Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent. Photo by Abby Powell.
It’s a busier time of year than we’ve been accustomed to recently, as the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, the second of England’s iconic and historical 5* events, will make its long-awaited return to the calendar September 1-4. Over the last two seasons, Burghley had not run due to ongoing limitations from the coronavirus pandemic.
This spring, Badminton made a successful return, as did Kentucky with spectators, and we now look ahead to a busy fall season with three 5* events on the docket: Burghley (9/1-4), Maryland (10/12-16), and Pau (10/26-30). Ordinarily there would be a fourth on the fall schedule in the Southern Hemisphere, but Adelaide’s 5* is slated to be held in April 2023 — autumn for competitors in Australia.
The Burghley entry list continues to grow, and while some entries here are bound to be “plan B” entries in case a World Championships berth does not materialize, it’s nonetheless going to be a thrilling weekend of top sport.
Emily Hamel and Corvett. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Representing the U.S. contingent to date are Emily Hamel and Corvett, Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent, (rookie alert!) Cornelia Dorr and Daytona 8, Ariel Grald and Leamore Master Plan, Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg, and Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135.
Notable among the other international entries are New Zealand’s Tim Price, who brings back the now-16-year-old Bango for his first international run since 2021, when he finished top-20 at Kentucky. He’s also entered his Tokyo partner, Vitali.
Defending World Champion Ros Canter has entered the 13-year-old mare Pencos Crown Jewel in her second 5*, having finished fifth in the “pop-up 5*” held at Bicton last September.
Tim Price and Bango finished fifth at the last running of Burghley in 2019. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
We’ll also welcome back French WEG rider Rodolphe Scherer, who will return to the 5* level for the first time since 2016, this time with the 16-year-old French gelding Song du Magay, a former partner of South African Olympian Victoria Scott-Legendre.
Entries will continue to pile in — especially once World Championship teams are decided in the coming days — so keep an eye here for the latest entries, as well as future updates to come right here on EN.
Go Eventing.
