Lanarkshire rider Nicky Williams posted a career first as he won the Scottish Branch North West Championship aboard his scopey 16-year-old Darius Des Vignes Du Theil. A twisty course with tight lines sorted the 27 entries into an eight-head jump-off.

Darius had done little prior joining Nicky out of Ireland as an 11-year-old. Nicky explained: “He hadn’t done a lot of all. He’d been a bit of a problem horse but after spending a bit of time with him he’s come good; he’s a great lad and he’s no bother now.

“He’s won most of the Scottish Grand Prixs and he’s had a few wins in England, too. It’s nice to bag this title on him.”

Sunday's showjumping in the Murray Arena commenced with the first round of the Redpost Equestrian Senior Foxhunter. Top of the tree was Fife-based Sandra Low-Mitchell and her agile dun gelding Just Dunnit II.

The 11-year-old part-bred Connemara evented up to two-star before his talent was found in the showjumping arena. Sandra explained: “Something had gone wrong in the water at an event. I saw him advertised on Facebook, made a bid for him and ended up buying him back. He’s easy peasy at home and he doesn’t need much tutoring. He never stops at a jump, though he can be affected by his surroundings a bit.”

Sandra added: “He seems to have loved Scone Palace, like we all do. You’ll never get a better location for an event.”