Honley’s Peter Mellor is a national champion – once again.

Just 12 months after a triumph in the British Riding Club’s National Championship’s showjumping categories, the 58-year-old owner of the Woodnook Arena returned to the championships to this year secure victory in the one-day event.

The competition was staged at Swalcliffe Park, near Banbury, and Mellor came out on top in the Section D category riding Wm Beethoven in the combined dressage, cross-country and showjumping disciplines.

“Having all the three events at the same time does make for a long day,” admitted Holme Valley Riding Club member Mellor.

“And we just went down for the day, so it was really good to win through.

“After the showjumping last year it was good to win at a big competition again as we mainly attend the local shows.”

Mellor was not the only Holme Valley Riding Club member to enjoy success as the club put on a strong showing at the Area 4 Horse Trials qualifiers staged at Breckenbrough near Thirsk.

Mellor was again a category winner and Katy Summerfield took second place in her section on See My Star – and Holme Valley took the team prize as well beating their nearest rivals by 14 points in the HT80 Senior team event.

Mellor and Summerfield were joined in the team victory at Breckenbrook by Vicky Motley, riding An Cailin Ban, and Anna Chadwick on Alleandoe – though at Swalcliffe Park the same quartet found the competition tougher and finished around halfway in 12th place.

The club will also be hoping for more success as Sarah Thomas and Nikki Speak have qualified for the Verdo Horse Bedding Pairs Dressage to Music Championships to be held at Bury Farm, near Slapton in Buckinghamshire to be staged over the weekend of October 4-5.

The pair impressed at the qualifying event at the Port Royal Centre at Holme-on-Spalding Moor winning the Pairs Dressage to Music section with Thomas riding Kerry Blue and Speak on her horse George.

They were also third pair in the Pairs Dressage category and Thomas claimed fourth place in the Senior Novice Dressage to Music section.