MALTON rider Kirsty Fitzgerald followed in the successful footsteps of her trainer Heidi Simmons, when she won a Pre-Novice section at the Bishop Burton Horse Trials.

Fitzgerald finished on her dressage score of 32 to take victory in a hotly contested Pre-Novice section, on her six-year-old Sportsfield Sea Breeze.

Sportsfield Sea Breeze was bought as a four year old in Ireland when Fitzgerald was on a hunting trip with her brother Tim Fitzgerald.

"When we got him home he was a bit full of himself and mum sent him to Heidi to establish his flatwork and jumping. He won his first Pre-Novice at Winkburn with Heidi last year and has had an easy season whilst I've been riding my other pony in Pony Trials and doing GCSEs".

Heidi Simmons, of Sheriff Hutton, who won the CCI at Blair Castle in August on The Biz moved up a gear at Weston Park to contest the CCI section last month.

"Although he was a bit green on the cross country in places, The Biz gave me a super ride and we finished on Saturday with just 10.8 penalties to add which I was really pleased with."

A clear round show jumping left the pair in 11th position after the final phase. The Biz will enjoy an easy winter with Simmons' other horse, P J's Sterling, doing some dressage training and indoor showjumping before the start of next season.

Simmons recently left her lecturing position at Bishop Burton College to pursue her riding ambitions.

Updated: 12:44 Wednesday, November 06, 2002