BARNARD Castle School pupil Anna Dawson is the 2005 Pony Club Dengie Winter League show jumping champion after a great win at Warwickshire College last weekend.

A total of 80 riders from all over the British Isles had qualified for the final, which is for pony club riders aged under 19 who have not yet represented their club at area level in show jumping.

The 12-year-old, who lives at Ferryhill, was one of the younger contenders on her attractive 13.2hh dapple grey pony Merlin.

The pair survived a worrying moment in the first round when they rattled the second part of the double hard, but they came home clear to join 28 other riders in the jump-off against the clock.

They were drawn eighth and a fast time had already been set by Northern Ireland rider Alex Buller when they entered the arena.

Anna's jump-off round proved to be a brilliant one as she kept calm under pressure and pulled off some very tight turns in confident fashion to stop the clock on 33.94 seconds. After a tense wait through the rest of the long second round the South Durham Hunt Pony Club rider finally emerged as winner - by just six hundredths of a second.

"The jump-off course suited Merlin as he is fast and can turn tightly without losing speed," said a delighted Anna. "I made the Dengie regional final two years ago, but that was as far as I'd got in the past - to win was amazing."

Her New Forest pony Merlin has been with the Dawson family from a foal and also hunts with the Zetland and competes across a range of disciplines.

"I've been in the pony club since I was four and take part in all the activities," Anna added. "I compete in tetrathlon and mounted games and am just starting on Prince Philip Cup teams. Merlin has also been going well in local show jumping competitions recently, with wins at Stainsby Grange arena."

Anna received her prizes, which included a championship rug and jacket, horse feed and saddlery vouchers, from the Princess Royal, who was at the final in her capacity as president of the Pony Club.