One of the earliest runs of the season, and a first outing for many, Poplar Park in Hollesley, Suffolk provided a great opportunity to let horses blow the cobwebs away.

The inviting course on good going provides a confidence-building run for many and there were some top combinations enjoying the bright weather and good conditions on the course.

Kizzy Smith from Saffron Waldon, riding six-year-old mare Abbotts Vale Razz, opened her season well with a win at BE 90 sec A .

In BE90 sec B it was a good day for Heather McCredie from Stowmarket who cooked up a storm riding 15.1hh gelding Jamie Oliver, to finish only 0.2 points ahead of second-placed Sarah Williamson from Bury St Edmunds.

It was Heather's excellent dressage of 23.5 that set her up for the win, allowing her plenty of margin which ensured her 8.8 time penalties across country did not cost her the top spot.

Novice sec E winner Casey McKenna travelled from Barnston in Essex to ride his strapping gelding Field Master Mungo to first place, improving dramatically on last year's 20th position. Casey runs Elite Performance Horses in Barnston where he produces horses for both eventing and dressage. Casey finished a full five points ahead of Sarah Williamson and Bonnabee, who also had picked up a second place in BE90 sec B riding Golden Polar Star.

On Sunday the BE100 classes ran on Poplar's sandy soil.

Posy Ash and her own Gran Torino picked up the first place rosette in section H with Scott Allen from Billericay and Wonita of Bellhouse taking the honours in section I. The big classes attracted plenty of spectators with many crowding around the two water jumps to watch the top riders in action in the Intermediate classes.