LAMERTON Pony Club had a great weekend at the area show jumping competition held at Duchy College last weekend, with its top team winning the novice event outright and qualifying for the national novice championships, and the junior teams both being placed in their class.

The novice competition was held on Saturday, with more than 16 teams entered. The course was big, imposing, well up to height, and difficult. Over half of the teams were eliminated in the first round.

Lamerton's first team to go, Jasmine Behennah, Yasmin Steven and Josh Steven, had a few problems with the course but were all able to go home feeling they had accomplished something.

The second team, with Lucy Tillier, Laura Jenkin, Megan Lawrence and Lizzie Langton went into the second round in the lead with three clear rounds and then posted two clears in the second round as well. All the members had one clear round to contribute, so it was a real team effort, and Lizzie had a double clear to go forward into individual jump off.

Once the scores were added up Lamerton came out the overall winners, with two other teams jumping off for second place, while Lizzie jumped another nice steady clear to come sixth individually.

The team has qualified for national novice championships, held at the end of August in Cheshire, a magnificent result given that they were one of the youngest teams there, and Lizzie is only 10.

On the Sunday it was the turn of the juniors. To make sure everyone was in a team two members rode in both of Lamerton's two teams and it is this team spirit which was the best part of both days.

Team A, with Izzy Jenkin on Raven, Nicole Remmington on Mrs Mole, Emma Lawson on Melika and Lucy Steven on Mist, did really well and came third in the tack and turnout competition and fourth overall in the team competition, while Nicole had a double clear to come sixth individually, with Emma also on a double clear, coming fifth.

Team B, with Freya Jones on Foxy, Lucy Steven on Remus and Emma Lawson on Tosca, also did really well and came second in the tack and turnout and second as a team, with Emma again going double clear and coming seventh individually.

In the end they were all weighed down with rosettes and had performed well over a difficult course — again, half of the teams were eliminated in the first round, and again they were some of the youngest and smallest riders there, although certainly among the most determined.

Helen Harris, district commissioner, said: 'I am really proud of all of our members - their team spirit was wonderful, with everyone cheering their team mates on, and their riding ability was outstanding.'