Local rider James Ridley was on course to win the Hayes Golden Button Challenge held near Tewkesbury on Saturday, when he was catapulted off at the penultimate fence.

World Wide Web met the fence wrong, pitched on landing, and tipped 19-year-old James to the ground. The pair were reunited when James vaulted back on and the pair went on to finish a close second behind Leicestershire-based Patrick Millington and Treble Trouble.

A worthy winner this time, Patrick finished fourth in last year's Hayes Golden Button Challenge, won the Cheshire Hunt's O'ssmans' Ride in February and was third in November's Melton Hunt Ride.

Well known on the point-to-point circuit, Patrick gained the overall winner's gold button, and one for being the first veteran, while James, who works for the Dorset point- to-point trainer Richard Barber,

received buttons for being the first rider under-21 and the first representative of organising hunt, the Ledbury.

A previous winner of this race, 13-year-old World Wide Web is owned and trained by James's parents Mick and Heather, who live near the Golden Button course at Forthampton.

Heather Ridley said after the gelding's effort this time: "There's not a mark on him.

"He's as fresh as a daisy and with luck he'll be back next year. We're thrilled he's run such a fine race."

In third was 15-year-old I'm No Trouble, ridden by Jancey Wembridge from Taunton, who took the gold button given to the first lady rider.

Thrilled to finish, she said: "That's the first time I've ever done anything like that – it was a blinding experience and one hell of an adrenalin buzz. I'm addicted now.

"I'm No Trouble was bought for meat money as a two-year-old, but he became an advanced eventer and qualified for Badminton, although he did not compete there.

"He was retired from eventing and I got him a couple of months ago to do some team chasing with the Chilled Out Chasers.

"One team member did the Melton Hunt Ride and said it was great fun, so I entered the Hayes Golden Button for a bit of experience.

"They went very fast early on, but I was determined to keep out of trouble by sticking in the first third of the field. I knew my horse could jump and apart from a hairy moment at the 12th he was brilliant. He's an absolute superstar."

Clare Bell finished fourth on George, while Percy Haines' sixth place on Jones gained him a gold button for being the first past the post on a non-thoroughbred. Harry Spurr on Benova Boy gained the heavyweight prize.

In all, 23 combinations out of some 40 entries completed the three-mile challenge. Others to finish included local professional event rider Jonty Evans, who was 22nd.

Not so lucky were injured riders Anna Walby and Ben Pauling, who were among the fallers.

Anna, from Oxfordshire, endured four hours of surgery on Monday to secure a broken jaw, while Ben damaged collar bone ligaments and is strapped up.

A team from the Cottesmore Hunt won the JCB Diggers Inter-Hunt Challenge, heading representatives from the Cotswold and Golden Valley hunts.