Burgeoning entries across the working hunter classes provided a marathon judging stint in the Blair Castle Banvie Arena.
Although clear jumping rounds over Graham Barclay’s courses were hard to come by, judges Denise Richardson of Cumbria, Vicki Russell of North Berwick, Louise Morrison of Huntly, and Jane Gilchrist of Perth praised the tracks as a true championship standard.
They said ultimately the open entrants at the close of the day made the best of the job in hand, which was reflected when the winner of this class progressed to take the overall working hunter title.
This was Calo Cavalier, owned by Jane Dalrymple and ridden at the event by Charlotte Armstrong, from Newton Stewart.
Charlotte said it was the biggest track they had asked of the eight-year-old mare to date.
“She has competed at local level, taking a championship in the open workers at Moniaive, and she also went reserve at Dumfries,” she said.
The coloured mare, sired by Royal Touch and bred out of an Ard Ohio-sired mare, has also contested CHAPS classes on the flat, winning the championship at Glenkens.
“She gave a really nice ride and absolutely looked the part,” said Vicki Russell, who rode judge for the open class placings.
Given the nod for the reserve ticket was Kirsty Aird and the heavy cob Tinnakil Delboy.
They won their passage to the championship by topping a catalogued entry of no less than 64 horse-and-rider combinations to jump the novice class track.
“He jumped a lovely round and is simply a practical performance cob,” said Jane Gilchrist.
Delboy, a nine-year-old gelding which Kirsty rides for her aunt, Anne Milne, was champion ridden cob at Fife Show earlier this year and champion worker at Alyth.
He was bought from Ireland, where he mastered for the Galway Hunt, last year and recently finished eighth at the RIHS in the heavyweight cob class, before coming fourth at Hickstead as a working horse.
They will contest the heavy cob class at HOYS this October.
Delboy finished on equal marks to second-placed novice Benson IX and Blyth Brewster, which each scored 89, but his jumping style edged the win.
In The Courier/BHS Scotland riding club working hunter championship final, the outright win on a total score of 91 was taken by Elgin’s Les Thomson and his six-year-old Warmblood cross, Stonebyres Barry.
Les, a UKCC coach who owns and runs Rashcrook livery yard, won with Barry at a number of qualifying shows in the north-east of Scotland, including at Mundole and Strathbogie and finished second at the Black Isle.
One point in their wake for second place were Helen Pendlowski and Joe Glow, who came to the final after qualifying at Findon in the summer.
Les also qualified for the Stewarts Building Supplies/BHS Scotland open championship final, where he and Barry progressed to finish third behind ultimate winner Shona Wallace.
Shona topped the class and jumped the only clear with Bellina Van de Warrenda, an 11-year-old, sired by Cappicuino.
Working hunter results. Novice: 1 Tinnakil Delboy, Kirsty Aird; 2 Benson IX, Blyth Brewster; 3 Courvoisier SMH, Les Thomson. The Courier/BHS Scotland RC championship final: 1 Stonebyres Barry, Les Thomson; 2 Joe Glow, Helen Pendlowski; 3 Noble Credit Crunch, Samantha Cloy. Stewarts Building Supplies/BHS Scotland championship final: 1 Bellina Van de Warrenda, Shona Wallace; 2 Za Zeu, Erin Houston; 3 Stonebyres Barry, Les Thomson. Open: 1 Calo Cavalier, Charlotte Armstrong; 2 Wizard, Amy Ogilvie; 3 Freckleton Mozart, Jenny Herries.