pulled it off and that won the class for us. I really went for it - you had to at this level."

James had finished second and third in the 128cms and 138cms Championships at the Horse of the Year Show in the past on other rides, but this was his best result. The win is likely to be James's last major triumph however as Flame of Tara is now up for sale and his equestrian career is set to go in a different direction.

"My grandmother, racehorse trainer Mary Reveley, has retired and my dad Keith has taken over her yard of flat and jump horses. I'm going into the family business too now and want to be a jockey. I'll ride on the flat first and then hopefully go into jump racing - I think it's more exciting."

Northallerton-based show jumper Paul Barker was competing in the international classes, against riders from across Europe. He finished nineth in the Colourhouse Stakes on the bay Sunboy, eighth in a speedy Accumulator class on the seven year old Temple Ryefield and eighth in the Speed Horse of the Year final on the mare Temple Guess What.

Selby's Danielle Waterhouse scored a great win in the showing championships, heading her section of the Mountain and Moorland ridden championships on the palomino Welsh pony stallion Northlight Galliano.

Northallerton's Alice McCullagh was sixth in the 133cms Working Hunter Pony finals on the 11 year old bay Little Storm and Anne Calvert was seventh in the Mountain and Moorland Working Hunter Pony finals, riding the 14 year old grey Falcams Marcus.