Ruth Edge moved into the lead of the 2012 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials as of lunchtime on Thursday with a very correct, accurate test on the 10 year old Welton Ambassador gelding Rogersdale who’s contesting his first four star, “He was 7th at Tattersalls in the CCI***, and 4th at Camphire the other week. He’ll have never have seen the amount of people that there are here and the jumps are a big step up for him, but he’s a real trier and he’s very honest and I’m really pleased to be here with him.” Ruth is hoping to punctuate a busy year, the retirement of Two Thyme and moving yards, with a good run here, “There’s been a lot going on and the weather hasn’t helped anybody this season but we’re enjoying our new base in Derbyshire.”
Just one point behind is William Fox-Pitt on Seacookie who looked slightly tense trotting around the outside of the arena but as soon as he started, William worked that magic and conjured up a smooth, flowing almost mistake free test. Oliver Townend slipped into 3rd place on ODT Sonas Rovatio and Hippolyte was forward and expressive to lie 5th behind Emily Llewellyn with Bill Levett despite jogging in the walk.
Bill Levett and Hippolyte
Frenchman Eddy Sans was one of the victims of the weather riding in some of the worst of the rain and the wind this morning, but Mayland de Brunel was well-behaved, showing especially nice canter and sits in 7th with a respectable score of 52.7.
Willa Newton and Neelix, currently in 10th place on 55.2
Ben Hobday also rode a beautiful test on Gun A B Good to sit just outside the top ten in 11th.
Time to grab a quick lunch and then some good tests to look forward to this afternoon – two Americans, Kristi Nunnink and Erin Sylvester, also Jock Paget on Clifton Lush, Dirk Schrade on Hop and Skip, Elizabeth Power on September Bliss, and the marvelous veteran Comanche, 19 years young with vet James Robinson. Thanks for visiting Eventing Nation and Go the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials!
