MORRIS Equestrian Centre was the venue for the British Driving Society's South-west of Scotland carriage driving event for the second year, with entries ranging from a 33-inch Shetland stallion to an 18hh Percheron.

It would come as no surprise to many that last year’s victor, Richard Lanni, was standing at the head of a couple of line ups with his impressive pair of Gelderlanders, Symen and Vinnie.

Winners at HOYS 2016, they look on form to qualify again this year, with immaculate turnout and performances.

Driven to a 1960s Phaeton, they caught judge, Allan Lees' eye to take the concours d’elegance as well as the multiples class.

A total of 17 classes ran through the day, starting with the potential driving horse/pony class which saw Shelby Donnelly’s two-year-old Welsh section A, Ruperra Crusader, catch the judges’ eye.This grey colt is a son of Maesgwyn Heddwyn out of a Littlewern Lyric mare and could really move, showing off his impressive trot in the big arena.

The heavy horses are always a crowd pleaser with three forward this year for the ridden class.

Judge, John Cartner, is more often seen judging hunters so this would be a bit different for him but his winner is no stranger to red rosettes, having won this class last year.

Ailsa Noble is also seen regularly in the show jumping ring with her light-legged partners but also makes a superb job of her Clydesdale, Buddy. They earned a ticket to Blair with a foot perfect performance.

It has already been a successful year for Gilly Chippendale with her lovely grey Fell pony, Stennerskeugh Smoke, and they were awarded the Edinburgh Prize for Driving in January for their list of achievements last year, including winning at the breed show, the Royal Highland and the BDS Scottish show.

This 12-year-old son of Lunesdale Tarquin won both the ride and drive sections here before going on to collect qualification for the Osbourne Refrigerator championships to be held at Addington, later in the year.

Returning from an injury and making their first appearance this year, Gillian McNinch and her part-bred Welsh piebald, The Longhouse Glam Rock, were runners up to Richard Lanni in the concours d’elegance but went one better in the private driving section.

Heavy horse pairs and a team made the floor of the arena shake as they paraded in the ring. Champions were JW and M McIntyre’s Clydesdales, Batman and Robin, ably driven by Ron Brewster, with Charlotte Young taking reserve champion with her new Percherons, which seemed to enjoy their first outing.

The show catered for the more adventurous, with an arena challenge event of cones and obstacles driven at speed. There were four competitors forward, making two runs each, but with only the first run counting towards the prizes.

Wendy Scott, took top spot with her useful Llanderfell Penny Black – already a winner in the long reining class earlier in the day – leaving Miranda Saunders in second spot with her new pony, Gilmery Replica.

In the cones class, Claire Cameron topped her day with a win with Jim around the obstacles, following a steering error in the arena challenge.

Dougie Robertson, from Dumfries, is having a good start to his year, finishing second in the novice driving horse/pony class with his own stallion, Terregles Denzell.

This coloured miniature Shetland stood champion at the National Stallion Show just a few weeks earlier. Handing the reins over to Arran Calander, this pony then went on to win the junior driver class.

Hard working committee member, Kendal Young, took some time out from her official duties to steer her well known donkey, Small Person, to head the donkey driving class.

LEADING awards:

Potential driving horse/pony – 1, Ruperra Crusader, S Donnelly; 2, Redwei Hayley Turner, C McAllister. Ride and drive – 1, Stennerskeugh Smoke, G Chippendale; 2, Jim Bob, C Cameron. Long reining – 1, Llanderfell Penny Black, W Scott; 2, Berti, K Young; 3, Redwei Hayley Turner. Novice driving horse/pony – 1, Braepark Sam, L Woods; 2, Denzell, D Robertson. Exercise vehicle – 1, Burghwallis Magic Monet, C McAllister; 2, Cob, J Watson; 3, Llanderfell Penny Black.

Ridden heavy horse – 1, Buddy, A Noble; 2, Bruno, H Sangster; 3, Millisle Cracker, A Craig. Junior driver – 1, Denzell, A Calander. Donkey driving – 1, Small Person, K Young; 2, Jools, C Armet. Heavy horse – 1, Jim, C Young; 2, Batman, M McIntyre; 3, Andrew, A Noble. Concours d’elegance – 1, Symen and Vinnie, R Lanni; 2, Heavy horse pairs – 1, Batman and Robin, R Brewster; 2, Jim and Buck, C Young; 3, Andrew and Buddy, A Noble. Private driving – 1, The Longhouse Glam Rock, G McNinch; 2, Stennerskeugh Smoke; 3, Llanarth Tango, C Watson.

Multiples/light horses – 1, Symen and Vinnie; 2, Small Person and Sophie, C Young. Heavy horses, teams or unicorns – 1, Batman and Robin, Vicki and Connie, R Brewster. Arena Challenge – 1, Llanderfell Penny Black; 2, Gilmery Replica, M Saunders; 3, Peter Faulkner.