Laura Halil and Karate Z posted the highest score of the weekend at the Rowallan/ The Scottish Farmer winter dressage championships.

Their win came in the strong prelim championships, which due to the numbers was run as two separate sections with the overall scores amalgamated.

Laura had a long wait to find out the results as she was second into the ring. She scored 73.18% from judges Liz Love and Sheila McKechnie.

Karate Z, a nine-year-old Belgium-bred gelding by Kelvin De St Hermelle, is an allrounder, taking part in eventing, para-showjumping and showing. Last season Laura concentrated on showing, winning the novice ridden hunter championship at the Royal Highland Show and qualifying for the Royal International Horse Show in ladies, amateur and lightweight sections and winning at the national side saddle championships at Addington. A winner at BE Drumclog in 2011, they will go back to eventing this year, starting with Kirriemuir in two weeks time.

He's a gentle giant, I think he was a labrador in a previous life," said Laura. "We are looking forward to going eventing this year and I'd hope to qualify for the Badminton grass roots championships next year."

"He has expressive paces and was a calm, happy athlete, " said judge Liz Love. "It had harmony, balance and a consistent rhythm throughout."

Runner up was Fiona Ann Black with Another Houdini on 70.68%.

Fiona Ann bought the 14-year-old out of Sandra Low-Mitchell's yard in September. They have been concentrating on dresage together and have recently joined BD. "He is a lovely horse and always tries his best," said Fiona Ann, whose parents run a sheep and beef farm in Peebleshire.

John Cameron was third with 70.45% with Halas Boy.

The novice class was split again due to entries. Winning on 71.35% was Jennifer Wisdom with the Welsh cob Pentrefelin Serena. Jennifer (16) from Carluke, has been riding the six-year-old Welsh section D mare by Pentrefelin Sorento and out of Knavestock Seren for two years.

"We've been concentrating mainly on dressage and I'm trained by Katie Barr," explained Jennifer. "She's very calm, nothing phases her and she was amazing today."

Serena has been shown lightly, winning at the Grand Slam. They are members of Polnoon Castle Riders Association and next go to the NPS dressage finals at Addington in two weeks time.

Runner up on 70.96% was Scott McLellan with Attitude. Well named, the eight-year-old gelding by the Krack C stallion Tuschinski, will be aimed at BE CCI** level and the CTN** at Auchinleck later this month.

"He gets bored easily and needs to keep doing different things," said Scott.

Sam Campbell and Razzamachas were third on 69.62% and also filled the same place in the elementary section.

The elementary champion was Laura Hedley-Gray and Rare Proposition. By the dressage stallion Pro-Set, Laura bought the nine-year-old gelding four years ago to event.

"He suffers from agoraphobia and hates wide open spaces. He's nappy and doesn't like going on his own to cross country so I started trying dressage with him," explained Laura, who runs a dog day creche at home in Gateshead. "I felt he came into his own today, although our two warmup tests were outside and I didn't start them and I knew he wouldn't manage. Gwyneth Lewis has been very helpful and I've also started training with Jo Hamilton."

Runner up was Gaynor Ranshaw with Kim Young's Zero To Hero. A past champion of this section with Kim, Gaynor has taken over the ride winning the Scottish open novice championships last year. More recently they have been part of 'Through the judges eyes' a dvd series with Stephen Clarke and Jo Graham. Their preparation was thwarted with the inclement weather in Dumfries, where Gaynor says they were exercising the horses in tempertaures of minus 17C.

The medium championship was very close, with just 0.15% splitting the top two riders. Coming out on top was Gillian Parker with Zaphira, a nine-year-old mare by Sandro Hit. Last year they competed at the national championships at elementary level, while at the recent Scottish regionals won the medium restricted and freestyle classes to qualify for Hartpury.

"She felt good today, but was a bit spooky at the flower pots," said Gillian, who works for RBS in Edinburgh.

"I'd like to aim for PSG next year," added Gillian. "I train with Margaret Paterson who keeps me right and Dutch trainer Albert van Schie every five weeks for boot camp!"

"They were level classes with nice quality," said judge Glenys McKee. "The first two were working well within themselves at that level."

Runner up was Katherine Tullie from Berwickshire with Arctic Jazz, a nine-year-old by Jazz, which was bred in Australia. They are trained by Jane Rutherford and are starting at advanced medium level.

"He was on his toes last night, but behaved well today," said Katherine, who will be starting university in September at Stirling to study nursing.

Third was Zara Myers and Steadhall Renaissance on 68.24%

Prelim 19 (Judges: S McKechnie and L Love) – 1, Karate Z, L Halil 73.18; 2, Another Houdini, FA Black 70.68; 3, Halas Boy, J Cameron 70.45; 4, Bonny Prince Charlie, C Peat 70.23; 5, Charlie, G Edwards 68.64; 6, Lynford, A Morgan 68.41. Novice 35 (Judges: S McKechnie and I Carter) – 1, Pentrefelin Serena, J Wisdom 71.35; 2, Attitude, S Mclellan 70.96; 3, Razzamachas, S Campbell 69.62; 4, First Impression II, P Aitken 68.46; 5, Avontuur, G Burns 68.27; 6, Karate Z 67.88. Elementary 53 (Judges: H Carstairs and S Morton) – 1, Rare Proposition, L Hedley-Gray 70.88; 2, Zero To Hero, G Ranshaw 70.59; 3, Razzamachas 70; 4, Udolin, A Lauder 66.91; 5, Desander, J Gilchrist 66.18; 6, Uspardie, K Dewar 65.44. Medium 73 (Judges: Lady Fergusson and G McKee) – 1, Zaphira, G Parker 70.74; 2, Arctic Jazz, K Tullie 70.59; 3, Steadhall Renaissance, Z Myers 68.24; 4, Zimbabwe II, H Tan 66.47; 5, Zebulun, T Barton, 66.1; 6, Santa's Ghost, S McNeill 64.12.