Once again our Scottish riders have been scooping up the prizes further afield with Douglas Duffin showing a strong class how it should be done when he landed the Area Trial at Warrington on Quidam BZ.

Douglas then travelled onto Suffolk County where it didn’t go quite to plan in the international trial but they came out fighting again the next day to fourth with a good double clear in the International Stairway.

Kelly Connor Baillie took a 1.4m speed class at Area 14 on Bailande Van De Kapel, before also heading to Suffolk where she finished just outside the placings on this horse but the super-fast Cleopatra jumped into first place in a 1.25m championship.

Jordan Thomson was unlucky to collect two time faults en-route to what would’ve been a superb clear in the area trial at Warrington leaving him having to settle for a still respectable eighth place, then only just missed out at Suffolk where he was hit with 'fourfaultitis'.

One young lady who has been on tremendous form all year with a strong team of horses behind her is Insch-based Holly Miller.

Tackling the second rounds, Holly has been frustratingly close in every one with a few treble clears to her name and qualification for the British Nationals.

At Northcote, however, it all came together in the Talent Spotters where she rode her own home-produced Felicio to hold on to the lead and pick up his much deserved HOYS ticket.

Joining Holly on her trip to Birmingham will be James Smith, who secured his second HOYS ticket on grandfather, Charlie McKerlie’s big jumping Just Max who produced the only other double clear.

James also accounted for a 1.4m open with Jim Wilmer’s Quattro 27, was second in a seven-year-old final with Flinstering and only just missed out in the grand prix to collect second on Twix De La Roque.

John and Margo King took a trip to Weston Lawns with a few horses and ended up in the money in some novice classes with horses they have broken and produced.

Back at home and the junior Highland show qualifiers are coming to an end with the last few at Newmilns show.

Only one new combination collected their RHS ticket over the day. Isla Campbell was having her first outing on Billy Stewart’s High Chaparral and after a warm up in the 80cm jumped a good clear in the first round of the 128cm qualifier.

Just a new partnership there was a bit of a misunderstanding in the jump off but with the other five ponies through to the jump off already qualified this still earned them their pass to Ingliston which is still a few weeks ago giving them more time to get to know each other.

Amy Morris was the outright winner on Madonna and had earlier taken a 128/138cm with Telynau Royal Damask.

Codie McGowan hit form again this time taking a win in the 138cms RHS qualifier which was also a 138cm championship.

Just two jumped clear, with Codie remaining in the jump off to drop Natasha Hamilton’s four fault round on Aristo Justice down to second. This left Codie, who also won the Tiny Tots on Rotherwood Dinky Toy the proud recipient of a superb trophy.

In the senior ring Iain Warnock and Trevor Nicholson were the only two to record double clears in the 1.3m open.

Drawn second, Trevor steered Angela McKillop’s Drummconnick Verdi round to set the target only to watch as two horses later Iain, on Harperland Mickey Finn shaved a second off to land the win and pick up the prize money and trophy.

Sandy McLean is riding Eclips for Richard Duncan just now and made a tidy job when winning the RHS foxhunter qualifier with the faster of just two double clears.

Nicky Williams had opened the jump off with Foorludine S producing a fast round only half a second slower than Sandy but with these two young men two seconds clear of the rest.

Karina Dunlop lost no time in scorching round the 1.05m Adventurer qualifier in a time which ensured her British National championship ticket on the former Katie Stirling ride, El Diviro.