Two young ladies have had the most phenomenal season this year as part of Team GB bringing home gold a couple of months ago from Austria and now a bronze after some thrilling competition at Sentower Park, in Belgium.

Shaunie Greig and Nicole Lockhead Anderson joined Perdita Digby, Claudia Moore and Lily Freeman Attwood to make up Team LeMieux taking part in the FEI Nations Cup Youth Final where they ended standing on the podium just below Ireland and the home side Belgium.

Nicole’s superstar pony Gangnam Style has been Mr Consistency since she bought him, jumping endless double clears and qualifying for every final so it was no surprise to see them storm home to head the Grand Prix.

Shaunie finished sixth in that with Casino Royale after taking a win in an earlier class with her new ride, Granouche. This had only been jumping 1m classes but is now out winning 1.25m.

Shaunie and Nicole only have a couple of weeks before they head to HOYS where they have a few ponies each qualified.

Kilmarnock’s Graham Babes continued to shine abroad and has spent very little time at home. Enjoying the surfaces, courses, hospitality and, of course, the prize money, it is little wonder he heads off to Europe to compete.

His up and coming seven-year-old Chelthago Z gelding, Glencoe, has now won over £10,000 including almost £1000 for one class alone in Auvers where he jumped an immaculate double clear. Two wins in Auvers and one in Gijon is the tally for this HOYS-bound pair so far.

Boucheron and Ecosse make up the rest of the team for this trip with both being placed in 1.4m classes, with the former being placed in the CSIO5* classes in Gijon.

Moving back to Peebles after a spell in Ireland, Robbie Ashe has hit form in the last few months. He hadn’t shown a lot of interest in his younger years, preferring pony racing to show jumping, but when his younger brother, Peter, started going to shows he took up the reins again.

The purchase of Cantho Z from Guy Williams has been the making of his year, with the pair going onto win children on horses classes and the under 18s at the Welsh Home Pony then more recently winning the under 16s at Scope.

Peter is still jumping the under-10 classes but is already winning and was one of the youngest to jump the WHPI derby this year.

Travelling to Stoneleigh, in Warwickshire, from her home near Ayr, Emma Clark hit amazing form when at the National Academy Championships she took a win in a 70cm to add to a second, fourth and sixth over her week with the super speedy grey, Kyleston Chasing Dreams. Emma then competed closer to home at Muirmill’s derby show, with a good win in an 80cm.

Blair Castle enjoyed some better weather this year, with classes full to the brim, a fabulous atmosphere and plenty of evening entertainment.

Douglas Duffin stepped up Fiona Burgoyne’s eight-year-old Clinton mare, Fan II – having returned from Hickstead where they were placed and double clear in some 1.25m/1.3m classes – and came home to go up a level to pop round clear in the first round of the Blair Grand Prix. A pole on the floor in the jump-off did not stop them winning on the bigger jumps.

Second in the Grand Prix was Declan Irvine riding Dior Van Overis Z. He won two 1.3m classes over the show, earning himself the 'leading rider' title for 2018.

Third-placed was Drem’s Ailsa Black, who will be another rider heading off to Birmingham soon with her home-produced Zara Zing. They jumped a double clear in the main ring at Blair to be crowned the Scottish Grade C champions, leaving Rosie Pindar, Hanleen Beatrice and Sonya Cunningham on Dandyman MFS in joint second.

Tillyoch-based Charley Hamilton has been having an interesting year riding both horses and ponies. Helped by Johnnie Aird, she has been on winning form with both and her most recent victory was at Morris EC, where she not only won the Scottish Branch junior open championship with Castlebaldwin Golden Arrow, but also stood second on her other ride Novella.

Muirmill EC has just extended its outdoor arena and is constantly updating its facilities to fast become one of the best in Scotland. Going to a huge effort to create their derby course using interesting fences and features, the organisers were a bit disappointed by a lack of support for what was a popular class.

Those who did attend loved every minute. Moira Williams, jumping her first Muirmill derby, claimed she’ll be back as she stood accepting the rug, sash and huge rosette for winning the 1.2m section on Millabbey Du Carel.

Equine dentist, David Brown and partner, Leona Urquhart, have a small team of horses featuring at most shows but it was David’s Americo which stood at the top of the line in the 1.1m section of the Derby, although coach Leona went on to beat him into second with her own Extreem Van De Neerheide at a following SNEC show in a 1.1m open.

Jim Wilmer watched on as Greg Taylor scored two wins at SNEC heading a 1m with a fast round on Valdiron before stablemate, Ballyhane Etto, scored in a 1.2m.

Jim’s daughter, Cara, enjoys working hunter classes as well as show jumping but looked at home over Muirmill’s derby course. When encouraged by dad from the sidelines, she posted the fastest jump off time to head the 11 and unders.

Gail Rogan’s daughter, Abi Gladstone, is one to watch as she grows and gains confidence. Having only had the ride on the 128cm Kaulsta Mariette a month, they have already won two classes at Blue Ridge and will be worth keeping an eye on next year.

Kelsey Smith does a good job on the young horses which she usually sells on but was seen winning at Blue Ridge on Ine Bell then filling second with MS Fifi for Alistair Beaton so, hopefully, she can keep these two to produce up the classes.