EQUESTRIAN: A Stourport couple have made a big impression in the equestrian event of Western Riding.

Terrie Heid-Brazier has been named British champion in the Junior Horse Trail for the second year in a row, run by the British affiliate of the American Quarter Horse Association.

Her husband Adrian Brazier is British Reserve champion in the AQHA Junior Horse Trail and the Junior Horse Hunter Under Saddle.

Terrie was riding Docs Tiger Lena, a four-year-old quarter-horse mare the couple own, while Adrian shot to victory on their five-year-old gelding Dial on Doc.

They competed in nine shows at various sites around Britain throughout the season and were judged by different international judges on their way to the titles.

Terrie, a one-time world champion who hails from Colorado in the USA, admitted: "It's a lot of hard work. We get up at 5am every morning and have to ride six days a week.

"These horses have to really know what you are doing. The sport is growing a lot more in England now. It takes several years to train these horses to become really professional."

She was previously based in Italy where there are 10,000 quarter-horses compared to 1,000 in Great Britain.

The trail class is a particularly exacting test of a horse's training and abilities as it must respond to various commands from the rider while negotiating a difficult obstacle course.

The manoeuvres include opening and closing a gate, weaving through cones, backing up between poles in a tight L shape, turning around within a five-foot square, cantering over poles and many more.

Any touch of a pole or imperfection is penalised and the horse has to perform in a quiet and willing manner.

Adrian and Terrie are qualified Western instructors as well as trainers and will be holding a clinic on May 17 from 10am to 2pm at Stourport Riding School for the AQHA youth team.

Spectators are welcome to see the team who will travel to Italy to compete against other countries.