AN OSWESTRY horse rider has finished top of the pile in a regional riding competition.

Rhiannon Hinton and Quaikin Horatio won their class in the Petplan Equine Elementary Silver Championship at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire on Sunday, August 23.

With some very exceptional partnerships demonstrating their skills when competing for the Petplan Equine Elementary Silver title it was quite an achievement to finish top of the rankings.

Quaikin Horatio or Bob as he is known at home, is a seven-year-old bay gelding, who Rhiannon has produced herself from her small holding home and the pair impressed the judges with a powerful performance achieving the winning score of 70.93 per cent.

The combination had to qualify through two rounds of competition last Summer and won their ticket to the Championship which was originally scheduled for April.

After her test Rhiannon praised the bravery of Bob.

“It was a safe, relaxed not clear round," she said. "He’s a horse who finds it hard to relax in an atmosphere like this but the lockdown conditions here have really suited him as it’s quieter.

"I’m proud of how with me he felt. His confidence is building all the time.”

The Petplan Equine Area Festival series sponsored by one of the UK’s leading horse insurance providers’ gives amateur riders the opportunity to experience the thrill of competing in top competition style conditions in classes from Preliminary to Intermediate II level.