NORTHERN side-saddle rider Erica Williams has won the national side-saddle junior performance rider of the year award.

Erica, from Barnard Castle, had to ride side-saddle in direct competition with astride riders in classes including show jumping, dressage, one-day eventing and showing.

She has also been awarded the supreme rider and dressage rider awards and will collect the accolades at the side-saddle annual meeting in Chester.

Her eight-year-old cob Brogan has helped secure the victory. The pair also won the cob championship at the North East of England summer show and qualified for the Royal London, Ponies UK and the Northern Counties pony of the year.

The Irish cob of unknown breeding has been with the Williams family since 2002 and was broken to the side-saddle by them within the first week.

Finding him a little strong, they decided to do dressage and, two years later, are reaping the benefits.

The success is a fitting end to the final year as a junior side-saddle rider for Erica, who was awarded junior performance rider on her Welsh Section B pony Rinnes Playmate in 1999.