Elvis now ready to enter the building

That is due to his musical accompaniment, which is, of course, Presley's famous hit It's Now or Never and next week Elvis will be competing to his favourite music again, at Myerscough Equestrian Centre.

Elvis and his stable mate, Tigger, are being ridden for Debbie by dressage expert Silvia Schorn and both have qualified for the British Dressage North West regional competition, being held from February 10-14.

Debbie, who lives at Draughton near Skipton, bought Tigger as a lively four-year-old six years ago from the Korenbloem stud in Holland.

"When we first started competing we never stayed in the arena for long," said Debbie. "He was beyond naughty – but gorgeous."

She enlisted the help of Austrian dressage trainer Silvia Schorn and qualified twice for the national dressage championships.

Last year, Tigger was the novice regional champion. "Late last year, I decided his full potential would only be fully realised if Sylvia took him on," said Debbie. Thanks to some intensive training, he has been doing well at medium and advanced medium levels.

Elvis, also from Holland, was intended to be a schoolmaster for Debbie. "He proved to be an exceptional horse and quite tricky to ride," said Debbie.

"We decided to ask Silvia to take him on, to see how he adapted to competing here." They competed at Prix St Georges and Intermediare 1, qualified for the regional finals and last year qualified for the winter nationals at Hartpury at Prix St Georges freestyle to music.

Qualifying for the nationals was some achievement, says Debbie, as Elvis had only just come back into work after being out of action for 10 months with damage to his collateral ligament in his coffin joint.

Debbie plans to continue riding them both at home and enjoy watching them compete.

THE York and Ainsty North hunt has a new venue for its ball this year. It will be held on February 27 at Pavilions of Harrogate and tickets are on sale. Stephen Hazeldine, joint master of the hunt, said: "The annual ball is always a fantastic event and we extend a very warm welcome to anyone who would like to join us."

Tickets are 65 each and include a champagne reception, dinner, auction and entertainment. For tickets call 01423 330293.

Going for European gold on home soil at Bishop Burton

A group of rising young event riders were at Bishop Burton College for a clinic run by Jonquil Hemming, British Eventing coach and Derby House Pony Eventing Squad trainer.

The clinics help the youngsters reach the standard of riding expected by the FEI European Pony Championships which are being held at Bishop Burton in July (see our feature on the centre pages of Country Week).

All eight of the riders attending the session are aiming at selection for the squad. As trainer, Jonquil is aiming to beat the silver gained by the eventing team at the 2009 championships but they will have the Germans to beat. "It would be fantastic to take gold at a home competition," said Jonquil.

A DNA test which will save foals from unnecessary pain and suffering and ultimately death, was launched this week.

Foal Immunodeficiency Syndrome (FIS) is a genetic disorder which is know to affect Fell and Dales ponies. It causes foals to become anaemic and prone to infection and any foal born with it will not survive.

The new diagnostic test, which costs 40, is the result of 10 years of research by the Animal Health Trust and the University of Liverpool. The test will not only identify foals which have the fatal condition but will highlight adult ponies who are carriers of the genetic trait. Affected foals will be prevented by avoiding covering a carrier mare with a carrier stallion.

Owners and breeders who want to have their ponies tested can arrange for a simple pulled mane or tail hair sample to be taken by a vet and submitted to the Animal health Trust.

A fast track system to identify foals suffering with the condition will report results within three working days.