Welcome to the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials!
Although every bit as prestigious, and some say even more demanding than Badminton, the energy here is completely different already. Of course there’s always the underlying current of nerves, but even Hamish ( Cargill ) remarked that it was more relaxed than he expected. Perhaps it’s because the stabling is in a temporary stabling block surrounded by wire fencing just like any other three day event, and all the lorries are parked in the field surrounding it?
The going is absolutely perfect. Sprinklers are being used throughout the course, and will continue until saturday as there is, wait for it…no rain in the forecast! I chatted to Tim Randle at the stables yesterday, who is treating vet here as his partner got stuck in the US thanks to Hurricane Irene related delays.
Tim at Rolex in the Spring
Tim was at Rolex in the spring as British Team vet, and rode around Badminton and Burghley many times on his lovely bay Legs Eleven; he remembered when Burghley was known for having somewhat firmer ground, but now, as he said, you’d be hard pushed to find better footing anywhere.
The first fence, probably the only “gimme” you’re going to get!
Fence 2, Lambert’s Sofa
Sitting next to the sofa, Lambert, I presume!
Fence 4a and b, where it gets serious – an enormous drop (or a slightly kinder, and more time consuming log) to the brush skinny.
Looking back up at the drop. It’s hard to convey how steep it really is. The terrain at Burghley is unrelenting – drops, mounds, road crossings, hills and undulations – and will play a huge factor on the 11:40 min course.
The “retro” skinny rails, but still a huge jump
The Trout Hatchery
Then you do a switch-back and go directly back into water into an adjacent pond!
Thanks to ESJ for this picture, fence 13, above; in a Bermuda Triangle moment I completely blanked on it, and it was the only one he published yesterday – spooky!
Scary – the drop at 4! (she’s in the leaf pit!)
But back to 13, 14 and 15 – a big loop of big houses, white rails, corners & oxers
Shiraz’ hero! “A plague on those pheasants..!” The attention to detail on the course is stunning.
Look up, look up, look up! Even without a Land Rover inside it, the infamous Cottesmore Leap is still massive, and is followed by three more plain, but huge fences…
Fence 24, above, is right on the lip of the road which competitors crossed previously after fence 17, the gnome house, to do this loop of big, galloping fences. Heres another shot to try and give you an idea how steep it is.
You can’t actually see, but the horses land in water here.
The last fence – 33 -wow!
Even the last fence is slightly complicated with groups of trees planted at the approach, so riders will have to plan their line inside or around them. The course is everything people have been saying it is – of course it’s big, it’s Burghley! It’s long, and it’s tiring, and time will be a factor. However, the going is fabulous, you could throw a dart onto the competitors’ list and probably hit a winner. Every rider here has a story, and they’ll each be looking to write their happy endings; I can’t wait to share some of them with you. Go Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials and Go Eventing!