THE annual South West Scotland area gala night just keeps getting bigger and better, offering an evening of thrills, spills and entertainment from start to finish.

The hard-working committee were rewarded for their efforts with a full and over flowing car park and not a spare seat at Muirmill Equestrian Centre when hundreds of people turned out on a Friday evening to watch.

A junior speed class was the opener with 28 ponies forward of varying heights run over the same track against the clock.

Vocal support was encouraged adding atmosphere and excitement. The times kept getting quicker and quicker but surprisingly it was one of the smallest ponies in the class who nosed out in front to secure the win.

Madelaine Archibald travelled from Dumfries to take part but has recently been successful over the border at Northcote,Stainsby Grange and South View EHPI.

At the latter, Madelaine had been on winning form so knew exactly how fast she could go on her super little 128cms palomino Tazmania to knock an incredible two seconds from the time set by Irvine’s Kailee Benson on her evergreen Kildea Hero.

Newcomer to affiliated show jumping, Tegan Nisbett has only been registered for less than a year but beat a lot of more seasoned competitors to sit in 3rd place on her own Triple Z.

Madelaine’s late outing paid well as she travelled home bedecked in rosettes, sashes and a rug from the SWS committee.

Next it was onto the Amateur Six Bar competition where six uprights, in this arena two rows of three, were raised every round with the clears going in against each other.

This proved a very popular class especially when at the final round the last fence stood at a huge 1.50m, daunting for the amateurs who are all used to jumping around the 1-1.10m mark.

Kirsty Boyd’s Elle Clover was up for the challenge but rubbed a pole to finish third.

A-J Creighton looked a bit anxious by the final round on her own homebred Porsche H but she too gave it a go with just one waiver going into the second row of three fences meaning she had to circle and come again adding faults.

Kirsty Thompson set off bravely on her own Foxy Brown who has been moving up to Foxhunter level this year.

Tucking her legs up tight underneath her this little mare made a superb job of all six fences with Kirsty looking composed throughout.

The nerves only showed when Kirsty looked a bit shaky putting her winner’s sash and rug on ready for her well-deserved lap of honour.

The class everyone comes for is the very popular Hairy Grand National where some hairy ponies are ridden bareback at speed around the arena over a couple of small fences in heats until they find their winner.

As per usual, there was plenty of drama as one girl fell off twice, one pony objected by humping its back and one rider set off the wrong way all to the amusement of the baying crowd.

Several heats later and Kirsty Evans, who rides out for Mike Smith’s racing yard, claimed victory when sitting tight on board a small nippy little grey pony and racing out in front to complete all her attempts unscathed.

What a shame that the final class, the Masters, should offer ‘real show jumping’ so late in the evening when some spectators had started heading home.

A few invited riders jump around a track of around 8 fences which they can opt to raise with the last rider clear earning themselves the £500 first prize.

One or two favourites dropped off as the class progressed until the final in which Charlotte Geddes and Douglas Duffin were left to go head to head.

Charlotte was first in with Jim Wilmer’s Van De Bay Girl. Having jumped several rounds to get to this point and with the fences standing again around the 1.40/1.50m mark the mare just rubbed two poles off so Charlotte opted to retire.

Douglas then only had to jump around to win. Riding Charlotte’s former ride now owned by Fiona Burgoyne Chento D, Douglas was clear all the way to the last fence but despite dropping the front bar the rug, sash and generous prize money was theirs making up for the very late night.

LEADING awards

SWS Gala Night. Juniors – 1, Tazmania, M Archibald; 2, Kildea Hero, K Benson; 3, Triple Z, T Nisbett. Amateur Six Bar – 1, Foxy Brown, K Thompson; 2, Porsche H, A-J Creighton; 3, Elle Clover, K Boyd. Masters-1, Chento D, D Duffin; 2, Van De Bay Girl, C Geddes.