Although the number of Scottish riders that had qualified for this year's Horse of the Year Show were down, Scotland was well represented at the end of season showing spectacular, held at Birmingham's NEC.

The overall supreme pony, judged from all the pony champions, was the ridden mountain and moorland pony, Highland stallion, Stirlingdene, ridden by Frazer Atherden and bred by Scott MacGregor who has now emigrated to Australia.

The 10-year-old dun is by Scott's home-bred stallion Fyfedene, which was best of breed at HOYS in 2005 and is now out in Australia with Scott. The Atherden family have Stirlingdene's full brother, Macauleydene, a seven-year-old to show under saddle next season.

It was an emotional outing for Stirlingdene, who was making his final showing swansong and was retired from ridden classes following the judging.

Mike Daley and Di Cornish, judges for the supreme, described themselves "blown away" by Stirlingdene.

"He's a pony that did honour to the Highland pony stud book and capable of going out and doing a job, while maintaining the strength and power of a mountain pony," they said afterwards.

Sheila Clark judged the pony in the supreme mountain and moorland champion and said: "The pony and rider have a tremendous rapport and I have no doubt the pony could do the traditional job of carrying deer off the hill."

Kirstine Douglas from Dumfries won the lightweight cob class with Barneebus before being judges Jack Cochrane and John Maynard's choice in the championship.

"The lightweights went well, in the championship and kept a real rhythm and pace to show themselves off to best advantage, which the heavyweights just didn't quite match," said Jack Cochrane.

"The champion sparkled this morning in his class and did so all the way through, got a top conformation mark and gave me a great ride."

Owned by Drs Lynne and Holly Walker from Glasgow, Kirstine has had the ride on the 10-year-old bay gelding for four years, this year the pair were supreme at the Scottish Horse Show and won six championships this season.

In the heavyweight cob class Stuart Ashton was fifth with Camilla Neame's De Monkey Business.

Andrew Bowie from Kinross was reserve champion of the hunters with his middleweight victor Potters Ace, ridden by Oliver Hood. Kirstine Douglas was ninth in the lightweights with Susan Armstrong's Hope II.

Champion of the overall in-hand Cuddy championship was the horse champion Romanno Bedriska, bred in South Lanarkshire by Jennifer Gilchrist. The three-year- old dark bay mare is owned by Mark Armstrong and was shown by Alan Charlesworth, she is already elite registered with the Oldenburg Society and is sired by Quando-Quando and out of Bellevedere. She will now be broken and pursue her dressage career.

Len Bigley's Royal Highland Show Cuddy qualifier Boreton White Prince was pony reserve with HM The Queen's home-bred Balmoral Erica third.

Scotland's first win came in the not exceeding 122cms mountain and moorland working hunter pony section when one of the furthest travelled competitors won. Inverness rider Olivia Grant with Pontsarn Sidan was first, jumping a lovely flowing round around a testing course, judged by Elizabeth Rennie from the Lomondside Stud.

Olivia later went on to stand reserve champion in the main ring after producing a cracking gallop in the championship. Also in the same class Millie Manners from the Borders was fourth with Daukester Simon of Warleigh and Zara Weir from Dumfries was eighth with Longhwaite Red Robin. Zara's sister Ariadne was fifth in the 153cms working hunter ponies class with Otto.

In the not exceeding 138cms class, fellow northern Scottish rider Ashleigh Riley and Wyken Pyrene were ninth, they qualified at the Royal Highland. In the over 138cms class the Borders-bred Connemara Bellindene Rock Legend was fourth with Matthew Cooper.

In the ridden mountain and moorland classes the Highland pony section was particularly strong for Scottish-bred ponies, Moss-side Mclaren was second for Bobby Bright, Richard Telford third with Carlung Lewis and Imogen of Carlung fourth for Katy Marriott-Payne. Jill Cousens was sixth with Margaret Comre-Bryant's Oatcake of Whitefield. Susan Wardrop from the Carlung Stud in Ayrshire won the Highland breeder award.

Waxwing Rheel was first in the Welsh section C class for Bobby Bright and in Dales ponies Kilmannan Robert the Bruce, ridden by Richard Telford for breeder Bill Ireland from Blanefield, north of Glasgow, was fifth and Kilmannan Black Wizard, ridden by Victoria Hesford for Gillian Simpson, was sixth.

Bill Ireland won the Dales breeder award and his late stallion, Slaypits Black Magic, the Dales leading sire. Roseisle Pandy Tudyr, bred in the Borders by the late John Milligan was the Welsh section A leading sire winner.

Julie Bankier from Lanarkshire was first and eighth in the show hunter ponies. Her winner was the new ride Clemenstone Charlestone in the 143cms class, while Parkhills Ronaldo was eighth in the 133cms. Produced by Ron and Debbie Thomas, Clemenstone Charlestone is six years old and was a winner at HOYS two years ago and runner up last year when ridden by Lizzie Smith.

In the 153cms class Melissa McCluskey was fifth with her Scottish Horse Show supreme Burfordly Sea Lord and Jill Slight from the Borders eighth with Seathshill Little Rogue.

In the riding ponies sister Nicole and Crista Anderson-Lockhead from Aberdeenshire were placed, Nicole fourth with Milton Pageboy in the 128cms and Crista eighth in the lead rein with Litton Quickstep, judged by Tom Best. Waxwing Pringle was ninth in the lead rein hunter ponies with Jack Brennan.

Catherine Lindsay-Brown was fifth in the ridden non native coloured horse class with Fabiro Z.

Winning the working hunter for the second year was Derek Morton with Keep Talking.

After qualifying for the private driving final at the Royal Highland Show, Elinor Steven and the Highland gelding Glenbanchor Somerled were eighth, judged by Richard Lanni.

To conclude the show a grand parade where horses that had been influential were given their chance to parade. Flying the Clydesdale flag was the prolific Clydesdale stallion Collessie Cut Above, shown by Ronnie Black.