HAYTON'S Jodie Ward proved her abilities on the senior national show jumping scene when she made the line-up at the 2007 Blue Chip Championships at Solihull in the West Midlands.

Riders from across Britain spend all winter qualifying for the "Blue Chips", which run a range of finals catering for pony riders up to Olympians such as Geoff Billington and John Whitaker.

The 17-year-old, who has been highly successful in junior pony classes in the past, finished in the money in the Blue Chip 1.25m Winter Classic, where she was competing in strong senior company.

Ward was one of more than 20 riders to make the timed jump-off in the class, riding the 16hh grey horse Lord Brocket, who the Wards bought off international show jumper Paul Barker. She jumped a good double clear that left her in fourth place, ahead of in-form senior riders Geoff Billington and Geoff Luckett.

She was also second in the Blue Chip Power final, for horses who have not yet won £300 in BSJA competition, on the seven-year-old 16.2hh grey Caloux Z.

Seventy-eight riders set out in this class with 23 making it through to a fast and furious jump-off, where Buckingham-based rider Emma Jo Slater just pipped Ward on the clock.

Ward is competing at the four-day Wales and West Show near Chepstow this weekend.