National successes continue to come thick and fast for Saffron Walden Riding Club in what is already a stellar year.

The team came third at the British Riding Club (BRC) Novice Winter Show Jumping Championships in Grantham, made up of team manager Suzannah Engelmann, Susan Arnold, Rosie Bates and Nicola Shaw, the last two being new members of SWDRC.

Engelmann, who also won the individual prize, praised her horse Rocky.

She said: "He loves jumping and he’s so responsive. It’s a team effort, he does the hard part, I just navigate."

At the same event, Bates, on her own homebred Eric, took third place in the novice dressage.

Bates and Engelmann then teamed up with Katie Barrett and Lisa Howlett and Katie Barrett, yet another new member, placed second at the Intermediate Winter Championships, needed a two-way jump off at the Onley Grounds Equestrian Complex in Warwickshire.

Engelmann was again involved at the Five Star Combined Championships in Northamptonshire, part of several Walden squads to make the trip.

The arena challenge is a long and testing show jumping course followed immediately by a large arena of cross-country fences including a water complex.

SWDRC were the team winners in the 80cm event, the squad consisting of Engelmann, Shaw, Suzanne Mayes and Sophie Haylock, while they were second in the 90m event.

That team was Engelmann, Sarah Hamlett, Bates and Mary Maitland.

Engelmann was also second in the individual 80cm race, Shaw fifth and Haylock seventh, while she won the 90cm version.

Held at the same time and at the same venue, the combined training event of dressage and show jumping, saw the team come third, as did Engelmann in her group while Bates won hers.

Jane Hood and Howlett made up the rest of the team.