EQUESTRIAN lovers are in for a treat next week with two top class events on at Malvern's Three Counties Showground covering four days of action.

The National Pony Society Summer Championship Show is being staged from Tuesday (August 5) to Thursday and this will be followed by the Highland Pony Show on Friday.

The National Pony Society championships will see more than 2000 ponies entered into 250 classes, with 19 NPS Championship finals and four Coloured Horse and Pony Society (UK) finals.

There are classes for all the native breeds, ridden and in hand, riding ponies, hunter ponies, children's ridden ponies, dressage, side saddle, driving and home produced.

The show holds qualifiers for the British Show Pony Society, the British Driving Society, the British Show Hack, Cob and Riding Horse Association and to the Anglo & Part Bred Arab UK in Hand Champion-ships, and provides opportunities to qualify for events such as the Horse of the Year Show and the British Show Jumping Championship at Olympia.

Anyone wishing to enter a class on any of the days can do so between 7.15-10am.

- THE following Friday will see the biggest gathering of Highland Ponies held south of the border.

This bi-annual event alternates with the Highland Pony Society Breed Show held in Scotland.

Organisers expect around 200 registered Highland Ponies to attend the show with overseas visitors from Belgium, Germany and the USA.

There will be 36 classes including in-hand, ridden working hunter pony gymkhanas, pairs and dressage. Judges at the event will be Mr A Baird and Mr B Haliburton from Perthshire and Mrs J Jack from Fife.

The show starts at 8am next Friday (August 8), admission is free and all visitors are welcome.