A COUNTY Durham exhibitor is celebrating a famous victory by her skewbald gelding at the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead last month.

Merrigan, a 16.1hh horse home-bred by Clare Martin of Stainton, near Barnard Castle, won the supreme skewbald and piebald championship after beating 45 rivals to take the horse class.

Reserve supreme was Monivae Magic Rainbow, owned by Pat Dorman and her daughter Philippa Porley of Castleton, which had stood top of 43 competitors in the pony class.

Second to Merrigan in the horse class was Mr Nutmeg, owned by Miss A Dalby and ridden by Paul Langrick of Easingwold.

It was the first time the show had included coloured horse classes, which had the most entries of all the events.

Merrigan, who had qualified at the North East of England Show at Beamish in June, was superbly ridden by 19-year-old Simon Charlesworth, who is based at Jerome Harforth's yard at Great Ayton.

It was the first time Simon had ridden the horse in competition, although he had schooled the horse during the two weeks before the show. Merrigan's regular rider, Penny Thompson of Staindrop, had been unable to go to Hickstead.

In his career, Merrigan has won 63 classes at 58 shows, gaining 28 championships and nine reserve championships.

He was first in-hand at this season's Royal Highland Show, where he also qualified for the Horse of the Year Show ridden championship, and was also champion ridden horse at Durham County.

His numerous other victories include the in-hand championship and the ridden horse championship at last year's Ponies UK summer championships.

His owner said: "He is such a prolific and consistent winner. Not many horses compete at this level with such continued success for as many years.

"His mother was rescued from a knacker's yard and Merrigan was the first horse she bred for me. I have also bred his sister, Merrigan's Jemma, also a skewbald who has had many successes.

"It is all down to a lot of hard work, commitment and dedication.

" I could not do it without the support of my husband, Glen, who is the box driver, groom and general assistant.

"His parents also muck in and between them take care of our 16-month-old baby Charlotte at the horse shows.

"I am very proud of our achievements as seven years ago I had never even been to a horse show."