SCONE PALACE hosted the first of its two fixtures this year.

The three-day marathon was exceptionally well organised with everything running smoothly.

Organiser James Oakden commented: “It has been a fabulous weekend and we are lucky to have a fantastic team and great sponsors. The event has drawn new competitors from far and wide - roll on the August event!”

Colin Hexley once again built a challenging show jumping track which caught out a fair number of combinations. The cross country courses built by Ian Stark and James Oakden, had some challenging and strategically placed fences that made the most of the undulating ground.

A table at fence 4 caused a large number of problems in BE90, BE100, intermediate and CIC** classes.

Mark Kyle had a successful trip north from Leicestershire, filling the top two spots in the CIC** class. He won the section with Ronnie Bartlett’s classy Ghareeb-sired Coolio. Coolio came to the Kyle’s last autumn after two successful seasons with Alan Gilbert, which included winning the Pavo six-year-old class at Strathallan last year.

Mark also filled second spot with Hong Kong-based Howard Green’s eight-year-old Just Otto. This horse has gone from pre-novice to two-star since last March and came second in a strong intermediate section at Belton a few weeks ago.

Both Coolio and Just Otto will aim for the CCI** at Burgie next month.

Mathew Wright was third with John Peace’s 12-year-old Noisette Des Pres. The highest placed Scot was fourth placed Wills Oakden and Frances Hay-Smith’s Jo Brown.

This consistent combination have been well placed in U21OI classes this year with a second at Belton and fourth at Lincoln under their belts. Jo Brown will now go advanced at Chatsworth and contest the CCI** at Burgie.

In the open intermediate section Mathew Wright rode John Peace’s 2008 Necarne ** winner, Caunton Welldone, to a narrow victory ahead of Caroline Powell and the Blaze O’ Gold-sired Mac Macdonald.

The under 21 OI was won by Amy Hawley and her 12-year-old Helpful Harry II, ahead of Aberdeenshire-based Harriet Baird and her own Persian Coin.

The intermediate class was won by former young rider Sarra Mayberry and her own Cavalier Two For Joy-sired Moores Stream. This is Sarra’s second event since breaking her collar bone in a training accident earlier in the year. Moores Stream will now aim for the CCI** at Burgie and then for Blair.

Avril Johnston and Virginia Scott-Watson’s Milieu-sired nine-year-old Mille Millenium filled second spot.

TopSpec sponsored Olivia Haddow and Cool Dancer won novice section R, finishing on her dressage of 25.5. Wills Oakden and Merikano filled second spot.

Ruth Edge won the ON with Carnaval Prince II and Rebecca Ann Walker and Monarch took the JRN class, while the other novice sections were won by Robert Wilson and Monster Impact and Kate McClaren ridden by Laura Ritchie-Bland.

BE100 classes were won by Ruth Edge and Rogersdale, Alice McCullagh and Jobmaster, Chevingon and Will Murray, Taz Man and Tanya Kyle, Red Wharf II and Catherine Shotton, Valco II and Bruce Edward, Muirsland Dowrie and Henny Cooper and Royal Connection II and Rachel Lupton.

BE90 classes were won by Sharp Practice II and Catriona Ross, Rebel Stone and Harriet Baird, Lost In Spots and Katie Dun, King Of The Cats and Lisbeth Morrison, Caregan and Iona Campbell, Fiddlewood and Nicky Roncoroni and finally Greystone Midnight Melody and Amy George.

LEADINGawards:

BE90 A - 1, Greystone Mighnight Melody, A George, 33.5,0,0,0,0=33.5; 2, Corlyn, R Payne, 34.5,0,0,0,0=34.5; 3, Kinnobi, K Fyfe, 37.5,0,0,0,0=37.5. B - 1, Fiddlewood, N Roncoroni, 27.5,0,0,0,0=27.5; 2, Matt The Great, R Williams, 23,8,0,0,0=31; 2, Snowy H-S, R Drummond, 29,4,0,0,0=33. C - 1, Caregan, I Campbell, 31.5,0,0,0,0=31.5; 2, Elton John, L Milne Home, 31,0,0,0,0.8=31.8; 3, Baleroo, B Holt, 32.5,4,0,0,0=36.5. D - 1, King of the Cats, L Morrison, 22.5,8,0,0,0=30.5; 2, Felton Stormchaser, W Murray, 31.5,0,0,0,0=31.5; 3, Hugo Light, J Blacklaw, 33,0,0,0,0=33. E - 1, Lost in Spots, K Dun, 31.5,0,0,0,0=31.5; 2, Amibovvered, S Lumgair, 32,0,0,0,0=32; 3, Cardhu, D Scott, 29,4,0,0,0=33. BE90 open - 1, Rebel Stone, H Baird, 33.5,4,0,0,0=37.5; 2, Sharp Practice II, C Ross, 34,4,0,3.2=41.2; 3, Springwood Flying Fox, F Keith, 42,0,0,0,0=42. BE100 G - 1, Royal Connection II, Rachel Lupton, 27.5,0,0,0,0=27.5; 2, Copper Crescendo, M McGovern, 30.5,0,0,0,1.6=32.1; 3, Highling Gizmology, Z Warde-Aldam, 32,0,0,0,1.2=33.2. H - 1, Muirsland Dowrie, H Cooper, 34,0,0,0,0=34; 2, Da Vinci, S Courty, 36,0,0,0,0=36; 3, Flexitime, H McLaren, 37,0,0,0,0=37. I - 1, Valco, B Edward, 27,0,0,0,0=27; 2, Venture Muppet, I Neckel, 34,0,0,0,0=34; 3, Charlie Taggart, L Allan, 29,4,0,0,4=37. J - 1, Red Wharf II, C Shotton, 28,0,0,0,0=28; 2, C Wots Wot, C Dunn, 29,0,0,0,0=29; 3, Lake Street Freddie, E Stewart, 30.5,0,0,0,0=30.5. K - 1, Taz Man, T Kyle, 23,0,0,0,0=23; 2, Victory Blues, L Smith, 29.5,8,0,0,0=35; 3, Danton II, J Close, 27,8,0,0,0=35. L - 1, Chevingnon, W Murray, 27.5,4,0,0,0=31.5; 2, Diamond Swap, R Wilson, 32,0,0,0,0=32; 3, Indian River, A Drummond, 32,4,0,0,0=36. M open - 1, Jobmaster, A McCullagh, 31,0,0,0,0=31; 2, O Sullivan, S Mayberry, 33.5,0,0,0,0=33.5; 3, Harbour Lights, E Galbraith, 32,0,0,0,2=34. N open - 1, Rogersdale, R Edge, 20,4,0,0,0.8=24.8; 2, Button Clover, C Onslow, 30,0,0,0,0=30; 3, Mountain Tiger, L Milne Home, 35,0,0,0,0=35. JRN - 1, Monarch, RA Walker, 26.5,0,0,0,2=28.5; 2, Lochrannus, D Scott, 29.5,0,0,0,0=29.5; 3, Pebbly Paint Box, S Dudgeon, 37,0,0,0,0=37. Novice P - 1, Monster Impact, R Wilson, 26,0,0,0,1.6=27.6; 2, Im Posing, M Lynch, 35.5,4,0,0,0=39.5; 3, Whos Osi, T Clark, 28.5,12,0,0,1.6=42.1. Q - 1, Kate McClaren, L Ritchie-Bland, 29.5,0,0,0,0=29.5; 2, Miss Repertoire, G Burns, 35.5,0,0,0,0=35.5; 3, Obos Apollo, J Burgess, 35.5,0,0,0,0=35.5. R - 1, Cool Dancer, O Haddow, 25.5,0,0,0,0=25.5; 2, Merikano, W Oakden, 29,4,0,0,0=33; 3, Whos McCloud, E Keith, 31,4,0,0,0=35. ON - 1, Carnaval Prince II, R Edge, 19.5,0,0,0,2.4=21.9; 2, Mystery Creek, M Kyle, 25.5,0,0,0,0,=25.5; 3, Greytsone Pathfinder, W Oakden, 33,4,0,0,0=37. CIC** - 1, Coolio, M Kyle, 53.5,0,0,0,0.4=53.9; 2, Just Otto, M Kyle, 50.9,4,0,0,3.2=58.1; 3, Noisette Des Pres, M Wright, 48.4,0,0,0,10.4=58.8. Int - 1, Moores Stream, S Mayberry, 35.9,0,0,0,3.6=39.5; 2, Millie Millenium, A Johnston, 35,0,0,0,9.6=44.6; 3, Enoch, T Baird, 26.4,8,3,0,7.6=45. OI - 1, Caunton Welldone, M Wright, 26.8,0,0,0,1.2=28; 2, Mac MacDonald, C Powell, 27.7,0,0,0,2.4=30.1; 3, Little Beau, C Agnew, 29.6,0,0,0,1.2=30.8. OIU21 - 1, Helpful Harry II, A Hawley, 29.1,4,0,0,6.4=39.5; 2, Persian Coin, H Baird, 30.9,4,0,0,14.8=49.7; 3, Neelix, W Newton, 32.7,16,0,0,14.8=63.5.