First Horse Inspection at Burghley Land Rover Horse Trials

The good news is that all the horses passed this afternoon, which means that 82 combinations go forward to the dressage phase, starting tomorrow at 9:30am local time. Local rider Sarah Cohen will be the official guinea -pig, and do the test-ride at 9:10am on Treason.  One of my favourite horses (perhaps I mentioned that already?!) Happy Times will be first to go with Aussie Sam Griffiths, who also got the trot-up under way this afternoon,

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Georgie Spence and Running Brook
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Oliver Townend and Neo du Breuil
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Oliver and Imperial Master
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One of my picks to win, Francis Whittington and Sir Percival
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Francis’ second ride, Easy Target. Stay tuned for news of a Francis Whittington clinic in the US soon.
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Dag Albert and Tubber Rebel
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Andrew Nicholson and Avebury
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and with his second horse, a very fresh Nereo.
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ESJ’s pick, Chris Burton currently riding for Australia with Holstein Park Leilani
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Georgie Spence and Running Brook
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Oliver Townend and Neo du Breuil
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Oliver and Imperial Master
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One of my picks to win, Francis Whittington and Sir Percival
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Francis’ second ride, Easy Target. Stay tuned for news of a Francis Whittington clinic in the US soon.
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Dag Albert and Tubber Rebel
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Andrew Nicholson and Avebury
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and with his second horse, a very fresh Nereo.
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ESJ’s pick, Chris Burton currently riding for Australia with Holstein Park Leilani
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William Fox-Pitt and Parklane Hawk
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and with his second horse, Rolex 2011 ride Neuf des Couers
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Another one that could definitely threaten the leaderboard – Kiwi Jock Paget and the lovely Clifton Promise
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and with the second phase of his dual threat – Clifton Lush
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Fellow kiwi, Caroline Powell and Mrs Tilly
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and with the incredibly popular, incredibly spry, 2010 Burghley winner Lenamore
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Ginnie Turnbull and Instant Reaction
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Pippa Funnell and Mirage D’Elle
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Pippa with Pure Addiction
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Jeanette Brakewell (v shy!) and Primitive Pistol
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Mary King was definitely moving slightly gingerly, but her horses both trotted up beautifully
Apache Sauce above
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Lauren Shannon with Zero Flight
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Joy Dawes’ Finnisterre
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Hawley Bennet and Gin’n’Juice
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Will Coleman and Twizzel
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Matthew Wright and Well Spotted
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Sweden’s Ludwig Svennerstal
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Ireland’s Mark Kyle with Step in Time
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Major Milestone and Mark Todd (as if I needed to title that picture!)
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Fiona Hobby and Roma ML, passed on re-inspection
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Gaby Cooke and Sir Roscoe
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Boyd Martin (of course!) and superhorse Neville Bardos. 
Although Jules Stiller looked very appropriate and won Best Dressed this afternoon, I loved Sinead’s look, and a few others, but would like to award a special prize to all the WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) who’ve been representing so far, (it’s a thankless task!) especially Boyd’s stunning wife Silva.
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Laurence Hunt and Phoebus
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New Zealand’s Craig Nicolai and Just Ironic
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Elizabeth Power and Kilpatrick River
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for Ireland!
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Sandhills Tiger has turned into a fire-breathing dragon since arriving at Burghley! Let’s hope he attacks the cross country in the same fashion; if Hamish can only keep him sane for ten minutes in the dressage all will be well. I stood and watched some of the trot up next to Prue Barrett, Australian Eventing Coach who’d originally had TIger, and as Hamish struggled to control him, she shook her head ruefully and laughed gently as if she was watching a wayward toddler!
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Prue helping Sam Griffith (top of the class!) earlier today
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Tom Crisp and Liberal
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Popular vet James Robinson on another popular 18 year old Comanche
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Colleen Rutledge and Shiraz
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Jules Stiller and Chapel Amble (Best Turned Out)
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Emily Llewellyn and Pardon Me II
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Jessie Phoenix and Exponential – how could you pick which Canadian couple is cuter between Hawley and Ginny and this pair? Cant!
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Ireland’s Louise Lyons and Watership Down
(useless trivia, which in an effort to match Beth Collier, thank you for the amazing comment re. Lambert’s Sofa on the xc jump by jump post, EN readers truly are the best! Watership Down was the novel about bunny rabbits by Richard Adams, with the heartbreaking theme tune by Simon and Garfunkel, Bright Eyes, and now the land where it’s set, Watership Down, belongs to Andrew Lloyd Webber, I think, and is part of the Highclere estate. Andrew’s wife, Madeleine was herself once a very accomplished young rider, and then senior rider completing Badminton on her dun horse, The Done Thing, which she then named her clothing company after, specialising in suede. But I digress, and I may also be a bit fuzzy on the details. Thank you also to another reader for pointing out that I did confuse my films, Mr Pink, Blue and Yellow etc were from Reservoir Dogs, NOT The Usual Suspects. My bad. Can you say ADD?
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France’s Eddy Sans with Maryland de Brunel
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Former World Champion and Burghley winner Blyth Tait
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Looks Like Fun with Vicky Brake
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Ireland’s Susan Shortt with Imperative
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Michael Pollard and the beautiful grey TB Icarus
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World Cup winer Kiwi Clarke Johnstone and Incognito III
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Another kiwi, Dan Jocelyn and Special Advocate
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South Africa’s Alexander Peternell and Tiger’s Eye II
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Long, lean and leggy – could be describing either Prada or her rider Lucinda Fredericks. 
Another addendum while I remember, from another comment back at Gatcombe. Someone had enquired after Bendigo, and I never saw Clayton or Lucinda again to ask them, but Prue told me today that he is fine, and Clayton is planning on taking him to Pau CCI 4*.
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Germany’s Free Easy NRW with Simone Dieterman, passed on reinspection
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Kyle jogged Madison Park from the right hand side again, he did the same at  Rebecca Farm, and asked that the large crowds please not clap. Nonetheless he was accepted without incident. I saw Kyle walking the xc earlier and he told me he was settling in fine, although his two daughters are struggling somewhat with the jet lag. Go Kyle, and Go Jennifer (Mum)!
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Nick Gauntlett and the stallion Chilli Morning
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Polly Stockton, above with Westwood Mariner,  fresh off riding for Team GB in Luhmuhlen, was walking the xc course with her young son in a backpack – no wonder she looks so good! When I told her how impressed I was she smiled, and admitted she might need some physio on her shoulders, and strode on – what a woman! 
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Sinead and Tate nailed it. Manoir de Carneville trotted down the lane as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, and then as he passed the next horse to go, poor Bill Levett’s Political Trump he let out one huge buck aimed right at him as he went past, definitely the horsey equivalent of the middle finger! 
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Aussie Bill Levett (based for some time in GB) and Political Trump
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Not my favourite outfit – it’s Burghley, but one of my favourite horses, and perhaps another that could be near the top or maybe on that Honour Roll come Sunday night. Clea Phillipps and Lead the Way.
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Louisa Milne Home and King Eider
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Zara Phillips and HIgh Kingdom
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Angus Smales and Ballyvooney, passed upon reinspection
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Buck Davidson appreciating the fashion, with canadian team vet, Dr Christiana Ober
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Laura Collett and Noble Bestman 
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Look, no feet! 
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Ben Hobday, who chronicled his first time at Badminton for Horse and Hound so honestly and endearingly this Spring on Uptons Who, returns to Burghley with Guna Be Good. Good Luck to Ben, and to all the competitors. Thanks for reading and Go Eventing.