MALVERN'S Stella Bayliss enjoyed a good end to her 2004 British eventing season in Somerset.

Bayliss finished fourth in one of three two-day event sections on offer at Aldon, riding Turbo Bill.

The 17hh horse was bred by Castlemorton's Rob Bun who traces back to Cruise Missile.

Bayliss, a freelance riding instructor after 17 years as a civil servant, admitted: "The weather was awful -- we did our dressage test in horizontal rain."

"Turbo Bill is only six and he got good marks for such a young horse that had never had to compete in such awful conditions.

"In 25 years I've never competed in anything like it -- but at least it was the same for everyone!"

The pair added just 7.2 cross country time penalties to their dressage score to move up from sixth after the opening phase.

Bayliss continued: "Our cross country time penalties were unfortunate -- we were held up on course at fence five and were restarted after five or ten minutes, only to be stopped again for another two minutes.

"Turbo Bill then got going and gave me a very bold ride taking all the straight routes."

A clear round in the final show jumping phase -- Turbo Bill is a good show jumper who competes successfully in affiliated BSJA classes -- set the seal on an excellent all-round performance.

Bayliss said: "I was thrilled to finish fourth and am now really looking forward to next season.

"We also won novice sections at Mount Ballan and Moreton Morrell one-day events this autumn and Turbo Bill has qualified for next spring's Welsh Championships at the Chepstow three-day event which will be our aim in the first-half of the season."

The rider was also awarded a £500 training bursary towards the end of the 2004 eventing season, one of three presented at Springhill one-day event near Broadway.

She added: "The awards were presented in memory of Sam Hudson, the well known local instructor who was so sadly killed at Springhill last year.

"Leslie Law presented us with our awards which was great. It allowed me to have extra lessons with my trainer, Leigh Sinton's Stephen Mattick, and this helped me to have a great end to the season."

Kidderminster-based duo Dinnie Jordan and Alan Noland also went well in their two-day sections at Aldon.

Jordan finished eighth on Hullaballoo V, improving on the 15th place the pair achieved at the event in 2003.

They have picked up several top-six placings at novice one-day events this year in only their second full season together.

Noland was 14th on The Queen of Spades, a horse he was riding for Jordan, with a single show jumping error costing him ninth spot.