SEVERAL RIDERS achieved double qualification for the Petplan amateur championships at Hartpury at the Petplan Area Festival at Rowallan.

Anne Johnston had a double win with Affinity Grandeberg in the PSG and advanced medium open classes.

Purchased as a yearling, Anne has brought the Granesburgh-bred gelding and out of the psg mare Girl Power on through the grades. Now 15 years old, Affinity Grandeberg is a year back in work after three years off due to a tendon injury.

Since then he has been lightly competed, and Anne credits Jill Grant for helping them.

"He's 17.2hh and a big horse and can get strong," said Anne, who runs a livery yard in Perthshire as well as working in a sweetie shop in Kirriemuir. "I went for a soft test, it could have been more forward but I played it safe today."

Cathy Lee and Haver won the medium restricted class, making a welcome return to competition after suffering from laminitis in January.

Owned by List 1 judge Janet Spens, the 12-year-old was not diagnosed until another vet came in for a second opinion.

"X-rays found bruising on both front feet and Dr Andy Matthews and Jim Ferrie were both fantastic and worked very hard – he's come back better than ever," said Cathy, who is a Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Pony Club instructor.

Janet also owns Firestone who had previously won at the national dressage championships with David Gatherer.

Gaynor Ranshaw won the novice open class with 68.06% aboard Zero To Hero.

Owned by Kim Young, Gaynor took over the ride 11 months ago.

"I hadn't competed for about seven years and when Kim offered 'Pete' to me I jumped at the chance," said Gaynor.

"I've only done four proper classes since May and I wasn't sure if I wanted to compete any more. I did a couple of classes in July and enjoyed it and qualified for the Scottish championships at novice open and elementary. He's much easier to ride at elementary as it gives him more to think about," added Gaynor.

Katie Barr and her Dutch-bred mare Wanda II won the medium open class. The nine-year-old mare by Roussaeu was imported by Denise Shawns who trains Katie.

Travelling companions Jackie Gordon and Coral Mitchell both won a class – Jackie in the advanced medium restricted with Silken Prince and Coral with Percival III in the elementary open.

Jackie had originally purchased Silken Prince to show and he won the four-year-old class at Dublin Horse Show, but then white patches of hair started appearing on the coat.

"I've always done showing and working hunters and qualified my other horse Kilmore Blue for HOYS so I was quite disappointed when the white patches appeared," said Jackie. "Jennifer Johnston noticed that he was talented and suggested I tried dressage with him."

They haven't looked back and the 12-year-old is now at psg level. They are trained by Harry Payne and been working to improve his tempi changes.

"I'd decided not to compete until they're established – and we're getting there," added Jackie.

Coral's horse, the 10-year-old Dutch-bred grey gelding, Percival III, by Farmer was bought unseen after Jackie saw the horse while she was training with Harry in Gloucestershire.

"I was looking for a bay five-year-old and I ended up with a grey eight-year-old!," said Coral.

"His canter at first was like riding the wall of death, and he can be quite spooky and can clear the warmup ring with his antics."

Amber Aplin won the prelim qualifier with the highest test of the wekend of 68.64% with Dublin Bay King.

In the novice restricted Laura Donaldson and Winnipeg B came out on top, with Laura Hedley-Gray and Rare Proposition best of the elementary restricted qualifier.