It’s the stuff of Disney movies. The term “miracle” might not be strong enough. If a group of Hollywood directors got together and decided to make a movie about a horse they couldn’t come up with a better story. Almost three months ago to the day Neville Bardos was struggling for his life at a Pennsylvania vet hospital after the barn at True Prospect Farm burnt down around him. He was coughing badly, his blood work was terrible, scans of his throat showed severe damage. The only reason he was alive was that Boyd ran into the burning barn and led him out, but the vets weren’t even sure that he would survive. In just a few days however, Neville was shocking the vets at the New Bolton hospital with his appetite and good spirits and he continued to improve each day. After losing six horses in that fire, tragedy struck the Martin family again a month later when Boyd’s father passed away back home in Australia from a cycling accident. Most normal folks would have given up. But that’s not how Boyd works and it’s not how Neville works.
Now, just three months later, Boyd and Neville have galloped around the Burghley cross-country course with a faultless round. Half way through the cross-country at Burghley they have one of just five-double clear scores so far and have rocketed up the leader board. Sometimes, often times, horses transcend the insignificant results of competitions and affect the lives of everyone around them. After the round Boyd was brought to tears and said “I knew he had heart – he has never had a time penalty. He has kept me going through everything and it was good that we had this to aim for. Burghley is a breathtaking event – it is just so beautiful.“
Elsewhere on the leader board, William Fox-Pitt and the ex-racehorse Parklane Hawk jumped a superb double-clear round in the horse’s first four-star. William sat second after the dressage so only overnight leader Simone Deitermann can overtake him with a perfect round, and only be a few tenths of a point. Andrew Nicholson and Mary King both had good rides on their first horses and they are sure to go into the show jumping in good position.
The cross-country course is riding as tough as we would expect with already double-digit riders not completing the course and time penalties playing a big factor in the results. For North America, Colleen Rutledge and Shiraz have finished an excellent round with just 9.2 time penalties which will improve their placing considerably. Jessica Phoenix and Exponential finished with 16.8 time penalties and Jessie was overjoyed with Tucker after their round. Julian Stiller picked up a stop at the Trout Hatchery, and Hawley and Gin & Juice had 20 at #14. Cross-country rolls on at Burghley.
HJU caught up with Boyd after his ride:
Stay tuned and go eventing.
