Spectators were treated to show jumping of the highest calibre at the weekend when the Essex County Showground Equestrian Club hosted its third annual Grand Prix show.

The event attracted many of the top showjumping names, including former European champion Peter Charles from Ireland, Di Lampard, a member of last year's bronze medal winning team at the World Equestrian Games and two times winner of the Queen Elizabeth Cup.

Riders from all over the country, along with their 600 horses and ponies, descended upon the Great Leighs venue to compete at the event, which had a truly international feel to it with riders from Greece, Ireland and South Africa taking part.

The three day show, which incorporated the South East of England Championships, offered over £17,000 worth of prize money, and with 43 classes held in the four arenas, all grades and levels of horses and ponies were catered for.

Some of show jumping's greatest riding legends took centre stage in Sunday's special invitation class, a team challenge, sponsored by Horse & Hound.

Alison Dawes and Derek Ricketts, who were riding borrowed horses which they had only sat on for the first time that day, were joined by Graham Fletcher and Geoff Glazzard, with Marion Mould acting as team manager.

However, they could only manage a third place finish, behind a team of present day riders, comprising Andrew Davies, Di Lampard, John Renwick and Damian Charles.

Victory in the show's Grand Prix, worth £1,000 to the winner, went to Cambridgeshire based Damian Charles and Romulus 16, who were the only partnership to master the course without fault over the two rounds.

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