LAST Saturday, Steven and Trevor Smith, of Smith Brothers Eventing, welcomed riders from Pony Club to international level to their Ballymac Stables, Gilford, for a flatwork and show jumping clinic. Those in Steven’s morning groups were pleased to avoid the worst of the weather, as they tacked up inside before training in the indoor arena.

Nadia Scanlon, a regular competitor on the national show jumping scene, said: “Steven helped me create a more quality canter for jumping, which helped all my distances come up easily. He also provided me with some easy but effective exercises to help me in my warm-up at shows and while schooling at home to improve the canter. He explained everything really clearly and I found the whole lesson really helpful.”