My, that’s a big b(r)ush. Photo via CrossCountryApp.
OK, so I’ve taken a little creative liberty with that headline, but what’s a missing ‘r’ between friends? In case you’re wondering, the consensus is that Derek needs to trim his bush (sorry, not sorry), particularly in the Leaf Pit area [Fence 7abc].
Richard Jones says the triple brushes at the bottom of the drop are “bigger than anything I’ve ever seen in a five-star” and Matt Heath declares that he’s “never seen so many monstrous triple brushes in my life”.
“Unjumpable” has been uttered once or twice and there’s very much a feeling that the majority of the riders will choose a longer route there, although the options are almost as formidable albeit on slightly more forgiving lines.
For those that do plough ahead and take them on, and of course we (and course designer Derek di Grazia) hope they will, there’s been speculation that they won’t be jumped well. But in this totally stacked field, which is being heralded as the strongest in recent history, those riders at the top of the pack will surely give them a darned good go, and will perhaps even make them look easy. Tom McEwen certainly thinks so.
Aside from the big brushes out there, what else has got the riders talking? Well, there’s no prizes for guessing the buzz words: “big”, “intense”, “massive”, “brave”, “imposing” – everything we expect from Burghley, as Jennie Brannigan sums up very nicely:
“This is what eventing is about, this is eventing, this is the sport. Everyone knows it: big bad Burghley.”
Meanwhile, Derek’s singing away to himself, just under his breath, ‘I like big brush and I cannot lie…’ (probably).
Anyway, we’ve wrangled the riders and asked for their thoughts on what they’ll be facing as they head out of the start box on Saturday.
Which empathetic soul snagged her sneakers and took a run ‘round the track, “to put myself through what the horse is going to go through”?
Who was most succinct in his assessment?
Which young rider is in denial?
Who’s broken out the ‘F’ word?
And who’s being kept up at night by something “hard and huge”?
All this and more down below. Dive right on in and go eventing!
Defender Burghley: [Website] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [Tickets] [EN’s Coverage]
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🇬🇧 Ros Canter – Izilot DHI – 19.9 – 1st – Lordships Graffalo – 22 – 2nd
Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ros is in it to win it against herself as things stand going into cross country, with ‘Isaac’ sitting in the lead and ‘Walter’ just 2.1 points behind in second. How does she think the course will suit each of her guys?
“It looks pretty intense at the start to me. I think certainly for Izilot, the narrow passageways into the main arena, that’s the kind of thing that would unsettle him. If I can get him out of Discovery Valley, the Leaf Pit, back through Discovery Valley, I think he’ll settle and I’ve got every faith in his jumping ability, Walter’s jumping ability, and obviously Walter’s galloping ability. I’m sat on two great horses, so I’ve got to go out and attack.”
🇳🇿 Tim Price – Vitali – 22.3 – 2nd – Viscount Viktor – 29.5 – 16th
Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Tim had a “wee spin round on the bike” and came back to us with “it’s decent”, “proper”. Succinct.
🇬🇧 Emily King – Valmy Biats – 24.1 – 4th
Emily King and Valmy Biats. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Never mind hunting ‘round to the finish flags, Emily’s hoping ‘Val’ doesn’t hoof it home.
“I think it’s a proper track, a really good test. The going is amazing so I think it’ll give them a fair chance. I think you’ve got to get stuck in early on. To me, some of the biggest questions are actually in the first quarter of the course. Mine’s a really bold horse so I need to make sure I come with enough attack and ride it well enough, but actually not go too over the top because he might just make his way back [home] to Chester! I think you really need a bold, brave horse for this type of course. I think you need to get stuck in the beginning and then try and navigate your way round.”
🇬🇧 Oliver Townend – Cooley Rosalent – 24.4 – 5th=
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Oliver thinks that Burghley has a feel of Kentucky given that Derek is the designer for both, but he’s not complaining – Cooley Rosalent took the Kentucky crown in the spring, so that surely bodes well. Only time will tell.
“It’s serious. It looks, and this isn’t a complaint, but it looks more and more like Kentucky every year, which is bound to happen with the same course designer. [Cooley Rosalent’s] jumped around some big tracks before, and I’m just going to ride her positively and try and look after her as best I can, hope she learns a lot along the way, and hopefully we come home with a good result. The terrain’s the same but the fences seem to get bigger and bigger and narrower and narrower. It’s a serious, tough cross country course.”
🇳🇿 Monica Spencer – Artist – 24.4 – 5th=
Monica Spencer and Artist. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Does Monica like the look of the course?
“I mean, like’s a strong word! I’m terrified! But I’m sure once I leave the start box I’ll find some bravery.”
🇫🇷 Gireg Le Coz – Aisprit de La Loge – 25.3 – 7th
Gireg le Coz and Aisprit de la Loge. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Gireg’s planning on using the benefit of his later draw to see just how much trouble the dreaded Leaf Pit causes before he commits to a solid plan.
“I think I’ll go the direct route everywhere, just to see for the Leaf Pit at the beginning because it’s really difficult. I have time to see other riders go before me, so if it causes too much trouble then I’ll go around maybe. But except that, I’m happy to sit on a horse like him.”
🇳🇿 Caroline Powell – Greenacres Special Cavalier – 25.4 – 8th
Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Caroline and ‘Cav’ won Badminton in the spring, so they’re totally good with a massive track. But there’s one fence on her mind as she contemplates the task at Burghley, you guessed it, the Leaf Pit.
“The Leaf Pit’s pretty beefy, I haven’t quite made up my mind what I’m going to do there. The whole way round it’s just quite relentless. If we can take each jump in each section as it comes, there’s plenty of places to put little breathers in.”
Caroline also put a shout out to one of her girls at home who was kicked in the face on Thursday and was operated on on Friday. “Speedy recovery Allison, don’t be too long! Bad way of getting time off!”
🇬🇧 Pippa Funnell – MCS Maverick – 28.3 – 12th – Majas Hope – 29.6 – 17th
Pippa Funnell and MCS Maverick. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Pippa made her debut at the top level almost three decades ago, with Bits And Pieces at Badminton in 1997, so you’d think she’d seen it all when it comes to cross country fences. Apparently not.
“I’ve never seen such big arrowheads in my entire career.”
🇬🇧 Tom Jackson – Capels Hollow Drift – 28.6 – 13th
Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tom’s got a shout out for the Burghley team, for the amazing ground not just out on course, but in the warm ups too.
“I mean, there’s a lot to do. I think it’s a very fair test in that it’s fairly obvious what we’ve got to do, but that doesn’t make it easy because there’s some really big, tricky combinations out there. And the thing is here that if you make a marginal error, or the horse does, then you’re going to end up with penalties, so you’ve just got to be on it all the way around. They’ve done an amazing job with the ground. I mean, I can’t believe even all the warm ups, it’s just phenomenal. So big thanks to the Burghley team because that is very much appreciated by all of us riders, I think.”
🇨🇭 Felix Vogg – Cartania – 28.8 – 14th
Felix Vogg and Cartania. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Felix is feelin’ curious.
“It’s a bit higher than Badminton, but it will be interesting. I’ve only walked it once, but I think it’s very clear, like always with Derek. I have no idea how it will ride and how the profile will be, the up and down, but so far, it will be interesting.”
🇬🇧 Max Warburton – Deerpairc Revelry – 28.9 – 15th
Max Warburton and Deerpairc Revelry. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Max seems undaunted by the task ahead and will be taking the Pony Club ‘kick on’ approach.
“It’s big, we’re at Burghley obviously. But it’s all there in front of you to jump and we’ve just got to kick on.”
🇬🇧 Gemma Stevens – Chilli Knight – 29.7 – 18th
Gemma Tattersall and Chilli Knight. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Wash your mouth out, young lady! Gemma’s broken out the profanities because “big” just won’t do.
“Have you seen the Leaf Pit?! Big ‘the F word’ jumps. There’s not much else to say. You’ve got to be accurate, you’ve got to be fast, you’ve got to be bold, you’ve got to be straight, brave, completely and utterly nuts to do this.”
🇺🇸 Hannah Sue Hollberg – Capitol H I M – 30.7 – 20th
Hannah Sue Hollberg and Capitol H I M. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Hannah’s having sleepless nights about something “hard and huge”. OK, context is everything:
“It looks like Burghley. It’s hard and huge. The Leaf Pit is kind of keeping me up at night right now. The beginning is a lot to do, and then hopefully you can just stay upright all the way home. I’m looking forward to it on this horse.”
🇬🇧 Tom McEwen – CHF Cooliser – 31.2 – 23rd
Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Bucking the trend and “100%” looking forward to taking a spin ‘round the behemoth of a track, Tom’s gone all out and given EquiRatings a run for their money with a bold prediction that three combinations will be clear inside the time.
“I think the course is great. I think those skinnies are bloody massive and there’s plenty of other big fences out there. But do you know what? It’s a great track. I actually think it flows very well, and honestly, I can see some of the stellar five-star cross country horses actually make it look really good and fun, and actually cruising around with the time, to be honest. I think it’s another stellar track for Burghley.”
🇬🇧 Matt Heath – Askari – 31.9 – 27th – Golden Recipe – 43.7 – 64th
Matt Heath and Askari. Photo by Libby Law.
Burghley’s no dressage test, that’s for sure, and Matt sees the scoreboard being “shattered” on cross country day.
“I don’t know whether it’s as big as ‘19, 2019 I thought was massive, [Captain Mark Phillips’] last year — I walked out of that thinking he’d got five years of ideas left and decided to pack them all into his last year. But I think it’s the second biggest that I’ve come across, if not challenging the biggest. The only difference is that 2019 was quite a solid track, the fences were all quite solid; there is a lot of brush out there this time. I’ve never seen so many monstrous triple brushes in my life. I think it’s very intense early on as well. I can see the scoreboard shattered on Saturday, not with a dangerous track in any way, shape or form, I think it’s a great track, but I think it’s going to cause a lot of influence.”
He’s one rider who is planning on going straight at the Leaf Pit despite those “monstrous brushes”.
“My plan A at the moment, on both horses, is to go straight. I think that the long route is very long, and it’s still very big. All the long routes all the way around, they’re not much smaller, anywhere you go. Normally we’re used to the long routes taking quite a lot of time but they can be quite kind and forgiving and give riders an opportunity to get horses home, but I don’t feel like the long routes out there do that for us, I think it just takes more bloody time to be honest.”
🇬🇧 Will Rawlin – Ballycoog Breaker Boy – 32 – 28th
Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Will is approximately 12 feet tall and even he thinks the triple brushes at the bottom of the Leaf Pit are enormous.
“Burghley is just so much bigger! Particularly in the first couple of minutes, it’s very intense, and if you’re on a horse that could get a bit brain-fried, then this is a course that could do that, particularly down at the [Leaf Pit], those brushes are huge. I’m a tall guy and I can barely see over the top of them.”
🇮🇪 Ian Cassells – Master Point – 32.4 – 30th
Ian Cassells and Master Point. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Ian’s taking a leap of faith at his first Burghley with a sink or swim metaphor. Hopefully neither, Ian, really.
“It’s my first time here, never walked it before, so I’m literally going in the deep end. I think it starts off quite nice to the arena. I think you want to get the horses nice and settled and into a good rhythm. A lot of combinations, very fast up to the first water, and then I think it allows them to take a breath a little bit with a little bit more galloping fences, and really like settle into your rhythm. I really think it’s important to be efficient and take a little pause, but save the horse at the start.”
🇬🇧 Nicole Mills – Fearless W – 32.6 – 31st
Nicole Mills and Fearless W. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
All the riders here are at least a little on the crazy scale, but Nicole gets extra points for actually running the cross country course. Seriously.
“I ran it last night. I did, I found it quite hard! I thought, I’ve got to put myself through what the horse is going to go through! Yes, it’s big. I mean, I have nothing to compare it to because I’ve not ridden at five-star before and not ridden here before, only in Pony Club. So, yeah, it’s big. I think there’s probably a couple of long routes I might take on first glance, but I plan to walk it another five times, at least, probably not run!”
This pair are making their 5* debut at Burghley, so that’s a few more points added to her crazy tally.
“Burghley is massive and maybe it was a brave choice to come here for our first five star, but he’s a real jumper, like, he’s super scopey and really careful. I’ve just got to make sure I manage him correctly tomorrow [Friday], so that he’s not super wild when he comes out the start box.My first feel was that actually up to the Trout Hatchery, it’s like throwing everything at you, and then I feel like I might be able to get a bit of a breathing space after that. But yeah, I shall be taking deep breaths around the first nine fences, that’s for sure.”
🇳🇿 Dan Jocelyn – Blackthorn Cruise – 33.3 – 34th
Dan Jocelyn and Blackthorn Cruise. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Dan’s thinking of sneaking out in the night with some shears.
“I just couldn’t believe the size of those arrowheads in the Leaf Pit. A lot of people honestly thought, have they not finished trimming them yet? It’s a real Burghley track out there — it’s tough and demanding all the way and you’ve got your little whoop-de-dos in the ground.”
🇺🇲 Mia Farley – Phelps – 33.7 – 36th
Mia Farley and Phelps. Photo by Sally Spickard.
[Interviewer] “Like it?”
[Mia] “I do.”
[Interviewer] “Good. All the Americans have been very positive.”
[Mia] “Well, we might be in denial!”
🇮🇪 Austin O’Connor – Colorado Blue – 33.9 – 37th
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Austin’s a very cool customer, and a 5* winner, but he admits to being terrified. We don’t believe you, Austin.
“It’s proper big, terrifying Burghley. [Colorado Blue’s] in good order and I wouldn’t want to be sat on anything else at this point.”
🇺🇲 Jennie Brannigan – FE Lifestyle – 34.7 – 40th=
Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Big. Enormous. Massive. Pah! Jennie’s living the dream and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world than at Burghley going eventing.
“I love it. The hardest event in the world, but I love it. I wouldn’t want to be on any other horse. I just think it’s the hardest event in the world. Everyone knows, it’s the best event. To me, this is what eventing is about, this is eventing, this is the sport. And this is why, as a kid, I wanted to do it. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else competing at any other show this year. This is it for me. Everyone knows it: big bad Burghley.”
🇬🇧 Francis Whittington – DHI Purple Rain – 34.7 – 40th=
Francis Whittington and DHI Purple Rain. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ever the horseman, Francis plans to ride off feel, although he’s very certain about his plan to go long at the Leaf Pit.
“I’ve walked it twice now, and on my second walk, I’m clear I’m going to go long route down off the Leaf Pit. It’s quite an imposing fence, I mean, the dimensions on that look crazy ridiculous. The ground, the terrain in front of it — there’s so many variables, and you’re at fence six. Mentally, if it does go wrong, it’s not far back to the stables! So if you’re going to walk the course earlier on in the day and watch some rounds on Saturday, I’d stay near fence five. The thing we have about Burghley, it’s an accumulative thing, isn’t it? So somebody might have an issue later on around the course, but it will be down to an accumulation of knocks; you’re taking out of that bucket, and as a rider you’re trying to make sure that you put some goodness back into that bucket where you can. It’s not necessarily a course that you ride off your watch, you’ve got to ride off what you feel.”
🇬🇧 Alex Bragg – Quindiva – 35.1 – 42nd
Alex Bragg and Quindiva. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Alex’s plan is to keep his eyes firmly between the flags and not get distracted by the beauty of the estate.
“It’s amazing. I mean, he [Derek di Grazia] does build some amazing courses with the help of the team, and Burghley is just stunning, so I’m going to try and concentrate and not just enjoy the scenery on the way around. It looks magnificent so let’s see let’s see where we are on Sunday.”
🇮🇪 Declan Cullen – Seavaghan Ash – 35.2 – 43rd
Declan Cullen and Seavaghan Ash. Photo by Eventing Nation.
Declan’s feeling a little peaky.
“There’s no cameras on me, but I am pale. Yeah, it’s big. It’s what we expected. Hopefully my horse is pretty good. He’s generally been a very honest soul. My wife actually backed him and broke him while she was expecting our child. He’s as quiet as a lamb; he’s honest and straight but it’s Burghley, anything could happen here. My lack of experience at this level, plenty of experience at four star, but this is when I step up.”
🇬🇧 Libby Seed – Heartbreaker Star Quality – 36.1 – 46th
Libby Seed and Heartbreaker Star Quality. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Libby tells it as it is.
“It’s big isn’t it?!”
🇬🇧 Richard Jones – Alfies Clover – 36.3 – 47th
Richard Jones and Alfies Clover. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This will be Alfies Clover’s last ever 5*, sniff. What a great ambassador for the sport this guy has been throughout his long career and what a joy it is to watch him hunting around the biggest cross country courses in the world, which we get to do one final time. Here’s what Richard thinks of those notorious triple brushes at the Leaf Pit.
“I don’t think dressage will be too relevant, in fact, I’d say dressage will be probably not relevant. The brushes off the Leaf Pit look bigger than anything I’ve ever seen in a five-star, any five-star I’ve ever done, nearly verging on unjumpable. I’m sure on Saturday they will be jumped, but not by many, not the direct way, well.”
Some riders have requested a triple brush to be put into the warm up — in preparation for the enormous ones at the bottom of the Leaf Pit.
“I think if you’re doing your homework in the warm up, it’s probably too late. I certainly won’t be getting stressed jumping in the warm up, there’s enough to jump out there.”
🇬🇧 Emma Hyslop-Webb – Jeweetwel – 37.7 – 52nd
Emma’s very sensibly, and rightly, leaving her ego in the start box as she sets out on her round.
“It’s a very well built course, I thought. With him only being ten, there will be a couple of places that I’ll go long and it will be very much riding one of those rounds for the horse, not for my pride, you know, go straight everywhere, and I’m a warrior, and all that. It will be very much a round for the horse.”
On that sage note, all that’s left to say is kick on and go eventing!
Defender Burghley: [Website] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [Tickets] [EN’s Coverage]
EN’s coverage of Defender Burghley is proudly presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for every horse. Click here to learn more about KPP.
