R-Star impressed so many people here this weekend with her extravagant paces and bold, scopey jump; her rider Kristi Nunnink has been equally impressive at her first Burghley, indeed the first time she’s ever been to England, remaining laid back and relaxed, and enjoying every minute. I caught up with her after her show-jumping round to find out what’s next.
Congratulations and many thanks to Kristi, and I look forward to hearing all about the shopping trip! Go the West Coast at the Land Rover Burghley Three Day Event!
Andrew Nicholson has won the Land Rover Burghley Three Day Event 2012 on Mrs Rosemary Barlow’s Avebury.
When Andrew had a rail down in the treble it gave overnight leaders Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville a little bit more breathing room, but sadly they needed both their fences in hand, and one more and slipped to second.
However, 2nd place at the Land Rover Burghley CCI****, sandwiched between Andrew Nicholson and William Fox-Pitt is nothing to turn your nose up at and nothing should detract from this incredible achievement.
Oliver Townend rode a very smart round on Armada, giving him every chance to leave all the rails up, but he had two verticals down behind to finish fourth.
Jock Paget also rode a beautiful round on Clifton Lush but just had a fence down in the treble to move up to 5th place.
Allison Springer rounds out the top 6 at Burghley 2012 after hitting the red post box upright, definitely the bogey fence and also taking the gate down before the treble.
More from Burghley to come; William Fox-Pitt has won the 2012 HSBC Classics Series, and Lucy Jackson receives the HSBC Bursary for the highest placed Burghley First Timer finishing 19th on Willy Do and 41st on Animator. Go International Eventing!
Clear rounds were scarce this morning, and the time was fairly tight even after it was re-adjusted. Erin Sylvester, second to go and first of the Americans had four rails and seven time.
Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries complete the Land Rover Burghley Three Day Event
Kate Hicks had Belmont going really well and forward but added 20 jumping and seven time.
All the US horses presented this morning at the Final Trot-up looked absolutely fantastic and passed without any hesitation. Special mention to Kate Hicks who looked gorgeous and appropriate, pics to come soon.
Allison Springer won the official Best Dressed Lady award, as chosen by Kate Green and she is racking up quite a four star record in the fashion stakes as well as for her riding career!
Kriti Nunnink’s groom, Louise Hales, won 2nd place in the Best Turned Out Horse Award for R-Star. R-Star was a crowd favourite with her ears flattened back, but floating above the jog lane. Jock Paget won Best Dressed Man, and Clifton Lush also looked especially well-turned out.
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star
Four horses were held for re-inspection. Francis Whittington’s Sir Percival was accepted after a second look, as was Australia’s Megan Jones and Kirby Park Allofasudden. Sadly Nicolas Wettstein’s Nadeville Merze was spun and does not go forward to the show-jumping, as was Captain Geoff Curran and one of my favourite rides from yesterday, Shanaclough Crecora.
Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries
Jeanette Brakewell did not present Ideal Sebastian but passed easily with Chill Out Bob. Also looking particularly impressive and very fresh this morning were Cornacrew (Simon Grieve), Lanfranco (Bettina Hoy) and Wild Lone (Harry Meade). Lots of pictures to come later, and then of course the show-jumping. Go Land Rover Burghley Three Day Eventing!
With enormous and heartfelt thanks to the fabulous photographer but also technical whizz-kid Nico Morgan for ‘recovering’ my pictures, I can finally post the First Trot-up pics from Burghley. Please be sure to check out Nico’s website for extensive and exquisite coverage of Burghley, and browse other events while you’re there too. Also apologies in advance because now I know who to call…
Alice Pearson and Beau Bear
Andrew Nicholson and Calico Joe
Andrew and Avebury
Angus Smales and It’s A Jackpot
Bill Levett and Hippolyte
Caroline Powell
Jeanette Brakewell and Chill Out Bob
Eddy Sans and Mayland de Brunel
Georgie Spence
Lucy Wiegersma and Grannvetka Prince
Louise Lyons and Watership Down
Lucy Jackson and Animator
Lucy and Willy Do
Mark Kyle and Willow Fairgreen Attraction
Mark and Step in Time II
Oliver Townend
Ruth Edge and Rogersdale
Sarah Bullimore
Sarah Stretton and Skip On
Dag Albert and Tubber Rebel
Allison Springer and Arthur
Caroline Ryan-Bell and Rathmoyle King
Clayton Fredericks and Walterstown Don
Elizabeth Power and September Bliss
Francis Whittington and Sir Percival
Sam Griffiths and Happy Times
Izzy Taylor (looking nervous!) and Briarlands Matilda
Megan Jones and Kirby Park Allofasudden
Peter Hannigan and First Mate
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star
Sam Watson and Horseware Bushman
Captain Geoff Curran and Shanaclough Crecora
Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville
Tim Boland and GV Billy Elliot
Tony Warr and Coolgrange Merger
Will Faudree and Andromaque
Sinead Halpin and Will Faudree, and finally
Go Sinead and Manoir De Carneville! Eventing Nation sautes you!
Hopefully Sunday morning’s pictures will be up in a more timely manner – Please go and check out Nico’s website for great shots throughout the weekend, and much more, and Go Eventing!
Sinead and Manoir De Carneville delivered on the promise and steady improvement they’ve been showing throughout their career to jump to the very top of an international field over a tough track that caused widespread problems throughout the day. Four riders completed clear rounds within the time allowed: Sinead, Andrew Nicholson on Avebury, Mark Todd on Major Milestone and Oliver Townend on Armada. 9 riders were eliminated, 16 retired and a further 9 riders completed with a stop which leaves 47 clear jumping rounds. Eventing Nation extends condolences to Paul Hart and his connections as we hear the news that Heartbreak Hill, or Harry, fractured a leg galloping on the flat and has been put down.
Sinead gave Tate a lot of the credit for her speedy round, “He’s a super horse, he’s wonderful here because he doesn’t pull ever, and so I can keep it smooth. He’s not a thoroughbred, he doesn’t land and bolt away with power but everything is so smooth on him that you’re saving 2 seconds at every fence instead of over-preparing and going as fast as you can. He was with me the whole time. The going didn’t slow him down, he’s a bit of a fairy, he gallops on top of the ground, he’s french!” Sinead also thinks that having jumped round here clear last year gives her a slight advantage, “I’m lucky I have a comparison from last year, he felt much fitter. Last year from the last water I was riding kind of a legless horse, and I was smarter this year and saved him a bit in the beginning. It was much better having jumped around it once last year. I just hope he and I will keep getting better, but he felt great.” I think unanimously everyone would agree with William Fox-Pitt who described her round, “that was an amazing round to watch, I feel that she set the standard around that course and made it look so easy and there weren’t many competitors today who did that.”
As for handling the pressure of going into the show jumping in the lead, “He’s a good show-jumper, but again I’ll go in with the same mentality – he’s jumped clean rounds in the past, sometimes rails randomly fall and we’ll just have to see what we have, and we’ll take care of him tonight and go in with the same attitude we’ve had this whole weekend which is about doing your job. If it doesn’t go according to plan then I just have more homework to do, and if it does then we’ll keep on the same track.”
The US should be very proud of their Burghley riders today – Allison Springer rode the notoriously spooky Arthur round for a positive clear that was a pleasure to watch, adding 9.2 time faults which dropped her down to seventh overnight. I caught up with her after her round for a quick chat and she discussed her round, as well as again paying tribute to the Maizey Manor Alliance!
The Maizey Manor connection – Sinead finished just a couple of horses after Bettina Hoy, who jumped clear with 14 time penalties to finish the day in 16th place on the incredibly bold Lanfranco TSF. Lanfranco looked like he’d been programmed onto auto pilot and would have jumped anything and everything in his path, how nice to see Bettina with such an exciting horse for the future. Will Faudree was having a terrific round on Andromaque, going so well and quickly until it looked like she didn’t get her hind legs up the step at the Dairy Mound and went to push off from thin air. I have heard reliable reports from several sources that they are both fine.
Kate Hicks celebrates the moment with her husband. Belmont jumped round beautifully and she rode positively but with maturity to bring him home clear with 52.4 time faults. We talked about her round after she’d finished.
Erin Sylvester went out first for the Americans and apart from a mistake at the Rolex Complex she had a really good round, and told me she couldn’t wait to come back again with No Boundaries and improve on it.
It’s difficult at a big event to catch up with everyone you want to talk to, so I was thrilled to catch Erin Sylvester walking the arena fences as part of her cross country course while I was watching dressage. Extraordinarily good-natured about being interrupted to chat for a few minutes, we talked about the course and her expectations.
Many thanks to Erin and wishing her and No Boundaries the best of luck on Saturday. Go Burghley Three Day Eventing!
Sinead led the charge Friday morning at Burghley by storming into the lead with the only score to break into the 30’s and Allison followed that up with a test just a little shy of the brilliance her and Arthur can sometimes bring to the table, but absolutely correct and accurate to fill the reserve spot right behind her with a score of 40.
Elizabeth Power sits in 30th place on a score of 51.5 with September Bliss and the common denominator is Maizey Manor, and lately some training with German dressage supremo Bettina Hoy, who herself rode a masterful test on Lanfranco TSF to lie 22nd. Bettina has been based there since Hartpury Horse Trials and it doesn’t sound like all those girls together are having much fun at all….
Actually this was the second version of the video; on the first one Bettina made no bones about her opinion that Sinead should have gone to London, although for the Germans, she added, it was a relief that Sinead didn’t go because she would have given Michael Jung a run for his money. Go Team Maizey Manor, and the “blondies”! Go Cross country at Burghley fast and clear, and Go Eventing!
Sinead and Allison are now the toast of Burghley, and the media can’t get enough of these Burghley’s Angels. I caught up with Sinead after her leading dressage performance, but had to wait my turn to ask a question, long may it continue!
When asked at the press conference why she wasn’t picked for the Olympics Sinead answered that Tates nosebleed may have been an issue, and also that she’d ben struggling with her dressage, and Allison corrected, “That’s what Mark said!” Allison has come to Burghley with renewed determination and vigor, she seems much happier than when I saw her last at Maizey Manor on the eve of the London Games, and despite being homesick then it’s obvious the time here in England has been good for all of them. I followed Allison around after her test on a very impatient Arthur to ask her a few questions.
Allison is definitely behaving like a team player here at Burghley, and the Maizey Manor group are having a terrific Burghley so far if you combine the girl power of Sinead, Allison, Elizabeth Power and of course Bettina Hoy – whatever Catherine Burrell has been cooking, or whatever advice Jackie Green is whispering in their ears, they need to bottle it and sell it, it’s working! Let’s hope this winning streak continues all weekend, and on into next week for the two Canadian riders who’ll be going to Blenheim, Shandiss Wewiora and Rebecca Howard, both also on Team Maizey Manor!
Allison explained that she had ridden slightly cautiously in the ring, “I had certainly hoped for a more relaxed horse today, but Arthur is Arthur, he is spooky and he’s a nervous type of horse and I think a year ago or before that the horse I had today with have thrown in a bunch of spooks in the arena, so I was really pleased. I knew what I could and couldn’t push for, and there wasn’t a heck of a lot that I could actually push for, I was mostly just trying to ride an accurate test. I was so happy to finish the walk and start cantering; fortunately there are a lot of scores in the canter work and I think that’s ultimately what helped my final score.” On her partnership with Arthur, Allison elaborated, “He is who he is, he is a tremendous athlete and he does a lot of things really well. He IS a spooky horse, I don’t ride a lot of horses and I think I needed the education that Arthur has given me through the years to become the rider that I am. I get a weird confidence accepting the fact that he’s difficult but I know what I need to do to produce the best and hopefully that will be good enough. This sport is a heartbreaking sport, silly things happen and you just have to be positive and believe in your skills and your horse and I do. Looking at some of those big jumps I’m happy to have his scope. It’s big, it’s Burghley, I’ve been here once before and it didn’t go so well for me then but I’ve learned a heck of a lot since then. I remember walking round then and I was terrified of Discovery Valley, so it felt better to be able to walk around the course this year and not feel the same way. I’m looking forward to tomorrow now.”
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Clayton’s shiny boots!
If anyone knows all too well the ups and downs of the sport this year it’s Clayton Fredericks, “Anyone who’s spent time in this sport knows that you spend your whole life picking yourself up; there’s more disappointment than there are great times so we’re used to it. It’s hard when it’s the Olympic Games and everyone’s focus has been on London for the past four years. All three of us sitting up here have experienced disappointment in some way, shape or form but that’s life – what you dream about or hope for doesn’t always turn out but you’ve got to take every opportunity that comes to you. I was very disappointed at the Olympics, at the end of the day being tripped up by a stud piercing your bell boot is not the way you want to go down but it’s what got dealt to me, so I have to get on with it. Maybe this weekend might be the high from that low, we’ll see.”
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Sitting in 3rd place behind the gals he was asked if he thought this might be his year for a crack at the Burghley title he answered with a wry smile, “I suppose after this year I really have no anticipation of what’s going to happen at all on the cross country! We worked very hard to get here, and worked on the dressage to be in this position and we’re starting in a good place – now you need to jump every fence and try and stay on your feet and get through the flags at the end. I was pleased when I walked the course because I think it suits my horse particularly, he’s a big-striding, great galloping horse and it’s quite big and bold; it’s fairly straight-forward although there’s plenty of places where we could all be disappointed. Hopefully it suits my horse though, and I’m looking forward to having a good go.” The horse has been in Clayton’s yard for a long time, he was owned previously by pilot Dermot O’Brian, but was bought for him to ride by Michael Lee.
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Later Friday afternoon Lucy Jackson was delighted to slot into 7th place after a lovely test on Animator II, and Wiliam Fox-Pitt’s test on Parklane Hawk was heaven to watch – soft and flowing but with a mistake in the canter and with enough wiggle room that he finishes this phase in equal fourth place.
The Americans have taken Burghley by storm this morning, on the second day of dressage, commandeering the top two places, as well as equal 8th – even if you’re as bad at maths as I am you know that’s three in the top ten, and total domination! Will Faudree went first for the USA this morning and rode Andromaque beautifully; she looked calm and smooth, there were no mistakes, and it was a pleasure to watch. Andromaque was immaculate, her coat shining in the sun, and they both looked a million dollars. [Burghley Results]
I caught up with Will after his test to talk about his test, his preparation here in the UK, and what his thoughts are on tomorrow’s cross country.
After an impressive display by Bettina Hoy, sitting so quietly and still on the enormous, just barely controlled bundle of muscle and power that is Lanfranco TSF, crowd favourite Mary King came in on her homebred mare King’s Temptress and moved into second place behind Australian Clayton Fredericks on the big, big-moving, flawless Walterstown Don. I was worried that the huge cheers when they announced Mary’s score just as Sinead entered the arena on Manoir De Carneville might unsettle him, or her, but she told me afterwards, on the contrary, Tate loved it and assumed the applause was for him, she did an extended trot down the long side outside the arena and then told me she had a feeling it was going to be a good test.
Sinead receives a congratulatory hug from incoming US team coach David O’Connor while best friend and Canadian Olympian Rebecca Howard looks on.
Incredibly proud: Meg and Tate, job well done!
I caught up with Sinead after her test, and then also with her best friend Rebecca Howard who had come up for the day to visit, these videos will take a bit longer to upload, but I hope to have them up sometime later this afternoon. Also video interviews with Allison after her test, and with Bettina and Sinead – Team Maizey Manor at Burghley, go and put your money on them now! After a quick chat with William Fox-Pitt, much more on that later, I ran back to the arena to watch Allison Springer’s test, wondering which Arthur was going to show up, and praying it was his dressage queen. Luckily that’s exactly what happened, Arthur and Allison controlled all his demons between them, and got better and better in the arena, moving into second place just behind Sinead – result for the USA! I spoke to Allison after her test and she couldn’t have been sweeter or more gracious, paying tribute to the hard work everyone at Maizey Manor has put in this summer, all the help she’s had to get to Burghley and how thrilled she is for Sinead.
So exciting were the two “Burghley’s Angels”, the blonde bombshells Sinead and Allison, and Will’s superb display on Missy, that it would be easy to overlook some other really nice tests this morning. Kate Hicks rode Belmont really well with no mistakes for a very pleasing test. Silva has been here since Wednesday helping her, and Kate has been supporting all the US riders too.
Ruth Edge maintained her lead for the rest of the first day of dressage here at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials by a slender margin over Jock Paget and Clifton Lush. Ruth told us her horse Rogersdale really enjoyed himself today, and is loving being here; she plans to give him a bit of a jump and a canter tomorrow but nothing too strenuous. About her winning test, she elaborated, “Rogersdale is a really kind horse and he’s really genuine and generous; he’s very easy to prepare for a test, I trust him not to get lit up in the atmosphere and things like that. He doesn’t take long to warm up so that makes my trainer Judy Harvey’s job really easy, and I was really pleased with his test. It was just a shame that towards the end he got a bit tired and I couldn’t quite keep him together for the changes, but with strength and maturity that will come better, but he’s got a really lovely rhythm and cadence and paints a nice picture so that makes my job easier.”
Ruth will be helping Polly Stockton with her dressage Friday morning, underlining the camaraderie in the sport, and she also has a four year old in the Young Event Horse Class. When she came to the press conference on Thursday afternoon she had just finished her second walk of the cross country and told us, “I think Captain Mark Phillips has built us a really good track, there’s no room for error the whole way round really, there’s always something you’ve got to think about. I think that the Rolex fence up at the top is a big question (Rolex Combination, #16 & #17), the first skinny to the corner is a really forward distance, and then you’ve got the second skinny which is quite short and it’s on that bit of a curve, it doesn’t all quite line up in a straight line so that for me will be interesting to see how it rides. Rogersdale, although he’s really big is easy to turn, and he always looks for his jumps and he’s pretty brave so touch wood he’ll enjoy himself.”
Jock Paget edged into second place on Clifton Lush after only arriving back in the UK on Saturday night from his whistlestop celebrity tour of New Zealand. However, his horse, he told us, has had a much better lead up to the big event, “Lush was prepared for the Olympics anyway so he was in the right frame of mind, and I think because the Olympics went quite well for us it was easy to stay positive and re-focus. We sent Lush away to Andrew Gould for a couple of days while I was away; luckily Lush is the same every day, he doesn’t get that tricky so it’s just a matter of keeping him ticking over. I was really happy with him today, he did what I thought was his best test. Everything felt good from the very beginning, I just made sure he was in front of my leg, on the aids and straight; I took him into the arena and did one lap and he was with me so it was just a matter of riding the test.” Jock’s plans for tomorrow are to “just go for a bit of a hack and have some fun on him, freshen him up a little bit and make sure I know the course as well as I can.”
William Fox-Pitt confirmed that he and Jock and all the other Olympic riders will have no real advantage because they happen to have already jumped three of the cross country jumps, “I think that’s the only similarity between Greenwich and Burghley, apart from that it’s a different sport. Places like Burghley are very precious and very special and really what three day eventing is all about. The course here is big and bold and there’s a lot to jump. The ground is superb but it could easily get a little soft, who knows? I think when we walk on it we feel one thing and when a horse gallops on it we see quite another.” Seacookie has had a limited preparation for Burghley; after missing 2011 due to injury, he was ready to run at Badminton this spring, which of course never happened. “We decided not to take him to Luhmuhlen in lieu of having an Autumn campaign and he’s had a few runs, he’s in a very good frame of mind. Considering that he has been a bit short he was very good in the dressage, he was very concentrated, he wasn’t spooky and probably the most rideable he’s been, so so far so good.”
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star were the second Americans to go today, and were in the midst of a lovely test when instead of doing her extended canter down the long side, Kristi started doing a second serpentine, albeit very nicely, and was so engrossed in her work that she didn’t hear the bell ring a number of times. Finally the judge at C stopped her and explained to her where she should be going, and with remarkable composure she picked up where she left off and continued just as nicely.
I caught up with her immediately afterwards and was surprised at how well she was taking it all
Bruce Davidson who has been training Kristi this year, is over here supporting her and was thrilled with her test.
Dirk Schrade and the aptly named Hop and Skip – some of their work was breathtaking, but bucks and leaps into the changes spoilt an otherwise stunning test.
Joy Dawes rode through the strong winds and looks to have such a great partnership with this lovely horse Finisterre. Trained by Ian Woodhead, it was a forward test with nice rhythm and I have a soft spot for this horse, can’t wait to see him jump round this track on Saturday.
Likewise Comanche and vet James Robinson, except I would have to add that Comanche looks half his age!
Nicolas Wettstein for Ecuador rode a very nice test. The weather – a strong breeze, cool and intermittent rain meant for some fresh horses today, and perhaps those tomorrow will have an advantage if the forecast for slightly warmer temps is correct. Lots more to look forward to here on Eventing Nation, thanks for being a part of the fun, and Go Land Rover Burghley Three Day Eventing!
Yep, that’s exactly where I bumped into the SHE team this morning, and they’re already streets ahead of me in the gift department as I left empty handed.
Thanks for chatting, and wishing you the best of luck! Go SHE and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials!
The Americans are on the scoreboard at Burghley 2012: Erin Sylvester managed to keep No Boundaries fairly calm for most of his test, although they certainly didn’t show their best work, and he got progressively more wound up until the final halt which was sadly non-existent.
Talking to Matt Ryan for the quick post-test interviews, Erin said her horse did not like the “english weather” at all ie rather cold and very windy, but is very fit and excited to go out and attack the cross country. Good thing, because as Lucy Jackson said, “There’s no point in pretending, it’s massive! They’re going to need to be very brave and very fit.” Off to watch Kristi Nunnink represent the West Coast, much more still to come this afternoon from a decidedly chilly Burghley – Go Eventing!
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!
Emily Llwellyn produced a lovely test with Pardon Me II at his third Burghley to take an early lead as we go into the coffee break on Thursday morning. Although the crowds are quite small, they are always knowledgeable here at Burghley and the atmosphere in the arena is quite electric; add to that the cool temperatures and a few horses were fairly tense. Andrew Nicholson kept the lid on Calico Joe very well for a score of 53.
and his kiwi team mate, Burghley first timer Lucy Jackson did a beautiful test on Willy Do with just a few bobbles to score one penalty better
Swedish rider Dag Albert brought an entourage into the collecting ring but seemed happy with Tubber Rebel’s test
and here’s Irish Team chef Ginny Eliot going over Louise Lyons’ test with her afterwards
Mark Kyle’s brother John predicted this week on the Eventing Radio Show that Step in Time wouldn’t lead the dressage phase, but Mark rode a tactful test on his loyal partner, and I’m looking forward to seeing them go cross country on saturday.
Lots more dressage to come, find results here, thanks for joining the Eventing Nation, Go Burghley Three Day Eventing!
Mandy Thomas judged the best turned out competition and awarded the honours to William Fox-Pitt and Mary King. Special mention to stylish kiwis Mark Todd and Caroline Powell, Francis Whittington who got a haircut especially, and Americans Sinead Halpin and Kristi Nunnink. Between the breeze and Arthur’s extended trot, Allison may have been regretting her wrap dress, she had to try and hold it closed to save her modesty a couple of times, but if I’m not mistaken it’s her Rolex outfit so let’s hope it brings her the same good luck! The American horses looked super and passed with flying colours – so sorry not to see Sharon White present Rafferty’s Rules, and and there was no sign of Marilyn Little-Meredith or her horse Rovano Rex. Two horses will not go forward to the dressage – The Netherlands’ Merel Blom’s horse Rumor Has It was not accepted from the holding box, and Australia’s Tim Boland withdrew GV Billy Eliot after being held – apparently the horse threw a shoe on Monday. Elizabeth Power’s September Bliss was asked to trot twice and sent to the holding box then accepted, as was Rebecca Crosbie-Starling’s Paddy’s Gold. South African Paul Hart was asked to trot twice but then accepted, and James Adams was sent to the holding box with Pricewise but then accepted upon reexamination. Several of the horses look very fresh – William Fox-Pitt’s Seacookie, Bettina Hoy’s Lanfranco TSF and Sinead’s Manoir de Carneville bucked his way down the lane! Pictures to come later.
After the trot-up lots of horses were grazed around the three Oympic jumps that are situated right next to the dressage arena, before the official ring familiarisation started. I’ve only managed to walk a portion of the course so far, but according to riders the going is fantastic, and the forecast calls for the rain to ease off by Friday – It’s going to be a fantastic weekend. Thanks for keeping it here at Eventing Nation – Go Burghley Three Day Eventing!
Thanks again to Sinead for sending us another one of her insightful updates, this time right before one of the biggest events in the world – impeccable timing! We look forward to meeting On Cue, but before that we look forward to cheering Sinead and Tate around Burghley this weekend – Go SHE Eventing!
From Sinead:
Last year the weekend before Burghley was spent freaking out, watching the course walk over and over, and putting trot up outfits together!
This year I decided that after a summer of unknowns I should take life moment by moment. I focused on spending the last weekend before Burghley competing at a BE 100 (aka Training level) event on a lovely new mare, On Cue.
Esib Power and I set out on an adventure Saturday morning with high hopes for our youngsters, but leaving behind our no-go Olympic, but Hopeful Burghley Mounts, Seb ( September Bliss) and Tate ( Manoir De Carneville) at the farm under the care of the infamous Irish Sarah (Will Coalman’s and every other upper level rider’s groom at the Olympics!).
The lorry ride honestly was delightful…being that I could stomach a delicious Bacon Sandwich! I have been trained, due to this summer’s Events, to have a sick, don’t-even-try-to-eat-anything feeling in my stomach for the last few competitions.
Competition at the upper levels is so EXACT…you think and over think everything. “Do I have the right angle in the shoulder in?” ” Is this the right canter for the coffin?” “What if I have the wrong distance into the triple.. it will all fall down .. and then life as we know it will be over! ….. right ;)”
Youngsters are simply… reactions. You train tools and then you just wait for the horses’ impressions of a fence and then .. REACT.. it is hard to over think reactions and it is also hard to worry about the unknown when everything is unknown!
I loved this Burghley Prep because I just got down to basics, reactions and loving the sport.
Burghley is an unknown but I am going to TRY and not freak out, get to the basics and count on good reactions!
Cheers to EVENTING, and part of On Cue will be available soon for syndication ( if you love her radar ears, call me!).
Caroline Martin may be US Eventing’s answer to Reed Kessler, the seventeen year old darling of the show-jumping world; she’s young, talented and absolutely charming to boot. I met her at Richland and found out a little bit more about her horses, her plans for the future, and yes, she has been practicing hard for the bareback puissance at Plantation!
Many thanks to Caroline for her time, and congratulations on a successful weekend – Go Eventing!
All hail the (CIC*** Dressage) Queen! Becky Holder ruled the Richland Park CIC***, leading from start to finish for an immensely popular win, and underlining her fabulous form by also taking second place for good measure. The tiara was awarded to her in addition to wads of cash and armfuls of goodies because she had the best CIC*** dressage score – the winner does indeed take it all!
Becky on Can’t Fire Me after winning the Richland Park CIC***.
Becky and Can’t Fire Me
Courageous Comet’s rail left him on the same score as last year’s Richland Park CIC*** winners, Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM, but Comet held onto his overnight reserve spot by virtue of being closer to the cross country optimum time.
All three of Phillip Dutton’s rides in the CIC*** trotted up well Sunday morning at Richland, looking not only impeccably turned out, but also fresh as daises. Atlas above, Mighty Nice below.
and to round off the trio, Fernhill Eagle, below.
There’s nothing really to add to the quick report we posted earlier on EN – all the CIC*** horses passed without any complications, and two didn’t go forward to the CIC** show-jumping, so I’ll just post the photos below.
Ballynoe Castle RM and Buck Davidson, the winner of the CIC*** last year, looked fabulous all weekend and came very close to pulling it off again, ultimately finishing on the same score as 2nd placed Comet, but this weekend belonged to Becky Holder.
Darren Chiacchia and Amendment 15
Andrea Leatherman and Mystic My
Hail and Natalia Gurmankin. It’s been a whirlwhind year for Natalia, and I caught up with her very briefly before the show-jumping to ask her about all the exciting new developments in her life…
I don’t know how she finds time to read…! Thanks for catching us up, Natalia, and wishing you the best of luck with it all!
Courageous Comet looked super this morning – we will miss him, Becky, but he passed the trot-up with flying colours, as did his stablemate, Teddy, or Cant Fire Me. Both horses were gleaming white and immaculately presented, and Becky now goes forward to the CIC*** show-jumping holding the top two places. I’m also happy to report that Becky was moving very nicely herself this morning so hopefully her own leg is not quite so sore.
Can’t Fire Me goes into the Richland CIC*** Show Jumping in pole position.
All the three star horses were passed with no holds, or re-inspections, or even anyone being asked to jog again.
Jennie Brannigan trotted her horses up wearing Hawley Bennet-Awad’s jacket – we look forward to seeing Hawley competing again soon, I know she wishes she was here, but is enjoying some time at home in Canada while she recuperates.
Boyd still has the lead in the CIC** on Crackerjack. Melissa Hunsberger withdrew Starstruck from the holding box in this division, Nora Battig was held for reinspection with Steppin’ Out but then accepted, and Robin Walker did not present Freedom’s Light. All the others passed and go forward to show jump starting at about 1:30pm Sunday afternoon. The CIC*** show-jumps right before 11am and I’ll bring you more pictures from the jog later. Go Eventing in Michigan!
It’s been a mixed day here at Richland Park, but definitely a long, hot one and before I can begin to write about the horses and riders I must give huge props to the organisers, volunteers, helpers, grooms and everyone who helped make the day run so smoothly. From the friendly crossing guard who stood in the sun all day manning the string on the galloping lanes so spectators wouldn’t get run down to the shuttle driver, above, who proudly told us he could get seventeen people on his golf buggy, but even more importantly, labradors were always welcome, everybody was friendly and helpful.
Smiling course builders…!
Inexplicably my laptop has turned into Pac-Man – when I plugged in my camera to download the pictures I had over 300, but I watched in horror as it slowly gobbled them all up. I can’t write much more about it at the moment, can’t speak about it, can only apologise for lack of pictures.
It was a good day for True Prospect Farm – Jennie Brannigan looked solid on all her rides, but especially on Cambalda and Indie. I caught up with her later to find out how the summer’s been treating her. Also, Jennie’s hot tip for the Bareback Puissance at Plantation Field in a few weeks time – Caroline Martin, you heard it on EN first! Jennie said she daren’t compete herself this year, but she will be commentating!
EventingnationJohn already covered Phillip’s prowess cross country, and yes he was impressive, but Mighty Nice looked especially good today – I haven’t seen him run since Barbury, I don’t think he has run since,and he looked much different here, much more confident and aggressive, just eating up the course, and how can you not adore a horse whose stable name is Happy?!
Will Coleman was another rider to have several good rounds, starting off the day’s sport early this morning with a lovely clear in the intermediate on Vancover. We had a brief chat about the horses he had here today, but before I turned on my video he’d told me what a great job Alexa Kim Perkiel had done holding down the fort while he was in England, and props to Alexa Kim’s Apres Ski for jumping clear round his first Advanced today.
Becky Holder of course had a great day today – storming round on Can’t Fire Me at the end of the CIC*** to try and best herself. ‘Teddy’ duly jumped clear and fast enough to move his stablemate Comet into second place. I caught up with Becky and we chatted about her two flying greys; she shared that they’re both such different horses to ride cross country that although they were both in the same division she walked the course twice, each time with each horse in mind, “Comet’s got a huge gallop, his style is much more to gallop hard and fast between the fences, and he can gallop a bit flat and low on a huge stride, so his style is to shorten up and he almost looks like he’s slowing up coming to his jumps. He often adds a stride in at many of the combinations – I did a serpentine line in the big water and he did six strides to five strides, he did it beautifully but that’s his style. Teddy is much more of a lock ‘n’ load kind of a ride, he’s very uphill and he just goes and goes. Teddy is so manic – he gets out there and just looks for the flags; he’s so much more rough and ready than Comet, everything is just a straight shot – we went straight into the big water, did the direct five and then his eye was on the last corner. I just sit up there with loose reins and he keeps running, and keeps jumping. I have to admit I’m not really elastic yet with my eye when I swap quickly between the two of them and I get a bit caught out; I feel like I could have been a lot quicker on Teddy if I’d let him keep coming to the fences a bit more, it just took me about half the course to adjust between the two horses. Comet can come out and be so on his game, and then there are other days when he comes out and acts like a bit of a diva. I think as much I love the horse and love riding him and always have, that sometimes I treat him a little bit too nice – he’s almost better if I treat him a bit like a naughty schoolboy, and shake my finger at him! Then he leaves the box like a house on fire and treats the course like there should be another level above what we’re doing, and that’s how he felt today.”
Teddy and Comet have had a pretty easy summer in Georgia since Bromont, “Everything just travels on a different time schedule – everyone’s up a little earlier to get everything done and we have these amazing fans in our barns, and they’re all spoiled rotten standing in front of them, Teddy and Comet even have them in the run-in shed in their pasture because they’re pasture buddies and like to hang out there together,” and after the AECs in a couple of weeks she doesn’t have much planned for them either. In fact, she shared, the AECs will probably be Courageous Comet’s last official event with her as she plans to retire him from upper level eventing following the event. However, that won’t be the last we’ll see of him – her husband Tom may possibly compete him at Starter level, if he can fulfill her strict dressage and schooling show requirements first, and Becky told me she’s also hoping to take part in some pure Dressage competitions with him, “Comet’s given me so much and been such an amazing horse. I had hoped that Kentucky might have gone better because I might have retired him there; I think we might go and do a little Prix St Georges Dressage. He’s such a twinkletoes, and I feel it would be wonderful for him. He’s sixteen this year but he’s been doing this sport since he was seven years old at the Advanced level and won just about every event in the country.”
Could there ever be another Comet? No, of course not, but that doesn’t stop everyone from trying to find one, including Lainey Ashker’s mother Valerie who is renowned for finding lovely OTTBs, and has found two Comet relatives already, one for her daughter and the other for Doug Payne – Shining North Star galloped very impressively around the Richland Park Intermediate this morning. Becky admits too, she’s not averse to considering keeping it in the family, “That Fappiano line that he goes back to is a big, turf galloping type of horse, they’re very sturdy horses, Comet’s had a freakish front end his whole life. I think it would be fun, there are so many horses out there that sticking with the ‘devil that brought you’, there’s something in the familiarity, it would be nice.”
Teddy raced, “very briefly very badly” and has been in Becky’s programme almost his entire life, since her groom Aubrey bought him off the track as a 3 year old. Becky took over the ride when he hit ‘adolescence’ and she thought she might have to help Aubrey sell him, “When he was five he went through this horrible stage – teenage years, it just seemed like all he wanted to do was smoke in the boys’ room, party too late, miss curfew, steal the car, everything you did he was just trying to get out of it. When I started riding him he really suprised me – the harder I was on him, the more I busted on him, the more he came to the party and that seemed to be the key. Finally we had a turning point, and it was just magic from there, he just picked it up and kept going.” My congratulations and thanks to Becky for her time, also wishing her a speedy recovery – she’s been soldiering on all day despite a nasty gash down the front of her calf that she got this morning in an alarm clock/gooseneck trailer camping accident.
Jan Byny looked terrific on both Syd Kent, above and Inmidair who lies 4th in the CIC***. Jessie Phoenix was busy all day, giving all her horses great rides with lots of positive vocal encouragement and praise all the way around. Boyd also looked good on all his horses, Hannah Sue Burnett gave both hers great rides, and Tops and Danielle Dichting,below, just get better and better all the time.
Despite being one of the busiest riders at Richland, Buck Davidson never seemed stressed; Ballynoe Castle looked fabulous where I saw him, as did The Apprentice and especially Tamara Smith’s fomer ride Mar De Amor who was very forward bound through the first water, and who Buck told me gave him a great ride.
Danny Warrington’s Will Smith was beautiful through the skinny brushes, as was Jessica Pye on Lightning Bound.
Selena O’Hanlon had two good rides, above on A First Romance in the Advanced
Diana Burnett and Shigatzi shortly before retiring
Colleen Rutledge and her youngest daughter – I watched in shock, and a tiny bit of awe as Colleen and Shiraz put one stride in the two stride skinny brush combination almost halfway round, then Colleen pulled Shiraz/Luke up briefly before continuing, then fell at the last fence. I caught up with her afterwards to ask what was going on. “It is so not him, even when he’s run away with me before it’s not been like that, at every single open space. I kept thinking he’d come back to me but he was ignoring me. I didn’t pull him up in the first half because I kept thinking he would get better, usually the fitter he is the more rideable he is and I kept waiting for him to settle.” Typical Colleen found a way to look on the bright side, “I’d rather it happen here than overseas, we can do something about it now. We need to figure out why he thinks he’s beyond Superman. Obviously we’ve got to go back to the drawing board on bits, the bit I have him in now, a Myler combination that normally he loves but I changed the noseband, and I may have to go back to a pelham or something that’s got a bit more ‘up’ power.” Luke ran at Millbrook three weeks ago, and “I’ve got a series of competitions lined up, I’ll definitely do Plantation, I’ll probably end up running him at an intermediate before then just to check that I have brakes and steering. It’s disconcerting but at least it happened here and I have a lot more opportunities to figure out what’s going on; I can take him schooling and I can go and have other people put eyes on him, whereas when I’m abroad it’s pretty much me on my own. I’ve got about a month and a half to figure out what’s going on so this is a good thing. Every time you go out it’s a learning experience – he told me that there’s now something going wrong.”
Interestingly, Colleen told me Shiraz had been diagnosed with Lyme Disease a couple of years ago which has never been a problem, until now perhaps. Today’s round she explained, coupled with his recent behaviour that she hadn’t paid too much attention are typical symptoms, “A lot of times the first clue I’ll get from my horses is their personalities start to change – they’ll be really nasty, or really needy. It hadn’t occurred to me before today that might be an issue but it all adds up.” Shiraz will have a blood test when he gets home, but they’ll start treating him for Lyme immediately regardless as he’s already been diagnosed with it and it’s a 30 day antibiotic programme. Funnily enough I also spoke briefly to Nate Chambers who retired Rolling Stone just before the coffin and he told me that Roly too was off all spring due to the dreaded Lyme disease. Having looked, and felt great the first half of the course today, Nate said he just grabbed the right side of the bit galloping to the wagon at 13, and despite circling and pulling up to a walk he couldn’t resolve it so elected to call it a day. Roly’s symptoms in the spring had included difficulty turning to the right, barely being able to jump a small rail and general stiffness especially to the right, and Nate wondered if Lyme was again to blame for Roly’s sudden change today.
Luckily Colleen had a cracking round on Covert Rights, clear within the time in the CIC** to lie in 7th place overnight, “He was phenonemal. He’s my homebred out of my first Advanced mare and everything I ask him to do he just answers with a smile. He was fantastic – this was a very big, impressive course for him and I was a bit concerned with how many questions it asked because I know he is quite young, but he went out there and was absolutely up to every single task, nothing phased him, he was pleasant, he was wonderful, I came off the course thinking I was sitting on my next Advanced horse, he was that fantastic.” By her friend’s stallion BFF Incognito, and out of chestnut thoroughbred mare, Colleen said she wouldn’t have minded if she’d got the worst of both horses, the foal would still have turned out nice but as it is she told me she couldn’t have wished for more.
Schoensgreen Hanni gave Michael Pollard a lovely ride to maintain her lead in the Advanced A, some small compensation for Jos Calfun taking a dislike to the drop at 5 in the Intermediate first thing Saturday morning, ending in early retirement, and DV8 also looked like hard work but just picked up 20 jumping penalties.
It was a great days sport, I particularly enjoyed seeing crowds of spectators full stop, but especially crowds running from the first water to the woods to watch the same horse and rider go through the sunken road there. The trot up for the CIC divisions starts at 7:30 sunday morning and it may take me longer to drag poor Lily out of bed than it will take most of the competitors to get their horses looking immaculate, but hopefully we’ll be there. As for pictures, don’t ask…Go Richland Park and Go Eventing!
