SWEDISH Olympic rider Ludwig Svennerstal has won the well-contested Belton International Horse Trials CIC2* aboard Master Ping.

Other riders in the two-star classes included Pippa Funnel, Christopher Burton, Harry Meade, Jonelle Price and Holly Woodhead.

Svennerstal, who is based at Badgerstown just outside Swindon, said: “Master Ping has had a great start to the season winning his second international start.

"Hopefully he’ll continue in the same good form for the rest of the season and we are aiming to bring him out for his 3* debut at Houghton Hall at the end of May.”

Multiple classes were cancelled due to the unforeseen snowfall on Friday but both Svennerstal’s classes went ahead and he competed both in the CIC2* and CIC3* over the weekend.

Svennerstal also gave a first outing of the season to his European Championship horse Franzipan.

“Franzipan did well over the weekend," he said. "She felt nice and supple and I look forward to taking her around the Withington Advanced in two weeks.

“Aspe did her second 3* at Belton. As she had competed two weeks ago we gave her an easy cross country and used it as preparation for the Saumur CCI3* in May."

Franzipan is already qualified for the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and Svennerstal is hoping to take Aspe as well.

Due to the high number of entries, two CIC2* events were run at Belton where Master Ping won Section L on 44.40 and Franzipan was sixth in Section K on 53.80.