IN BRIGHT sunshine, several thousand people enjoyed the first day of the Blair Castle International Horse Trials yesterday.

In one of the most ambitious programmes yet seen on the Blair Atholl Estate, one, two and three-star three-day events are being run concurrently with British Show Jumping Association show jumping, the Highland Pony Show, Hunter Show, National Pony Society Scotland Finals, Pony Club games and the popular Country Fair.

Yesterday saw one and two-star dressage competitions in the main arena marking the start of the CCI three event, with the Highland Pony Show and the Hunter Show in the smaller arenas.

Leading the three-star dressage half-way through the competition is Polly Stockton with Regulus.

Lucy Wiegersma is seven points behind with Beckli while Matthew Wright and Well Spotted are in third place.

Two riders share the lead in the Dunalastair two-star class. Australian Bill Levett and Hayley Upton from England are on identical scores of 44.1.

Bill is riding Blacker Cat NJ while Hayley is competing in her first two-star class with Honeymoon, an Irish sports horse which she has brought on since he was four.

In third place, only 0.3 of a point behind, is Bella Tschaikowsky on her own chestnut gelding, Valentino X.

A winner at Blair two years ago, Lucy Wiegersma, is leading the one-star class with Porloe Alvin which she only took over the ride on this season.

Only 0.3 of a point behind is Polly Jackson with Caunton Welldone, with Ewart Woolley and Keep Your Options Open just 0.4 behind that in third.

Elsewhere, the food hall, craft fair and variety of other stands provided plenty of attractions for the whole family.

The nominated charity at this year’s event is the Equine Sickness Fund which raises funds to find the cause of this fatal disease which strikes young horses in the spring and autumn each year.

The horse trials run until Sunday.