A BARNARD Castle horse covered itself with glory at the Ponies UK East of England show at Peterborough last weekend.

Merrigan, the seven-year-old skewbald gelding bred by Clare Martin of Stainton Village and ridden by Penny Thompson of Staindrop, took two championships.

He won the in-hand skewbald/piebald championship, shown by Mrs Martin, and - having qualified at Yafforth in May - also won the Commanchee Skewbald/Piebald ridden horse championship class. He was also third in an open class later in the day.

The 16hh gelding was bred out of Mrs Martin's own TB mare by a piebald Dutch warmblood and he was just two months old when her late husband, hunt jockey Alan Merrigan, died in a car accident.

Last year the skewbald won his very first two ridden classes and the ridden championship at Durham County show.

"We went down to Peterborough without really expecting anything," said Mrs Martin, who like most competitors has had to travel increasingly long distances to find shows this year.

She and her husband, Glen Martin, have added their first baby, five-month-old Charlotte, to the entourage.

"She travels very well, the long distances and overnight stays not affecting her at all," said her mother. "All she does is laugh and gurgle and enjoys watching the horses go around. She's already sat on Merrigan."