A SHOWJUMPING team from the South West which included two West Devon women won the Arab Horse Society?s National Championship last week at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern.

Sue Smith from Tavistock, Roan Duke from Hatherleigh and Claire Wilson from Tiverton made up the South West team who beat competition from all over the county to take the trophy.

Sue, 37, also won two second prizes in the individual events and one sixth prize, and Roan scored an eighth place.

It was Sue and her horse Druimghigha Omen that led the team to victory after winning the most points overall by clearing three rounds.

?It was a spectacular moment,? said the experienced rider. ?Drum has been going from strength to strength in every event and this is by far the greatest victory for me.?

The 17-year-old horse has returned to form after a leg injury a few years ago forced him out of competing. Sue and her husband Trevor have trained him back to fitness and he is giving all the youngsters a run for their money.

The Druimghigha Arabs are making quite a name for themselves in the fields of endurance and showjumping and Sue is hoping to take Drum all the way to the Horse of the Year Show.

?I have been riding for 16 years but since I started competing with Drum we have achieved national success. We have a good relationship and seem to bring out the best in each other.?