THE North Hereford Pony Club are celebrating after one of their young members clinched a top national title.

Fourteen-year-old Pippa Wollen, riding Phoenix, won the individual eventing title at the National Novice Pony Club Championships in Cheshire.

To qualify, the pair had to win the Pony Club Area 9 eventing competition at Broadway.

Eventing consists of three disciplines- dressage, showjumping and cross country.

"The Championship cross country course was the toughest I have ever ridden, but Phoenix made it so easy – he was a dream," said Pippa.

The success came a week after Pippa rode for the North Hereford Pony Club Senior Mounted Games Team at the Pony Club Intermediate Championships at Cholmondeley Castle.

The team of Pippa riding Fern, Georgia Edwards (aged 13) on Rollo, Aerin Thomas (13) riding Honey, Georgia Barrett (11) with Flicker, Charlotte Wilson (11) on Toby and non-riding reserve, Ottie Thomas (10), won the Area 9 competition in May, which qualified them for the Zone Finals in Warwickshire.

From there the team qualified for the National Championships where they finished in sixth place after fierce competition in games such as Big Sack and Stepping Stones, against teams from all over the UK.

Georgia Edward's pony, Rollo, then changed teams to represent Canada.

The Pony club Championships were host to the International Pony Club Mounted Games Exchange and all the UK teams had to provide a pony for the visiting teams from the USA, Australia and Canada.

Georgia said: "It was a great opportunity to watch the countries' top games riders in action, and it was made even more exciting as Rollo was competing."

The UK team were the eventual winners in a very close competition.