GILLINGHAM’S Hannah Biggs collected a national title on board Don Caledonian in the Spillers Medium Open Freestyle Championship.

The event, which was part of the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships in Gloucestershire, was won by Biggs, pictured, and Don Caledonian by the small margin of just 0.5 per cent of the judges’ scores over Jo Hamilton and her horse, Corchapin.

The clearly elated rider said: “I just love riding to that music, all his extended paces were great and his lateral work was the best to date.”

Six-year-old ‘Archie’, as the horse is known at home, is by the prolific sire Don Schufro and Biggs has high hopes for the chestnut in the future.

She bought the horse from a small stud nestled in the Highlands, and breeder Reay Campbell, journeyed all the way down to the event to watch the duo claim the victory.

Biggs added: “She was so incredibly proud of him and it’s so special that she was able to see it.”

Biggs, who is National Lottery-funded by UK Sport, describes ‘Archie’ as the puppy dog of the yard.

She added: “He loves people, he loves work, he just loves life.”