Two young ladies have done enough already this summer to catch the eye of the selectors and earn a place on the Great Britain squads heading out to Zuidwolde in the Netherlands.

Nicole Lockhead Anderson has been having a great run this year since starting to ride for Tom Williams, with a successful three weeks in Vejer de la Frontera, then home in time for Chepstow’s CSI1* and 2* before heading back abroad again as part of the young rider squad with Miss Aragona PS to help earn Team GB 7th place in the young rider Nations Cup.

Nicole already has two qualified for HOYS this summer – Nero Van De Kwade Heyde is through for the Talent Seekers final and her super consistent and extra-speedy Emerald Irish Cruise scorched a Newcomers second round.

Emerald Irish Cruise was kept ticking over for Nicole a part of the winter by little sister Crista and on the trip to Zuidwolde won two 1.35m classes outright in good company.

Millie Lawson had a long run from Aberdeen for her first trip abroad when she was selected as part of the pony squad heading to Holland with the Sweetnam family’s Yolo.

Relatively inexperienced at this level, Yolo was a bit overawed to start with but improved as the show progressed tackling some strong 1.3m courses easily to finish a creditable eighth in the individual. Travelling companion, Maifield Another Sunrise, was fourth on the first day with both ponies and their rider growing in confidence throughout.

Millie is one of three Scottish juniors to have qualified for the Pony SJ final at HOYS with Yolo and now heads south to Bicton to contest more second rounds before the Royal Highland championships the next week.

HOYS qualifiers are coming thick and fast now with riders travelling around the country in search of that elusive golden ticket. In the enviable position of having two through for the Newcomers final is Kilmarnock’s Graham Babes, who now not only has the stunning Monks I Am Casall through but slotted into second place on a new ride for him, Sarah Jane Park’s Carra Lux Quality.

With Sarah sidelined through injury this 10-year-old gelding, by Obos Quality, has already qualified for the Young Masters, Classic and B+C finals for the Highland and narrowly missed out on Newcomers qualification when finishing fourth at South View a few weeks prior to their successful show at Morris EC.

Winning the Newcomers second round with one of only two treble clears and just 0.2s ahead of Graham was Cupar’s Emma Crawford on Tom Carruthers’ useful Cardento-sired eight-year-old, Juno Rose 23.

Taking over the ride from Tom’s daughter, Abbie, this year, Emma had qualified for the Newcomers masters with a pole on the floor in the third round at Wales and West so the team were delighted to win outright on home soil. Emma also collected a ticket to the Newcomers Masters on Casadagio.

Joining her at the Masters from this class were Douglas Duffin on Lexie HM, Charlotte Geddes with Tiny Dancer and Sandy McLean on Dee Dee Damour.

One junior having a fabulous season so far is Aimee Paxton who was recently crowned Scottish Branch 138cm outdoor champion with Chapelmill Choirboy, she was also runner up on Cassi De L’abdenaie.

Taking over the ride on the 148cm stallion by Berlin, Las Vegas from sister Sophie, at Christmas time, Aimee slotted into third in a Foxhunter second round at South View with a foot-perfect treble clear to see them head to Birmingham, in October. The previous day they had finished fifth in a Newcomers second round, also earning a ticket to the Masters.

Aimee will have a busy British Nationals with Cassi De L’Abdenaie and Santa Rosa through for the Discovery final and Santa Rosa for the British Novice.

Winning the Discovery second round at SNEC was Erin Forrest on Corbally 100. A five-year-old coloured mare, this one only arrived with Erin at the end of last year so they’ve done well to collect all their double clears in time as well as win the qualifier.

Runner-up was Newton Stewart’s Georgie Barr, on Miami Mayhem. Bred at the Miami stud, owned by Hugh Paterson, this scopey chestnut mare has benefitted from some training with Andrew Hamilton, recently winning the Liz Fox JC/JD qualifier at Newmilns Show the weekend before collecting her second round ticket.

Stevenston’s Racheal McGregor has been training with Logan Creighton, with the homework paying off when she stood top of the line in the British Novice second round with her palomino Terrano Sovereign by the section C stallion Peasedown Ronnie.

Ava McCulloch now has a few tickets for the Nationals booked. Travelling from her Roundhill stables, just outside Strathaven, Ava has earned British Novice and Discovery tickets with her two ponies, Gallus Kerfuffle (which she took over from Scott Blair at the end of last year) and the lovely Irish-bred Molly Bui.

Both Newmilns and Ayr ran on grass, as per normal, with near perfect ground conditions. Clashing with other shows and with many of the mostly younger generation opting to stay on artificial surfaces, the entries were lower than in previous years

This did not distract from the competition with both shows hosting a variety of qualifiers. Winning the 1.3m open at Ayr and fourth at Newmilns was Mark Turnbull on the feisty little Elpaola.

This Ustinov-sired 13-year-old mare puts her ears back and swishes her tail throughout the rounds but never takes her eye off the top pole and is very quick against the clock winning the Ian Urquhart Memorial Trophy at Ayr presented by long-standing show organiser, Liz Logan.

A team of Scottish seniors headed south to Weston Lawns for a weekend where they were all in the money. Megan Cowan has been winning almost every class she enters with the diminutive, super-speedy Tullycars Peek-A Boo collecting more red tickets at this venue.

Andrew Blackwood was on form with Cooper and Blahagaty Sabre Lily standing in most line ups.

Chelsea Dowling had a fabulous show at Muirmill where she won four classes with her Beowulf-sired SLR Seawulf. Trained by Nadine Warwick Chelsea then headed to Weston Lawns to win a 1.05m as well as be placed up to 1.1m.

Taking over the ride on the grade A Carpe Diem Z from Leesa Long, Chelsea has already won a few classes at Muirmill as well as a 1m at Weston Lawns despite having only been together since May.

Isla Stewart and Alistair White completed the Scottish contingent who endured a heatwave plus torrential rain over the four days but all came back in the money.

Gillian Anderson was in top form at Ayr heading a B+C with JJs Prince Chacomo after winning the RHS Novice qualifier with Stand Up. Also qualifying in this class were Holly Haig on John Vdl, Jordan Thompson on Carezzo and Moira Wiiliams with Ragazza Di Flamenca.

Declan Irvine has been travelling south for age classes being well placed with Kid Rock,Destine To Be, RB Just Anna and Ben Wentink’s impressive four-year-old stallion New Senator.

Margo King managed to jump at Newmilns in the morning and arrive at Muirmill in the afternoon to secure the 1.1m Amateur Championship final on her ever-reliable Aldatos Choice.

Sandra Low Mitchell was crowned veteran champion at the same show with the aptly named Just Dunnit.

James Smith has been to Balmoral, Chard and Keysoe, amongst other outings, and been placed at all with Good Friends, Super Noodle, Holly and Jim Wilmer’s Prince Malko M who now has his ticket for the Foxhunter Masters.

Jim Wilmer will be happy with his team, some of which are now being piloted by the talented Amy Morris and are already winning plus Alistair Gray has another, Elvis through to the Highland Show finals.

Emma Roberston has been proving hard to beat north and south of the Border with Golden Boy, but also has Black Swan Du Buhot in the Liz Fox final following a convincing win at Muirmill and both Laila Seath and Jane Thompson (nee Auld) were collecting rosettes at Northcote with Jane on Carnally Stephannie picking up a red one in a Discovery.