JERSEY dressage rider, Simon Laurens has finished a very successful season on his mount, Ocean Diamond, by retaining his title in the grade three para class at the annual British Dressage Championships at Stoneleigh.

The event which concluded this weekend saw the country’s top riders competing for honours.

Able bodied riders had to qualify from regional championships while those in the para section were those returning the highest percentages over the season.

Laurens, who is a member of the para squad for next year’s Olympics and a gold medal winner at the recent World Para Championships, commented that he was thrilled with his performance, but feeling very tired after a long season.

His horse would be having a well deserved holiday although over the winter there would still be a schedule of squad training.

Although this means Laurens now spends most of his time on the mainland, he will be travelling back to Jersey later this month to judge the Pony Club’s dressage event.

The only other Jersey competitor known to have qualified for the championships, was Gemma Green on Showtime.

The combination won two championships last year, but a move up a grade from medium to advanced medium proved more demanding with Green finishing still a creditable 11th of the 34 competitors in her class.

Last month, Green and Showtime won the Prix St George championship at the British Dressage Young Horse and Breeding Championships at Addington Manor, Buckinghamshire.