STANHOPE 22-year-old Amy Young was the rider they all had to beat at the Poplar Park one-day-event in Suffolk.

Young, who won individual and team gold at the 2006 Young Rider European threeday event championship with her top ride Highville, headed two sections and saw off such well-known names as Piggy French, Oliver Townend and Jeanette Brakewell in the process.

Her best win came in the Open Intermediate section on Highville, who jumped a fine double clear to finish on his dressage score of 31.4 penalties, coming home 11 seconds under the optimum time cross country.

"I was thrilled with Highville's dressage test and he then jumped the quickest cross country round in the section,"

said Young. "I didn't wear a watch on the course - as it was his first event of the season I just set out to see how he would go without worrying about chasing the time.

"But he settled into a good rhythm and was pleased to be out again - the course asked enough questions and it was a great way to start the year."

The talented rider, whose ambition is to ride at the 2012 Olympics, also headed the Intermediate Novice section on the seven-year-old Who's Cruise.

The horse is on the World Class Equine Pathway, designed to develop horses with the potential to make the 2012 Games.

"I got him as a four-year-old, from the same people in Ireland that Highville came from,"

Young said.

"I was again delighted with his dressage and he finished on that score. The next day the British event team trainer Yogi Breisner phoned me, much to my amazement, to say well done. He's evidently watching the horses on the Equine Pathway closely."

Highville's major aim in the first part of the season will be the Saumur CCI*** 3 day event in France, in May.

"Who's Cruise will do another Intermediate Novice section, at Great Witchingham this month, and will then hopefully move up to Intermediate level at Weston Park in April if all goes well," added Young.