Hexham rider retains national crown

"He was still eligible as a novice this season so we took him to Hambleton where he won his class. He produced a third at Royal Norfolk in an open ridden hunter class, won an open lightweight at the Royal Show and came second at Bakewell.

"He also excelled himself to take a third place in the Open Lightweight class at the National Hunter Show. In the main I'm pleased with his results, because he's been a difficult horse and sought help from Linda Davies to resolve the issues of going right.

"Getting a horse to go right is made up of a number of elements such as looking right and getting the correct movements for the judge. He didn't go right at all to begin with, the shape was all wrong because he was not using the correct muscles. It took two years to get him into the right shape and a field accident in January 2007 delayed his progress by a year.

"I brought him back last autumn to hunt and this got him using himself properly. I had no great expectations for him at the Championship because I feel he still doesn't go the way I would like him to go in spite of the fact he's done well this season."

Ramm's winning middleweight The Star, a 16.3hh 11-year-old chestnut gelding by the TB stallion The King and out of an English graded hunting mare, was defending the Championship won last year.

Ramm said: "I've had him five years. He's very difficult and not at all straightforward in his temperament and needs a lot of work. When he's going right, then you get your rewards."