NINA Willison (nee Tideswell), from Levens, had a tremendous first outing with her mother-in-law Rose's six-year-old Dales mare Carrock Sparkle, writes Malcolm Bewsher.

The combination travelled to Woodnook Arena, Huddersfield, to clinch her ticket for the prestigious Baileys Mountain and Moorland Ridden Champion-ship to be held at Olympia in December.

Sparkle by Hodgson Lane Prince out of 1997 Olympia finalist Tillhouse Tilly and bred by Glenis Cockbain from Keswick, clinched the ridden class and tricolour besides winning the dressage and taking third in the working hunter.

A delighted Nina, who gave birth to a son Bruce recently, said it had been a mixed year with the foot-and-mouth crisis and the mare losing her filly foal in May, after which she decided to get the pony back in work.

Nina, from Staveley, is a former member of the Oxenholme Pony Club and also a member of the Lakes Riding Club.

The Lakes club are busy organising a special event to be held at the Crooklands Hotel on September 12

when well-known Olympic international and former Scottish champion Ian Stark will be giving a talk.

Among the items to be auctioned are two lessons with Olympic rider Karen Dixon from Richmond, and a weekend at the Yorkshire Riding Centre with Chris Bartle and days at both William Fox-Pitt's Oxfordshire base and Mary King's Devon headquarters.