HORSES and riders from the North-East struck gold in the British Riding Clubs National Championships last weekend.

The Bishops Riding Club from County Durham are celebrating their best ever performance with three British titles and one unexpected second place.

The four-strong equitation jumping team of Laurie Robinson, Dawn Emerson, Julia Hather and Shirelle Wade clinched the equitation jumping contest with a consistent all-round performance.

Laurie, 25, from Wolsingham, took the individual title with Dawn close behind in fourth place.

Riding her sister Emma's horse Vice Versa, Laurie also won the novice dressage 21 individual test, helping her team to overall seventh place.

The biggest surprise for the team was finishing second in the Rural Riders competition.

It was only the second time that the six riders, Laurie Robinson, Joanne Jones, Duina Beeby, Jean Welsh, Ailsa Martin and Lynne Bradwell (pictured right to left), commanded by club chairman Margaret Hedley and all riding coloured horses, had performed the complicated routine.

Miss Hedley said: "Bishops Riding Club has been going for 14 years and this year was the most successful so far.

"I think that we are the first club to get a team of coloured horses together for the Rural Riders competition and they all looked really smart.

"Our members mostly live in Durham and Tyne and Wear and come from all walks of life. It was a fantastic achievement and we are all very proud."