LOCAL showjumpers returned to Towerlands Park Arena in Essex to compete in the prestigious Amateur Inter-Nations Championships and defend the team bronze won in last year’s competition.

This annual event attracts competitors from throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the highlight of three days of show-jumping being the Inter-Nations Team Cup.

Two members from last year’s team, Donna Smith and Jenny Winfindale, were joined this time by Lisa Torode and UK-based Tamsin Conyers to fly the Guernsey flag.

Both horses and riders rose to the occasion producing an excellent team performance.

With just two fences down in the first round, the Sarnians all jumped faultless second rounds to finish on a total score of just eight faults.

In a closely fought competition against the UK’s top amateur riders, Smith, Winfindale, Torode and Conyers took the bronze medal for Guernsey, placed just one fence behind England who finished on four faults, while the victorious Scots kept a clean sheet.

The team all agreed that while the courses proved very technical, they all enjoyed the challenges set by UK course builder Neil Theobald and cannot wait to return to fly the Guernsey flag in Essex again next year.

n The three-day BSJA Guernsey Spring Show starts today at Chemin Le Roi.Amateur Inter-Nations Championships: Sarnians shine in Essex