TALENTED young showjumper Tahnia Jones has won the National Showjuming Championship.

The 12-year-old from Swindon was on board her mother Julie Jordan’s 14 year-old bay gelding, Just Dandy, took the victory in the Winter 128cms at the Longines Royal International Horse Show in Hickstead.

Tahnia jumped double clear in a time of 38.41 seconds to take the title of National 128cm champion.

The youngster’s mother Julie said: “We set off for Hickstead early Wednesday morning as the class was at 10.30am.

“We were lucky to have Tina Fletcher, who rode for GB at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, course walk Tahnia for Hickstead.

“She was drawn second on Jacko and 13th (her lucky number) on Dandy. Jacko was quite spooked by the arena but she did well to get him round and they finished on a respectable eight faults.

“Dandy jumped clear in the first round, and was one of only three clear rounds.

“Dandy and Tahnia have such an amazing partnership, and she set off determined the title was going to be theirs.

“He jumped his heart out and went clear with a blistering time six seconds faster to win the coveted Hickstead title.”

However, Tahnia and Dandy partnership has since come to an end after an offer too good to refuse has see the gelding move to pastures new.

The youngster, who is her final year on 128 ponies, and Just Dandy headed to Scotland for their swansong.

“It was with heavy hearts the following weekend that we set off to Scotland, as this was to be Tahnia and Dandy's last competition together,” Julie said. “Although she had until the end of the year on him, Dandy had been attracting too much interest and we had an offer that we were unable to say no to.

“So after the weekend he was off to pastures new in Ireland. The decision left Tahnia broken-hearted as she will not get to defend her title at Scope this year on Dandy, and will miss HOYS and Olympia on what has been her pony of a lifetime.

“But they went out on a high and they had to be the most consistent partnership on the 128 circuit this year.”

New novice Quarry jumped well in Scotland and on the last day we put him in the 138 HOYS qualifier.

This was a big ask as the pony has done next to nothing but him and Tahnia jumped round for just one pole so the family are hoping with more work that they may have found another special pony for Tahnia.

Tahnia has also helped England to a team bronze at the Welsh Home Pony International this year and she claimed a silver in the derby class at the same event.