LEYBURN 15-year-old Jodie McGregor impressed at the 2010 Charles Owen British Pony Championship, staged at Brand Hall in Shropshire.

Only the best young pony event riders in the country gain an invitation to the championships, open to riders aged 16 or under on ponies measuring 14.2hh or less, and they have come through a series of FEI Pony Trials held at national one-day events.

Jodie, a student at Wensleydale School, was in action with her eight-year-old gelding Spot XIII. The pair has consistently finished in the prizes in the FEI Pony Trial series this season, including a third at Oasby and a fifth at Weston Park, and they began their challenge with a "pleasing" dressage test.

"I think we were joint sixth at that stage but it was all very close," said Jodie. "I've had Spot from a four-year-old and we have a really trusting partnership and have built up our confidence together."

This confidence was needed when they tackled Janet Plant's tough cross country course, which caught out some of the pre-competition favourites.

"The cross country was a proper Championship course," Jodie said. "It was really tough - it was thought to be the toughest one yet - and asked a lot of questions. Before I thought the water complex might be a problem as the striding was quite tricky and you hade to be very sure of your line. The rider in front of me fell, which is never nice, but Spot jumped it really well."

The duo again jumped clear in the final show jumping phase to complete on a dressage score of 44.6 and move into third, just 0.3 of a mark behind the winner.

"Spot's improved confidence showed on the last day, where it rained and got a bit slippy on top," Jodie added. "We know each other so well and I wouldn't like anyone else to ride him."

The performance was a truly outstanding one but did not prove quite enough for Jodie to make the shortlist for the GB team due to compete at the Pony European three-day event championships, due to be held on British soil for the first time in 13 years at Bishop Burton College.