A dusting of frost did not interrupt the Power X Extreme contest at Inchcoonans that runs across all-weather tracks.
The competition unique to the Perthshire venue runs monthly and includes a round of showjumps before the competitors head out ‘across country’ over a series of ‘knockable’ fences set between wooded areas and gallop tracks around the centre.
The course incorporates challenges from ditches to banks and fillers and takes place on a wood fibre surface.
A large entry of riders on horses and ponies supported the opening class, the nursery novice set at 50cm.
The win went to Ailsa Appleton and her pony Titi, which romped home with no jumping penalties on their score sheet and a successful clear over the joker fence at the end.
Cousins Sammy and Emma Wake jostled for the top positions in the novice and intermediate classes on their ponies Prince and Tropix respectively, dominating both leaderboards.
Taking a double of red rosettes from both classes, Sammy went home to Crieff with each of the top honours.
This puts Morrisons Academy pupil Sammy into pole position for the winter league so far with the Irish-bred gelding Prince.
She bought the seven-year-old 14.2hh, from Ireland, two years ago with little in the way of competitive history.
Doing ‘a little of everything’, they are in their first season competing together, and previously came third in their first one-day-event together.
Sammy plans to move up a level with Prince next year.
Taking third and second to Sammy in the respective classes was her cousin Emma.
She has worked for the Englands at Bachilton for the last four years, helping them to look after and work their horses.
Emma, who lives in Madderty, bought her 14.3hh Welsh D Tropix during the summer last year.
“He had not done anything prior to me buying him,” said Emma of the eight-year-old gelding.
Now reaching the end of their “first year out”, Emma reflected that they both enjoy their cross country, having won their first one-day-event together, and she now hoped to get out to their first three-foot competition early next year.
First timers at the Power X, Sarah Fishwick and her horse Piper made the best of their debut outing to take the win from the small open.
The open and advanced class wins went to Balcarres’ Katherine Lindsay and her event horse Shannondale Somax, which she calls Bear.
Katherine bought the six-year-old mare from event rider Rose Macpherson ahead of this season. They progressed to take the win in the BE100 class at Kirriemuir in April before also collecting a fourth at the same level at Burgham (1).
They then made the step up to novice level eventing at Floors Castle.
“She has been going really amazingly well recently, so next year we are aiming for a one star,” said Katherine, who lives in Fife but who travels up and down the road to fit her horses around her new school life in Yorkshire.
Ruth Elliot, who works alongside Katherine’s trainers James and Sarah Oakden, has been helping school Bear while she has been away.
Katherine also took the second spot in the later class with her second ride Ernie, a recent addition to her string of event horses.
Ernie, or Cooley Ramiro, is another six-year-old. He was purchased from British rider Oliver Townend during the summer.
“He has come on so much this year and I have high hopes for next year with him,” said Katherine. “Sarah and James have both been so supportive and helpful with me being away. They have kept my ponies going as if I was at home.”
In taking the one-two from the advanced class, Katherine pipped James and his own young event horse Sam into third.
James and five-year-old Sam ended their 2013 event season with a double clear in the BE100 at Aske.