A HEXHAM rider has claimed the Advanced Medium Silver Championship at the 2021 Petplan Equine Area Festivals Summer Championships.

Susie White and horse Seventh Heaven II were delighted to win the competitive class at Arena UK, Lincolnshire on Friday October 8.

The Championship is open to qualification for amateur riders, and Petplan Equine say it is the "perfect introduction" to competitions hosted by British Dressage.

The horse and rider combinations competing for the Petplan Equine Advanced Medium Silver title all had to work hard to show off their horse’s ‘star quality’.

On Seventh Heaven II’s performance, Susie said: “Well it’s funny, I came out and said to mum ‘I don’t know if the judges will like it’, it was very quiet and I thought the judges might want a bit more oomph!

"Sometimes they can want a more, he’s not the biggest of moving horses, but I said it was the nicest feeling test – I was just so pleased with it.

"Sometimes I can get a bit nervous and grab hold of him and be too strong in the contact and leg and I thought I’m going to come here and ride how I want to ride and how I would be proud of myself for riding.

"We were just so soft and in tune, it was lovely – I looked to turn my circle and he turned, I thought medium and he went medium – it felt so easy which is what I always strive to have that harmony with him.”

The qualification period for the Summer Championships was much shorter this year, so the pressure was on to go out and compete.

Seventh Heaven, a twelve-year-old, 16.1hh dark bay gelding, certainly showed his talent to the judges achieving the winning score of 68.84 per cent.

“I really want to crack on with Prix St Georges now,” said Susie.

“This was kind of my last hurrah with Petplan Advanced Medium, so I’ll still aim for Advanced Medium at Regionals and I’ll look forward to doing the PSG with Petplan at the Winters."