A BOLTON woman has ridden off with the main prize in a national riding competition.

Alison Hartley, aged 26, won the UK National Dressage Championships in Wiltshire.

Married Alison, a policeman's daughter, who lives in Bromley Cross, won the title on her 11-year-old horse, Chester.

Horse-mad Alison, who started riding when she was only nine, qualified to take part in the championships after previously winning an area heat and a regional finals competition. Forty riders from throughout the North-west took part in the regional event and in the final itself she competed against 17 riders from all over the UK.

Alison - Bolton Riding Club's one day event champion last year - was the only rider from the North-west in the national championships. She was amazed by her success.

"I was just glad to be taking part in the competition and never thought beyond that," said Alison. "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could win it. No one was more surprised than than I was."

Alison, who works as a co-ordinator at Greater Manchester Police's training college at Sedgley Park, is now hoping to take part in the more professional affiliated British Dressage Group finals next year.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.