THREE members of the Zetland Hunt Pony Club were part of the North squad which finished second in the British Eventing Junior Regional Novice Championships at Weston Park.

Lucy Morrison, Chloe Straker and Tanya Buckingham successfully completed their first three-day event to round off a fine season for their club.

A one-star classification saw 60 starters who had gained qualification from performances at regional competitions nation-wide.

The North fielded a maximum squad of eight, all pony club members in Areas 2 and 3. They were Amy Young and Highville (South Northumberland), Francesca Peters and Belmor (Morpeth), Holly Lenike and Carrickdale Reef (Staintondale),Tilly Cottingham and Dirty Harry (Middleton), Tracey McRae and Bruno Bay (Bramham Moor), Lucy Morrison and Inniskeean Oisin (Zetland), Chloe Straker and Walthwalte Firecracker (Zetland) and Tanya Buckingham and Dovecote Miss Scally (Zetland).

The weather held for the duration of the event, with the steeplechase course and parts of the cross-country benefiting from the use of an aerator to ease the fast ground.

Undeterred by his crutches, following a recent broken right leg, northern co-ordinator Chris McGrann had a busy time.

He completed the initial course walk on the Wednesday evening, was based at the dressage arena all day Thursday and secured a prime position in the D box on Friday. A final showjumping course walk ensured he was on hand throughout.

Dressage marks on Thursday spread from 49 to 80 and Amy, Tilly, Francesca and Tanya made promising starts with scores in the fifties.

As ever, Weston produced a varied and interesting course including two water complexes. Sporting team colours sponsored by Lycetts, seven of the eight northern riders jumped clear, with Amy, Francesca and Tracey inside the optimum time.

Sadly, Tracey did not present Bruno Bay for the trot up on Saturday, but hopefully they will be fit and well for next season.

Marks were close and the showjumping proved influential. Chloe and Tilly both jumped clear with the others having a fence down apiece.

Format for the junior regional team championships is the best four final scores from each region count for their team. Amy Young, Francesca Peters, Tilly Cottingham and Tanya Buckingham were the counters for the North team, with Amy seventh and Tilly 15th in the individual competition.

Generous prizes of a set of boots and a numnah each were much appreciated by team members. After a mounted prize-giving, photographs and horses returned to their stables, the Youngs provided champagne for all to celebrate their success before the journey home.

Meanwhile, Jacquetta Straker had elected to run in the two-star competition with Salisbury and finished with a clear showjumping round, so all four Zetland members completed the event