Winning round makes it quite a day of celebration for rider

It made her day when they won the Ladies Side Saddle class with an elegant performance which also qualified them for the Horse of the Year Show in October.

The pair won the Novice Ridden Hunter Championship at the Great Yorkshire last year but yesterday was only the grey gelding's third outing in a side-saddle class. However on his first outing, at Hambleton Show, he won the class and was then second at the Yorkshire Sport Horse Show.

After the preliminary judging in the White Rose ring, Gemma said she felt rather anxious about riding in the main ring for the final judging. "He'd been quite strong in the bottom ring but he felt fabulous when we got into the main ring," said Gemma.

The horses must show off all their paces in the main ring and the opportunity to go at speed can prove too much of a temptation for some of them. Jane Cooper, riding Lorenzo, who had been lying in first place earlier, decided to withdraw from the final judging as she felt the horse was too strong once they got into the main ring.

Gemma will also be eligible to compete in the Top of the North Supreme Ridden Championship this afternoon.

Second place in the Ladies Side Saddle went to Mrs A S Hunt's Romany King and third was Mrs A Hallas's Pandora's Box.

Gaining the HOYS qualification made it a double celebration for Gemma.

Although she had already qualified by winning the middleweight hunter class at the recent Yorkshire Sport Horse Show, she would not have been eligible to compete at HOYS because Chris McGrann, who teaches her, will be judging that particular class. So now Gemma and What a Day will have their chance in the side saddle class.