Three Shetland riders are celebrating after they were selected to go through to the finals of the Shetland Pony Grand National at the London International Horse Show, Olympia, in December.

Last Sunday saw the presentation of the awards for the 2009 National Shetland Pony Performance Scheme. The scheme was started in 1980 to promote the use of the registered pedigree Shetland pony as a per­formance pony and it recognises the achievements and successes of young riders and their ponies.

Whalsay horse rider Arianne Fraser and Clothie Uriebell recently returned from competing at the London International Horse Show at Olympia.

Horse-lovers throughout the isles are delighted this week that a serious gap has been filled with the opening of a new riding school.

Shetland Indoor Riding Club saw two days of action at the weekend, with a dressage event on Saturday and a style jumping competition the following day.

Arianne Fraser from Whalsay has made it three years in a row by qualifying once again for the finals of the Shetland Pony Grand National at the London International Horse Show at Olympia in December.

Five Shetland jockeys and ponies competed at the recent Aberdeen District Summer Show at Fountain Equestrian Centre in Aberdeen­shire.

After a very successful trip to the Orkney Riding Club Show, the Shetland Riding Club were back at the indoor school in Girlsta on Friday for another summer jumping league night.

Five Shetland girls recently embarked on a 1,300-mile journey of a lifetime to take part in the Shetland Pony Grand National at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

The show was an opportunity for jockeys Arianne Fraser, 12, and Emily Moss, 12, from Whalsay; Jade Stevenson, 11, from Nesting; Bronagh Goodlad, 11 from Quarff; and Aimee Budge, 11, from Bigton, to show what they could do. They were up against some very stiff competition from throughout the UK, with almost 40 ponies taking part.

The racing was fast and furious with some new ponies making it interesting viewing at times. All …

Five young Shetland girls returned home recently after competing with their ponies at two events on the Scottish mainland.

They were Arianne, 13, Kira, 12, and Rebecca Fraser, seven, from Whalsay, and Bronagh, 11, and Melody Goodlad, six, from Quarff.

The first event was the Aberdeen District Spring Show at Fountain Equestrian Centre on Sunday 12th April. The girls did well and faced strong competition, most classes having over 10 entries.

That was then followed by a two-day trip to the Blue Chip Scottish Spring Festival of Champions at the Scottish National Equestrian Centre in West Lothian, on Saturday and …