A DALTON rider has been crowned champion at a prestigious horse show championships.

Abbie Kirkbride won a first prize and became a junior champion at the Longines Royal International Horse Show partnering Rebecca McColl's Hopgarden Playboy.

The Royal International, held at Hickstead at the end of July, is one of the biggest outdoor equestrian shows in the UK. The exclusively championship show is the culmination of many months of qualification rounds around the UK. The event features international showjumping to horse and pony showing championships.

Abbie, 12, rode the pony to victory in the Skewbald and Piebald (Plaited) Small Ridden Pony Championship and then she went on to win the Skewbald and Piebald Junior Championship. Abbie has also qualified the pony for Horse of the Year Show in October.

Abbie's mum, Lisa Kirkbride said Abbie and the family were delighted that she won her class and then over the moon when she took the junior championship. The family thanked Emma Boardman who produces their ponies.

Abbie also competed in the 143cm Show Hunter Pony Championship with Lindeth Qualm. Her sister Ellie Kirkbride, 14, also rode in the same class with Tremarl Bumble Bee.

Read more: Furness teen's Horse of the Year Show success

Ulverston's Mollie Mae Jeffrey, 12, was fifth in the Pretty Polly Small Mixed Height Show Hunter Pony Championship with Annandale Hallmark. They also competed in the 133cm Working Hunter Pony Championship. Mollie has qualified the pony for Horse of the Year Show.

Kate Wilson, of Ulverston, competed at the show with Glenis Cockbain's Dales mare Tarbarl Mary Jane in the Heritage M&M Open Ridden Fells, Dales and Highlands Championship. They finished in joint 10th. Mrs Wilson has also qualified the pony for Horse of the Year Show.

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Also competing at the Royal International from the Furness area were Olivia Gilmour, of Barrow, in the 153cm Working Hunter Pony Championship with Emperors Diamond Dancer, Morgan Pearce, of Barrow, in the Over 143cm Mountain and Moorland Working Hunter Pony Championship with Pentrecoed David, and Emily Myerscough, of Ulverston, in Intermediate Working Hunter Pony Championship with Arturos Toast and in the Skewbald and Piebald (Plaited) Lightweight Ridden Horse Championship with Jungle Apache Queen. Miss Myerscough has also qualified for Horse of the Year Show with Arturos Toast.

All the riders are members of the British Show Pony Society 1B branch in Cumbria. BSPS 1B members from the wider South Cumbria and North Lancashire area competing at the Royal International also included; Georgie Osmond, of Kendal, who won the 122cm Mountain and Moorland Working Hunter Pony Championship with Llafar Tia, Emma Boardman, of Carlisle , who won the Heritage Mountain and Moorland Open Ridden Section C and D Championship with Dyffryngwy Sir Picasso, who has also qualified for Horse of the Year show, Victoria Brooks, of Kendal, competing in the Skewbald and Piebald Native/ Traditional Ridden Pony Championship with Jane Rooke's Let's Dance, who has also qualified for Horse of the Year Show, and Alasdair Prickett, of Carnforth, riding in the Working Hunter Championship and finishing in the top 10 in Amateur Hunter Championship with New Proposal.

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