Two popular wins at London’s Olympia Horse Show were the best way to celebrate leaving one decade for another.

Scott Brash may have seen his two top rides Ursula and Sanctos retire in 2019, but working away with a younger team he showed pure brilliance when steering the relatively novice Hello Vincent round a demanding Grand Prix, the first time this stallion had tackled a 1.6m class, then set the stadium alight with a blistering jump off.

That showed he is still very much in contention for Olympic selection for Tokyo 2020.

The Scottish contingent cheered one of their own home and there wouldn't have been one foot left on the floor when Scott and Vincent leapt the final oxer to claim their victory.

Cheering on another of their own, young Millie Lawson made the journey from Aberdeen south with two ponies on board to record the most exciting win of her career so far.

Up against some of the best 128cm ponies in the country Millie galloped absolutely flat out to hurdle the last fence and only just shave some time off when she and Priestwood Hardy recorded 23.23s to stand in front of Tabitha Kyle on Living The Dream in 23.38s and Sophie Wicks on Camizion, 23.50s.

Galloping down the centre line in Olympia under the spotlights is a memory this pair will never forget and a huge achievement in only one year of affiliated competition.

Millie and Hardy then travelled onto the Liverpool International, but over a bigger track and with the pressure of Hary leaving to go to his new rider from the show things didn’t quite go to plan.

Millie’s other ride Tynebank Royal Jester also picked up a sixth place in the mini major where she was paired with Harry Charles. Then, to round off her year, Millie found out she’d been awarded a trophy from the Deeside Pony Club for being an Ambassador for the club. Millie now moves onto 138cm for this year.

Shaunie Greig has already been seen jumping horses and will no doubt be out more frequently now she has moved out of 148cm classes.

She couldn’t quite reclaim the title she won last year when an easy clear in the 148cm at Olympia on her multiple winner Casino Royale was marred by one time fault dropping her into fourth with this her last appearance in juniors.

Abi Gladstone had her last competitive ride on her own Remote Controlled at Liverpool where they produced a strong first round clear then just rolled one pole in the jump off for a very impressive fourth place.

Abi has produced Remote Controlled aka Barney herself since he was found as a driving pony with ‘no brakes and no steering’.

Together they finished second in the Grand Prix at the SHPI, won silver in the teams, jumped into placings in Wales, the Nationals and at Scope then rounded it off with this placing at Liverpool going forward into 2020 with a novice 138cm to bring on.

Another young lady to have had a fabulous year jumping affiliated for the first time was Erin Jamieson, who made the long journeys from her Lochnaw Home Farm, outside Leswalt, Stranraer, worth it when she and her superstar pony, Kyleston Chasing Dreams, rarely had a pole down.

Scooping up the Schools qualifiers at 70 and 80cm, Erin who turns 12 this month went on to win the 70cm final at the British Nationals in August, then more recently won the Pikeur Winter Novice Championship as well as finishing second in the 90cm at SNEC.

Dumfries-based Eleanor Archibald is only 10 and can enjoy more time with her ponies. Jumping three rounds at South View in the Grand Prix qualified Eleanor and My Little Sweetheart for Liverpool where as one of the youngest in the class, they finished in sixth place.

Eleanor had her hands full at the BS Junior Ball, where she collected trophies for winning the Scottish Silver League with Pondhead Dexter, the 128cm outdoor championship, the RHS pony performance points and the Xmas show championship and now heads into 2020 aiming for the small pony premiers ad Highland show qualifiers.

Also heading round the bigger pony premiers will be sisters, Madelaine and Phillipa. Madelaine has now sold her RHS points winner, Mitchell Troy Welsh Express to concentrate on 148cm, whilst Philippa has the well-known Bay Friend to compete.

Scottish 10 an under team member, Nicole Cairns, headed the 70cm final at the Pony Parent show picking up a trophy on the wonderful Freddie Flintstone, which has been a winner for a few families now affiliated and unaffiliated show jumping, working hunter and general all round family pony work. They also won a 70cm at Morris with Nicole now hoping to move up a size this year.

Reigning Rising Stars champion, Pebbles Walker, has maintained her form winning the 80cm trophy class at the Scottish Branch show then more recently heading the Pony Parent Committee 80cm final to win a beautiful rug for her palomino mount, Peanut.

Another member of the Walker family was seen winning, but this time in seniors at Highfield of Howe, where Brook rode Shannondale Flight to win a fast 1.05m then settled for second place behind the ever-consistent Ryan Leavey on Mandalay in the 1.1m.

Highfield of Howe should get a mention for listening to the riders and adding classes to suit which, alongside its ever-improving facilities, is making it one of the most popular centres to compete at.

Seventeen-year-old Timo-Justin Dobson may have represented his local riding club, Ayr, at the Nationals in dressage but he showed how useful he was round a course of fences too when he steered three generations of homebred horses round to many placings as well as a win in a 95cm with Indian Summer and in a 90cm with Indian Summer’s son, Summer Diamond.

At Morris EC’s New Year show, James Smith, popped over the big red wall clear to win with Just Max but was also seen on a number of promising younger horses including Laura Tinto of HBF Stud’s stunning Zapatero/Mermus R stallion Johnnie Walker VDL.

One 1.3m open showcased the talent that we have in this country when Graham Babes took the win with Glencoe; Douglas Duffin was second with Quidam BZ; and Alex Barr third with Havall.

Claire Leitch has been winning more than once around the shows with Warhol Wulfselection, as has Natalie Devlin on both Coulters Candy and My Hallo Jessie.

Christine Buckle’s six-year-old, Juniper Juice, found show jumping to his liking after a season eventing when jumping his first affiliated classes he won both the Winter Novice Championship and the Discovery at SNEC.

At The Cabin EC gales and rain did not stop play with sisters Charley and Natasha Hamilton now both on horses and winning prizes.

Charley was seen in the money on Morelands Conclusion winning twice as well as the former John Crippin ride Faluna who finished just outside the top placings at Morris in the 1.1m and 1.2m Grands Prix but collected a third at The Cabin whilst Natasha has taken over the ride on Impractical Joker from Samantha Gardner.