Classic Eventing Nation

Burghley Cross Country: The Lines are Tight, but the Price is Right

By on Sep 1, 2018 3:42 pm -

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy lead overnight after an influential cross country day. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Sometimes, the fates align and everything comes together to deliver an absolutely and inarguably bloody brilliant day of cross country. Today at Burghley was one of those rare, special days: the weather was glorious (and yes, the first rule of journalism is that you should never talk about the weather — but this is eventing in Britain, so cut us some slack here), the cross country course was influential in that old-school way that is so often pined for, there were no tricks, traps, or problems for the ground jury to puzzle over, and the thrills and spills, while certainly coming up thick and fast, ended up being just those: tumbles and glances without any disasters. At the end of the day, we’ve been graced with the sort of leaderboard that eventing dreams are made of — and the stories that brought us all to this point are as wonderful as the people and horses who made them happen.

Gushy? Sure, we won’t deny that — but what is this sport if not a melting pot of hopes, and dreams, and inextinguishable passion, tempered all too often by heartbreak and injury and seemingly endless disappointment? (Okay, and mud. So much mud.) When Eventing Jesus smiles upon us and gives us the glory days — well, we’re damn sure going to celebrate them.

Live footage of your devoted EN correspondent handling the excitement of the day with total professionalism.

Sixty-eight horse and rider combinations left the start box today to tackle Captain Mark Phillips‘ big, bold course, and forty-five of those made it home. Of those forty-five, seven picked up cross-country jumping penalties, and of the thirty-eight clear rounds, just four made it home inside the optimum time of eleven minutes, eleven seconds.

It’s always going to be an interesting day when the placings after dressage are so achingly close and when the first few riders out of the start box are some of the most experienced in the field, and yet still become the mistresses of the ticking clock. Today, just ten seconds separated the dressage leader from overnight tenth — and after that, it got even tighter, with a matter of seconds between the majority of the rest of the riders. Lest anyone have any lingering doubts, this was not going to be a dressage competition.

Oliver Townend and MHS King Joules, third-placed after dressage, were our pathfinders this morning, and the notoriously strong gelding gave the crowds a few gasping moments earlier on in the course, settling around the three minute mark to produce the first of the day’s clear rounds. They added 10.4 time penalties, enough to put them in 10th place overnight — but it was an early indicator that things were about to be shaken up in a major way.

“It was a tricky enough course to ride,” he said after his first trip around the track. “He was balls-out early on, but he kept jumping everything I put in front of him. He’s the strongest I’ve ever ridden, and the course is the biggest I’ve ever jumped — it walked massive, but it jumped even bigger. Then you add in the toughest terrain in the world.”

Piggy French and Vanir Kamira. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Round after round followed suit with top horses and riders coming in handfuls of seconds over the optimum time — but when last year’s runners-up Piggy French and Vanir Kamira delivered a blazing fast round, coming in with just 1.2 time penalties, it began to look achievable.

“She’s a fabulous little mare — you could strap a monkey to her and she’d go and run cross country,” said the delighted rider, who sits in third place going into tomorrow’s final phase. “She just needs balancing, as she’s quite a downhill horse, but she’s such a game little girl, and I knew she had it in her because of how well she did last year. Now I’m just kicking myself for that three seconds over the time — she’s so full of running, and if I could go straight back out and do it again, I’d shave those off. I just gave her those moments to refill her lungs, but she was buzzing, so I could have made them up.”

Piggy, who is one of a plethora of successful women who balance top-level competition with new motherhood, has overcome a long run of bad luck and come back to this level in the best form of her career.

“I just really enjoy the game, and I’ve got fabulous horses and great people around. When you’ve had a really bad time and know how bad things can be with horses, you just crack on when you can. I don’t think you ever dare to think it could go well — you just have to take each day as it comes.”

Of motherhood, she laughs: “I often wonder what I did before I had a child — he takes so much time! But my partner, Tom March, is brilliant, and we muddle through. I do want to be a proper mum, so I ride in the morning, and spend the afternoons doing that.”

Tina Cook and Star Witness. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Once Piggy’s fast round was in the bag, we witnessed two astonishingly quick rounds through the afternoon. The first belonged to Tina Cook and Star Witness, who were the first combination to make the time, coming two seconds under to climb from 62nd to 12th position.

“I had to trust that I was on a Thoroughbred — I needed to kick ass today!” she said. “The only way I’d get near the top ten was to go inside the time. But I still had to work — we lack runs, and with his kissing spines, I try not to do too much, but I promise his owners a four-star a year. He’s amazing at this — so honest. But I think Dickie [Waygood] and Chris [Bartle, the Team GB coaches] were holding their breath!”

The next of the fast rounds was delivered by Irish rider Esib Power, who came in eight seconds under the time with Soladoun, moving from equal 37th to 7th place.

“It’s great to be back at this level,” said Esib, so nicknamed because as a child, her brother couldn’t say ‘Elizabeth’. She always expected her successful former racehorse to be fast, but was impressed with how he stepped up to the level: “I’ve never had him off the bridle before, so that was a new feeling — you can’t take any liberties out there. It felt like hard work, so I’m glad it looked classy. It certainly lived up to it’s reputation — it’s hard work out there! Look, it’s what you dream of — I’d love to have more horses to do this with, but for now, I’m happy to have got this one here.”

Harry Meade and Away Cruising. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

And then it was anyone’s game. Harry Meade added just 1.6 time penalties,  holding fourth overnight with Away Cruising, and local rider Richard Jones and Alfies Clover added 2.8 to move from 33rd to 9th. Andrew Nicholson had come close with his first horse — Jet Set IV added 2.4 time penalties and moved from 29th to 8th place — but his second horse, the four-star debutante Swallow Springs, added nothing at all to his dressage score, moving from equal 16th to 5th place overnight.

“He might be young, but I rode him like he’s a four-star professional,” said Andrew. “When I’m positive, he’s positive — he’d happily have done three strides through the Leaf Pit. He’s a proper horse. If I ride him more delicately, he’ll dangle his legs and offer to run out — he likes you to be in charge and he’s been naughty in the past. He bucked me off in the warm-up once.”

Andrew has high hopes for the talented up-and-comer: “Nereo always felt like he hated it here, even though he did so well — I always thought that maybe he got wise to it but after riding the younger ones who love it, you realise that some of them just don’t like Burghley.”

He was also full of liberal praise for the course design, suggesting that other designers might seek to emulate Mark Phillips’ methods.

“I loved that there were no hidden traps — for example, I jumped in big to the Trout Hatchery and changed my plan, and it was great that I could do that and still be clear. Mark has got the measure of the flag rule — there were no questions about 50 penalties today, because the horses could always see the flags. Then they either jumped or they didn’t.”

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Oliver Townend‘s final ride of the day — and the final horse to leave the start box — was last year’s winner Ballaghmor Class, who managed to produce something even more impressive than his effort of last year, finishing eight seconds within the time to level with Esib Power as the fastest ride of the day. They sit second overnight on their dressage score of 27.9.

“He was unbelievable,” said Oliver. “I didn’t know if he’d get the trip at the speed we needed — it’s not in his pedigree, but it’s in his mind. He felt like a different horse altogether from last year — last year, it was pure naivety, and me throwing in big questions that he answered every time. This year, the track didn’t suit many, but he dug deep and put his head down — he was workmanlike. He’s turned from a boy into a man. It’s a funny old job, though — sometimes I think I’ve done a good job and they kill me for it. Today, I thought I was a bit desperate and didn’t give him the best ride, but everyone’s praising me! The dream is very much still alive, and for now, I’m just enjoying having three clear at Burghley. I’ve had great times on some of my horses but to have them on horses I’ve produced is a different feeling. It’s a different sport for me now. I’m a bit of a mess, anyway — I try to keep my head down and keep quiet, but when I cross the finish line, I just want to burst into tears.”

But for all of the astonishing efforts across the board, it was to be Tim Price‘s day. His foot-perfect round on Ringwood Sky Boy added just 0.4 time penalties to his dressage score, giving him a well-earned lead after a ride that made Burghley look like the Pony Club.

“I’ve had some thrill rides on this horse — in the wrong way!” said Tim. “Finally, though, we’re finding what works. The course felt like an old friend, and the horse is my old friend, and it all just came together. He’s not a fast horse but I took a little bit of experience from my last horse. Oz knows how to dig deep and work under duress, and he did. You’ve got to be in it to win it — he’s not a quick horse, and I had to take tight lines to get it done. I didn’t notice my watch at all, other than a few beeps in the background. It’s a journey with horses — what I’ve learned is that you have to take each day as it comes, be grateful for a healthy horse each day, and trust in your preparation. That’s worked so far.”

Buck Davidson and Park Trader. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Buck Davidson finished the best of the American contingent, climbing a placing from 16th to 15th after a quick clear round saw them add just eight time penalties to their dressage score of 32.1.

“It started off a little hairy; he sort of spooked at the crowd at the fifth fence and I thought we’d stop, but then he was very good and fought where he needed to out there,” said Buck. “He’s a bit tricky, so I had to be careful to get him back after that. He seemed to get better as he went though — he’s a first-class horse and I want him to be in the same league as My Boy Bobby and Ballynoe Castle. He gave me all his effort today, and now I have to do the same for him tonight.”

Two of our American representatives were on the redemption trail after falls ended their campaigns last year, and both completed today’s tough cross country test.

Andrea Baxter and Indy 500. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 clocked up 20 penalties at the final skinny element of the Leaf Pit, but went on to complete the rest of the course without any issues, adding a further 26 time penalties. They sit 41st going into tomorrow’s final horse inspection and showjumping.

“I was so on the fence about going straight [at the Leaf Pit] or doing the option — I thought she would probably do the bank in the straight route perfectly, but skinnies like that are as bad as right-handed corners for her,” explained Andrea. “I saw that everyone else had been opting for the long route, so I thought I would do — and actually, I think she’d have been better if I’d just gone straight. But you live and learn! I was maybe just a little bit cautious because I’d fallen last year, but after that 20, she was spot-on.”

While many of our Americans abroad are able to make the trip due to the funding and grants available through the USEF and USEA, Andrea took a slightly different route to making her way back to the UK.

“I came here all on my own, but I’m very lucky to have some really awesome friends in California who put together a lovely fundraiser, which raised about ten grand, and then I won another seven or eight at Rebecca Farms CCI3*, which helped. I’d love to aim her at Badminton next, so I guess I’ve got to go home and sell everything I’ve got to try to come back!”

“You never quite know what you’ll have until you get to these competitions — sometimes you come and you’ve got the funding and you feel all the pressure, but then sometimes you do it all by yourself and you think, ‘oh god – why have I done this to myself?’ But this year, I played it safe because of our last attempt, and it’s frustrating, but it’s an upward curve and it gives me plenty of new knowledge to bring back to my clients in America, and we can use it to build up.”

Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Lillian Heard made light work of the Leaf Pit, her nemesis of last year with LCC Barnaby, but caught a 20 at the influential Rolex Combination at 15b, the Vicarage Vee replica fence.

“I got through the Leaf Pit — and I finished, so that’s good!” she laughed upon completion. “We had a frustrating 20 — he tried to jump but our line was just outside the flag so we went the other way. We went long at the Dairy Mound, too — I knew he was tired, and maybe he could have used one or two more gallops. I’ve never felt him get tired in his life, but he got tired today — if you took the jumps here and put them on their own, they wouldn’t be that hard, but it’s about the terrain, the stamina, and everything. But that’s the thing — you can’t do this sport and think that every time you show up it’ll be like, ‘YEAH!’ Sometimes, it’s a bit like, ‘meh, okay…’ But I rode here today and really felt like — I belong!”

There were some notable fallers throughout the day, perhaps none more so than dressage leaders Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody. They say that history repeats itself, but it was rather a cruel blow that Mark should have to walk home under the weight of the same fate two years in a row: last year, he led the dressage with Leonidas II, and in both of those instances, his chances of victory hit the deck with him. This time, it was a surprisingly innocuous fence that caused the problem. After pulling off the save of the day at the Leaf Pit, it was the Gurkha Kukri, a single and simple fence at 10, that tipped both he and his horse up. Both walked away — but the chance of a record-equalling sixth win at the Lincolnshire venue was dashed.

Sole German representative Andreas Dibowski was sixth after dressage with FRH Butts Avedon, and the hugely experienced combination looked set to be a formidable pair today. But they came unstuck astonishingly early — the Rolex Grand Slam angled rails at number 6 didn’t, perhaps, offer the most immediately obvious trajectory, but Dibo and his longtime partner misread them entirely, activating the jump’s frangible devices and causing the German to get rather too familiar with the ‘carpet-like’ ground.

France’s Cedric Lyard also had a fall at what had been a fence of little influence through the day. Discovery Valley appeared at fence 5abc this year and, after an uncomfortable jump over the first element, Cedric was catapulted into the open ditch in front of the next element. Qatar du Puech Rouget then stumbled, propelled forward by inertia, and followed him in. It looked, for a moment, like an incredibly unpleasant accident — one reminiscent of the battle of Waterloo, with its reams of cavalry cascading into false ditches, on top of hapless foot soldiers, and probably entirely devoid of rambling and inane historical references. How, though, can a man survive his horse crashing down on top of him, with the forces of gravity and horsepower working double-time against him? With a bit of je ne sais quois.

“That was a f***ing stupid jump to ride so badly at,” he said, emerging with a particularly Gallic shrug and nary a scratch from the ditch.

Tomorrow begins bright and early with the final horse inspection at 9.00am BST/4.00am EST — we’ll bring you a full gallery and all the updates live as it happens. We’ll also be bringing you an in-depth look at how the showjumping might play out, so buckle up, tune in, and let’s bring this Burghley home!

In the meantime — go Tim, and GO EVENTING!

Burghley Links: Website, Entries, Timetable, Start Times & Live Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram, Form Guide

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum Are Kids in a Candy Shop on AEC Advanced Cross Country

By on Sep 1, 2018 3:23 pm -

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Nobody looked more thrilled to leave a cross country startbox this morning than Mai Baum. With Tamie Smith in the pilot seat, he tackled every obstacle with air to spare and the expression of a child on Christmas morning tearing through presents. They turned in the speediest round of the division, collecting just 1.6 time penalties to maintain their lead in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Advanced Final here at the 2018 American Eventing Championships.

As we mentioned in our Thursday dressage report, Alexandra and Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell’s 12-year-old German Sport Horse gelding (Loredano x Ramira) has had just three runs on account of a run of bad luck and injury since winning the Fair Hill CCI3* in 2015. You wouldn’t have known it from watching them today, though — the pair was looked full of running … and sass. Five or so superfluous tempi changes on the approach to 6AB, the open oxer to corner combination where I was sitting, created an optical illusion that he was giddily hop-skipping along. Just being extra!

“I literally wanted to cry going through the finish flag,” Tamie says. “It’s been such a long patient road to get him back to this level. He was unbelievable. He’s the best horse in the world, and I’m just so fortunate to be sitting on him. I was chancy out there, I was cutting turns and lines to save time so that I didn’t have to go so fast. I got him to one jump and asked for a big one, and he just took off and was like ‘I got you mom.’ It felt so good to have him back.”

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

The top three positions remained unchanged after today’s cross country test. Jordan Linstedt and Revitavet Capato, Barbara and Gary Linstedt’s 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Contendro x Annabelle), held fast to second. The pair looked foot-perfect despite losing a shoe in the warm-up, which they managed to get tacked back on with only a few moments of delay. They picked up 4 time faults to finish the day on a 31.5, just 3.5 points — less than a rail — behind Tamie and Mai Baum’s 28.0.

Jordan Lindstedt and Revitavet Capato. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Tamie also sits third on Fleeceworks Royal, Judith McSwain’s 9-year-old Holsteiner mare (Riverman x Marisol), who came home with 11.6 time penalties. Tamie is on fire this week: Additionally, she leads the Prelim Horse championship with Fleeceworks Ghost, with whom she jumped a fault-free country country round this morning, as well as the Novice Horse championship with MB MaiStein.

Tamie Smith and Fleeceworks Royal. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Two more Advanced pairs managed Tremaine Cooper’s course with no jumping difficulties: Emily Libby and Jakobi, her own and Linda Libby’s 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Ustinov x Expression, by Coriano), had 16.4 time penalties to move from 5th to 4th.

Emilee Libby and Jakobi. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Rebecca Braitling and Soaring Bird, Andrea Baxter’s 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, had 22 time penalties to move from 6th to 5th.

Rebecca Braitling and Soaring Bird. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Kim Liddel and Eye of the Storm picked up 20 at fence 10AB, the water, but rallied to finish strong. The second element of the open oxer to corner combination at 6AB solicited a runout from both Alexa Ehlers with Amistoso and Andrea Nielsen and LC O’Shawnisee. Alexa retired after a second runout at 10AB; Andrea was eliminated after another couple stops two fences later at 8AB, a steeply angled rolltop combination. Ellen Doughy-Hume and Sir Oberon were initially scored in the dressage but subsequently eliminated by the ground jury for unsoundness. That leaves a total of six horses to start show jumping tomorrow.

Alexa Ehlers and Amistoso. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Advanced standings after cross country:

Much more to come. Go Eventing!

AEC: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Watch the Replay of Burghley 2018 Cross Country Day

By on Sep 1, 2018 3:09 pm -

What a day at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials! At the conclusion of cross country, 45 of 70 starters (64%) completed, with 38 pairs (54%) jumping clear and four pairs (6%) catching the optimum time.

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy lead on 27.3, with Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class in second on 27.9, and Piggy French and Vanir Kamira in third on 31.1. All three American pairs completed, with Buck Davidson and Park Trader sitting 15th on 40.1 as our highest placed pair.

Viewers in the U.S. and Canada can watch the full replay of cross country below. UK viewers can rewatch on BBC iPlayer. Click here to relive all the action in EN’s open thread, and stay tuned for the full report. Go Eventing.

Burghley Cross Country Part 1:

Burghley Cross Country Part 2:

Burghley: Website, Entries, Timetable, Start Times & Live Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Burghley 2018 Live Updates: Tim Price Leads, Buck Davidson 15th

By on Sep 1, 2018 6:11 am -

It’s cross country day at the biggest horse trials in the world! We’ll be running live updates right here on EN, with Tilly Berendt in the mixed zone interviewing the riders. Keep refreshing this page for all the latest cross country news from the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

If you missed EN’s preview of Capt. Mark Phillips’s cross country course, click here to read commentary from the riders. Click here to view each fence on CrossCountry App. The optimum time is 11 minutes, 11 seconds.

Viewers in the U.S. and Canada can watch cross country live on the Burghley International Facebook page starting at 11:15 a.m. BST/6:15 a.m. EST.

UK viewers can also watch live on BBC Red Button and on the BBC website with commentary from Clare Balding, Ian Stark, Nick Luck, Nicole Brown and Sam Watson.

Click here for full details on how to watch Burghley live. You can also listen to live commentary on Burghley Radio.

Burghley: Website, Entries, Timetable, Start Times & Live Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

USA cross country ride times & results:

  • Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 – 20 jumping penalties, 26 time penalties – 41st
  • Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby – 20 jumping penalties, 33.2 time penalties – 43rd
  • Buck Davidson and Park Trader – clear, 8 time penalties – 15th

Live updates:

11:23: Your top 10 after cross country — 45 pairs completed and four pairs made the optimum time. Stay tuned for the full report.

11:22: Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class finish 8 seconds inside the time to move into second place — the fourth to make the time today.

11:18: Clear and 27 seconds over the time for Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello.

11:14: Andrew Nicholson and Swallow Springs are home clear and 6 seconds inside the time to move into fourth place — the third pair today to make the time!

11:11: Last year’s winners Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class are away — the last pair on course.

11:09: Louise Harwood and Balladeer Miller Man complete clear with 18.4 time penalties.

11:08: Just two starters left to go. Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello are away — another speedy pair.

11:06:  Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy are home clear and 1 second over the time to sail into the lead on 27.3! No one else can overtake them on the leaderboard, so they will lead overnight.

11:03: Andrew Nicholson and Swallow Springs are away — this is another fast pair who can push the clock.

11:02: Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy are clear through the gates at fence 17 and look to have plenty left in the tank.

3:57: Simon Grieve and Drumbilla Metro had two runouts at the brush in the water at the Trout Hatchery and have retired.

3:56: After Mark Todd’s unfortunate fall, Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy are now the clubhouse leaders. They are on course now.

3:55: Nana Dalton and Absolute Opposition complete clear and 1 minute, 27 seconds over the time.

3:50: Bill Levett has retired Improvise after a glance off at the first skinny at the Leaf Pit. That was a bit of a naughty runout from a very experienced horse.

3:48: Warren Lamperd and Silvia complete clear and 2 minutes, 2 seconds over the time.

3:43: No! Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody fell at fence 10, the Gurkha Kukri. They are both up and OK. What a shame.

3:41: MERLIN’S BEARD! Kiltubrid Rhapsody tipped Mark Todd nearly out of the saddle jumping down the drop at the Leaf Pit and he jumped clear through the direct route by sheer force of will. Absolutely the save of the day.

3:39: Overnight leaders Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody are away!

3:38: Clear and 22 seconds over for Katie Preston and Templar Justice to move into the top 20. She is a full time vet and looks absolutely thrilled.

3:37: Holy moley! Silvia stood way off the second skinny at the Leaf Pit and is one scopey mare to get that done for Warren Lamperd.

3:34: Polly Jackson Griffin and Papillon are the latest pair to pick up 20 jumping penalties at the Leaf Pit.

3:31: Buck Davidson and Park Trader complete clear and 20 seconds over the time. He is whooping at the finish! 8 time penalties added moves them to 12th place.

3:28: Ben Way and Galley Light landed hard on the back rail at the open oxer at fence 14 at the Maltings, and the rail dropped to result in 11 frangible penalties. He jumped the next fence and then retired.

3:27: Only 7 seconds over the time for Richard Jones and Alfies Clover. Adding 2.8 time penalties moves them up to sixth place — super round for them.

3:24: Buck Davidson took the long route at both the Leaf Pit and Trout Hatchery and is clear so far.

3:23: Michael Owen and Bradeley Law are home clear and just 18 seconds over the time — definitely a career highlight for this pair! They added 7.2 time penalties which moves them up almost 50 spots on the leaderboard.

3:19: Buck Davidson and Park Trader are away!

3:15: Dan Jocelyn and Dassett Cool Touch complete with 11 frangible penalties and 37 seconds over the time.

3:14: Michael Owen and Bradeley Law are on course and this horse is just a little superstar — skipped through the Leaf Pit easily!

3:11: Matt Heath completes clear with 27.2 time penalties with The Lion.

3:10: Dassett Cool Touch hit the back of the rail at fence 15A at the Rolex Combination. That will be 11 frangible penalties for Dan Jocelyn.

3:09: Gubby Leech has unfortunately parted ways from Xavier when the horse ducked out to the right at the second skinny at the Leaf Pit. He is on his feet and OK.

3:07: Dan Jocelyn and Dassett Cool Touch are the latest pair to slip while jumping up out of the bank at the Trout Hatchery. We’ve seen that happening a few times today, but riders have been able to adjust their plans and continue on without issue.

3:02: Matt Heath and The Lion are on course and going well — clear through the gates at fence 17.

2:58: Abigail Boulton and Toulson Tic Toc picked up a runout at the Leaf Pit.

2:56: We are back underway now.

2:50: Andreas Dibowski and FRH Butts Avedon fell after the horse stood off from the rails at fence 6. They are both up and OK. We will have another hold on course for fence repairs.

2:48: The hold has been lifted and Andreas Dibowski is away with FRH Butts Avedon.

2:45: We have a brief hold on course, we expect for fence repairs at Discovery Valley.

2:42: Clear and 12 seconds over the time for Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope to add 4.8 time penalties. Super round! That slots them into 10th place.

2:40: Cedric Lyard fell from Qatar du Puech Rouget when he got in way too close to the log at Discovery Valley and the horse had to twist over the jump. Cedric was thrown into the ditch, and the horse also skidded into the ditch. A scary moment but they are both totally OK.

2:39: Emilie Chandler and Coopers Law have unfortunately retired on course at fence 14.

2:33: Lydia Hannon and My Royal Touch completed with 40 jumping penalties and 27.2 time penalties.

2:32: Alex Bragg and Zagreb fell at the Maltings at fence 14 when they didn’t get the right shot into the open corner. They are both up right away and OK.

2:29: Ashley Edmond and Triple Chance are home clear with 30.0 time penalties and she looks delighted.

2:28: Lydia Hannon and My Royal Touch picked up 20 jumping penalties at the Leaf Pit, which has definitely been one of the most influential combinations on course.

2:24: 8 seconds inside the time for Esib Power and Soladoun — the second pair to make the time and an impressive performance in the horse’s CCI4* debut. Both the horses to make the time so far are full Thoroughbreds.

2:21: Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby complete with 20 jumping penalties and 33.2 time penalties.

2:18: Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby picked up a runout at fence 15, the Rolex Combinations. They took the long route at Clarence Court at fence 21 and are heading home.

2:16: Tina Cook and Star Witness have done it! 2 seconds inside the time and they are the first pair to beat the optimum time of 11 minutes, 11 seconds. That moves her into seventh place provisionally.

2:15: Lillian Heard and  LCC Barnaby make quick work of the Trout Hatchery and are looking fantastic.

2:12: Oliver Townend and Cooley SRS complete clear and 25 seconds over the time to add 10 time penalties. That is his second clear round of the day and he will be the final rider on course with last year’s winner Ballaghmor Class.

2:07: Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby are on course now. Go Lil!

2:05: Ben Hobday and Harelaw Wizard complete 1 minute, 2 seconds over the time. This horse is part Clydesdale and finished ears pricked.

2:02: Clear and 18 seconds over the time for Ciaran Glynn and November Night to add 7.2 time penalties in their Burghley debut. That slots them into seventh place provisionally — super round for Ciaran.

1:59: Emily Prangnell and DHI Beaunesse have been eliminated on refusals at the Leaf Pit.

1:58: Harelaw Wizard left a leg at the first element of the Trout Hatchery and Ben Hobday did well to hang on tight — jumped the next element without a stirrup and got the job done!

1:57: Ciaran Glynn and November Night are giving us a good show in their Burghley debut — the Irish know how to tackle a beefy cross country course!

1:56: Tom Crisp and Coolys Luxury complete 33 seconds over to slot into 10th place provisionally.

1:49: Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 completed with 20 jumping penalties and 26 time penalties. Big pats for Indy!

1:44: Nicholas Lucey fell from Proud Courage after he slammed on the brakes at the Leaf Pit. He is up and OK.

1:43: Kirsty Short and Cossan Lad completed with 20 jumping penalties and 28.8 time penalties.

1:39: Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 pick up an early runout on course at fence 7, the Leaf Pit.

1:38: Sarah Pickard parted ways from Polo Striker when he left a leg jumping into the Trout Hatchery. She took a dunking but is up and OK.

1:36: Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 are away!

1:32: Kirsty Short and Cossan Lad have picked up a runout at the Trout Hatchery.

1:28: We are back underway.

1:21: Chris Bartle said he expected the course to ride well, and so far that is what we have seen. “Fortune favors the brave.”

1:17: Kirsty Short and Cossan Lad have been stopped on course before the main arena. We have a hold on course due to an issue with a member of the public.

1:16: A clear round and 42 seconds over for Georgie Spence and Wii Limbo. She is looking to complete her eighth Burghley.

1:14: Polly Stockton has fallen from Mister MacCondy after he took a disliking to the ditch at Discovery Valley and slammed on the brakes. She is up and OK.

1:12: Willa Newton gave Chance Remark such a class ride all the way around the course. 14 seconds over to sail into sixth place — she is fist pumping and looks absolutely delighted.

1:11: Sam Ecroyd has retired Master Douglas after two runouts at the Leaf Pit.

1:08: Tom Rowland and Possible Mission complete with 29.6 time penalties in Tom’s second CCI4* and the horse’s CCI4* debut.

1:04: 19 seconds over the time for Sarah Bullimore and Reve de Rouet to add 7.6 time penalties — she looks a bit disappointed but definitely a solid round to slot her into third place.

1: Michael Ryan and Dunlough Striker complete 42 seconds over the time to slot into the top 10 provisionally.

12:54: Harry Meade and Away Cruising complete 4 seconds over the time and the horse looks fantastic at the end — super ride from Harry.

12:52: Piggy French on her mentality around the course: “Be brave. Stay focused. Keep going.”

12:50: Hazel Towers and Simply Clover have completed 1 minute, 22 seconds over the time. That horse deserves a bucket of carrots!

12:47: Pascal Leroy and Minos de Petra got a bit turned around at the Trout Hatchery retired after picking up 20 jumping penalties.

12:46: Imogen Murray said Ivar Gooden lost a shoe but was brilliant. “At an event like this you’re competing against the course, you’re not competing against each other.”

12:44: Hazel Towers is living very dangerously and Simply Clover is quite frankly saving her left and right. What a genuine horse.

12:43: Just 3 seconds over the time for Piggy French and Vanir Kamira — the fastest of the day so far! Total masterclass from Piggy.

12:40: Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati has retired Cosma on course after scrambling over the Keepers Brushes.

12:36: Julie Tew and Simply Sox have completed clear and 55 seconds over the time and she is overcome with emotion — think we all are! She had a spinal tumor removed 18 years ago and was told she would never ride again. She has also battled severe nerve damage and never imagined she would compete at the CCI4* level, let alone Burghley. You’re our hero, Julie!

12:32: Imogen Murray and Ivar Gooden complete clear and only 13 seconds over the time to add 5.2 time penalties — that will rocket them right up the leaderboard.

12:30: Katrin Khoddam Hazrati and Cosma picked up a runout at the Leaf Pit and are continuing on.

12:28: 1 minute, 4 seconds over the time for Rebecca Gibbs and De Beers Dilletante and she is grinning ear to ear.

12:25: Austin O’Connor and Lucky Contender completed with 20 jumping penalties and 19.2 time penalties.

12:22: Ludwig Svennerstal confirmed that he retired due to breaking the frangible pin and receiving 11 penalties, as that would prevent him from being able to sit close to the top of the leaderboard and their intent was to finish with a top result.

12:16: Ludwig Svennerstal retired Stinger at the next fence and is walking off course.

12:15: Oh dear — Ludwig Svennerstal and Stinger tapped the back rail at the Rolex Combination at fence 15 and the frangible pin broke. That didn’t look like a very hard tap and we expect Ludwig will appeal the 11 penalties.

12:10: Ludwig Svennerstal has set off looking very determined with Stinger. This is definitely a pair that can push the clock.

12:07: Harry Dzenis had an early runout at fence 8 at the Leaf Pit and has retired Xam after a second runout at the Rolex Combination at fence 15.

12:06: Ginny Thompson and Star Nouveau have a runout at the Leaf Pit and successfully re-routed to the option.

12:04: Hector Payne and Dynasty have completed clear and 1 minute, 4 seconds over the time at their first Burghley. William Fox-Pitt produced this horse and coaches Hector and said their plan today was to focus on a clear round and not worry about the time — mission accomplished!

12: Andrew James just popped off on his feet from Cool Chica at the Trout Hatchery to end their day.

12: Camille Lejeune pumps the air as he completes his first Burghley cross country with Rahina des Isles — clear with 13.6 time penalties.

11:58: Caroline Powell and On The Brash completed with 35.6 time penalties.

11:54: Caroline Powell tried to take a long route at fence 22, Clarence Court (formerly called the Dairy Mount) with On The Brash and jumped outside the string. Thankfully all the spectators were able to dive out of the way but he got caught up on the string! She is now continuing on course.

11:51: Andrew Nicholson gives us a masterclass with Jet Set — only 6 seconds over the time to add 2.4 time penalties.

11:45: Louise Harwood has retired Mr. Potts after a second runout on course at fence 15, the Rolex Combination.

11:44: Tim Price and Bango completed 23 seconds over, the fastest we have seen so far, to complete on 41.3 with 9.2 time penalties.

11:43: Andrew Nicholson and Jet Set are on course now and just skipped through the Leaf Pit like a schooling exercise. #goals

11:40: Mr. Potts pecked on landing jumping into the Trout Hatchery and Louise unfortunately couldn’t get to the B element to pick up 20 penalties. They successfully jumped through the option and are continuing on.

11:38: Louise Harwood and Mr. Potts are on course now. He has completed Burghley for five consecutive years.

11:35: Mark Todd said his rein slipped out of his hand at the Rolex Combination at fence 15, so he had to take the long route which he reckons added about 10-15 seconds.

11:33: Badminton and Luhmuhlen winner Jonelle Price isn’t competing at Burghley but she is still at the event supporting husband Tim Price. She just helped get Bango into the start box, and they are away.

11:32: 37 seconds over the time for Mark Todd and NZB Campino to complete on 45.6.

11:30: Nana Dalton and Elite Syncopation has pulled up in the woods and retired on course.

11:28: Oliver Townend completes 26 seconds over the time to complete on 37.6.

11:19: Mark Todd and NZB Campino are also away. The horses have fantastic going today — word on the ground is that it feels like carpet!

11:15: Oliver Townend and MHS King Joules are our first away! The optimum time has been heavily debated and the consensus from the riders is that no one will catch it today.

11:10: Two pairs have withdrawn prior to the start of cross country: Simon Grieve and Douglas and Lissa Green and Hollyfield. That gives us 68 starters today.

‘No Different From a Novice, TBH’: Riders Weigh in on Burghley’s New-Look Course

By on Sep 1, 2018 5:45 am -

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a man (or woman) in preparation for a Burghley cross country run must tell you one thing: “it’s big — [half laugh, half fear-tinged exhalation] — it’s certainly Burghley.”

Once the wave of abject horror at the thought of a big Burghley has swept over you (we know, it’s a real shock to the system), it’s time to unpack what, exactly, this year’s competitors will be facing. Let’s break down the basics, first of all.

THE 2018 BURGHLEY CROSS COUNTRY PRIMER

Course length: 6,375m

Optimum time: 11:11

Jumping efforts: 50

Fences: 30

Much of the talk about this year’s course has centred around the fact that, really, it couldn’t possibly be more different from last year’s course. For once thing, it runs in the opposite direction — this year, our intrepid competitors will run counter-clockwise around the Burghley estate. But more excitingly, for the first time this year the course features a flyover, which sits at a juncture by fence 16, the Pardubice, and fence 23, Capability’s Cutting. This multi-level effect will drastically change the feel of this section of the course and, if any photographer is lucky enough to be blessed with such marvellous synchronicity, a picture or slow-mo video of one over, one under will end up being one of the defining images of this year’s event. Here’s a map of this year’s course: you can see the flyover in the upper part of the map. You can also view the course on the interactive CrossCountry App — click here to see every fence, courtesy of Tom Crisp.

The 2018 Burghley cross country course.

For comparison’s sake, here’s the map of 2017’s course — as you can see, the entire track has been reversed, which means that competitors will have to tackle difficult combinations like the formidable leaf pit early on.

Burghley’s 2017 track.

Savvy? Brilliant. This year’s course, in a nutshell, is as such: a first half full of challenging combinations, with myriad options and plenty of places to run into problems. That said, course designer Captain Mark Phillips has done a fantastic job of creating a course that is huge and enormously difficult, without being trappy, unclear, or unfair to the horses. In the middle of the course, competitors will have to gallop up the longest stretch of Winners’ Avenue we’ve seen — then, once they get to the top, they’ll need to pop over the formidable Cottesmore Leap with its Land Rover-sized ditch. From there, the combinations are thin on the ground, in favour of big, square single fences the whole way home — but at this point, the horses will have tired, and these fences require plenty of fuel left in the tank, so riders would be remiss to consider this a lay-up.

The Captain walked the course with Alice Plunkett in a brilliant and comprehensive video preview, which has suitably terrified most of the competitors. Give it a watch here.

We spoke to many of the riders over the past two days to get their take on the challenge ahead of them — here’s what they had to say:

Mark Todd (1st and 12th): “Do you ever like something like this? I don’t know! By my second walk I started to see a more clear path, but I certainly don’t underestimate it.”

Team course walk @lrbht_official

A post shared by Mark Todd (@marktoddeventing) on

Tim Price (2nd and 16th): “The ground is almost bang-on perfect, so that’s one thing I don’t have to worry about — but there’s a lot of fences along the way to worry about! It’s certainly not a Derby course. Ringwood Sky Boy isn’t the most organised at times with his technique, but he’s proven time and time again that he’s safe and knows what’s important out there. But it still gives me a bit of anxiety — can we do it 30, 40 times?

Oliver Townend (3rd, 5th, and 7th): “It’s as big a Burghley as I’ve ever seen in terms of dimensions. There are three serious hills, so it’ll be very stamina-sapping — there are no twenty-second breathers like we’d normally find around Winners’ Avenue, because even that’s a long, uphill pull and will tire the horses. It’s going to be very, very tough.”

Sarah Bullimore (4th): “It’s big, it’s bold, it’s brave, there are combinations that will cause some trouble — you’ll have to think quickly at the Maltings [14abcd], but there are get-out-of-jail options if you get it wrong. The Rolex combination [15abcd] is serious.”

Harry Meade (8th): “I’m amazed how different it is from last year — last year’s course was brilliant, and when they get it right, course designers often keep it largely the same for a few years, with some small changes. This year, he’s built a whole new, equally brilliant course. It’s very big, very square course with tricky combinations in the first half. One of the wonderful things about eventing is that you’re not really competing against each other — you’re cumulatively competing against the course and the conditions. There’s a hugely influential pull up to the Cottesmore Leap, but there’s not much to jump in terms of technicality once you’ve got through the first half of the course. Then, it’s mostly big, square fences. They can’t necessarily keep jumping out of a gallop; they’ll jump and land more static over these types of fences, so it takes more energy to pull away again. They’ve also designed good fences and then dressed them — so often you see it the other way around, and the fences are beautiful but not very interesting to jump.”

Bill Levett (10th): “It’s going to require a hell of a lot of stamina. The more you walk it, the more you start to see your way around — and the less upset you get about the dressage!”

Polly Stockton (15th): “I watched the preview and scared myself stupid! I’m pleasantly surprised now I’ve seen it in person. He’s a bold horse, but can be a bit greedy in his distances — I won’t know if I’m sitting on a four-star horse until Saturday.”

Buck Davidson (16th): “Captain Mark Phillips rode, and he understands how horses think and react. There are no funny jumps that confuse horses — the question is clear, and then they can decide whether to jump or not. American eventing has a lot to be thankful for with Mark — not just in terms of what he did for the team, he really upped eventing on the whole with his courses.

Andrew Nicholson (16th and 29th): “This way around will be tough. There’s so many ways of going at so many of the fences, but I’m not clever enough to work them all out — so I’m just going to go direct most of the way around. It’s too confusing to try to figure them out!”

Ciaran Glynn (28th): “I didn’t realise how beefy it would be! There are big lumps of timber the whole way around. There’s a long pull up Winners’ Avenue that never ends, and then you’ve got to pop the smallest ditch in eventing at the Cottesmore Leap. I’ll get to that point and see how much horse I’ve got — then, if we’re feeling good, I’ll rip it the whole way home.”

Camille Lejeune (30th): “It’s less technical than some of the French courses, which have no terrain so need to use twists and turns to make it difficult. Here, the ground does it.”

Richard Jones (33rd): “I think it’s an incredibly brave move by Captain Mark Phillips to do what he’s done. There’s no way out of jail at the Dairy Mound — if your horse isn’t a true four-star horse, I can’t see a way home there. It’s a very, very clever horse, and you’ll have to ride with your head, not just thinking of the minute markers.”

Esib Power (37th): “It’s built for my horse — he’s never been off the bridle yet on any course. He might look like a child’s pony in the stable, but he’s a naughty little brat — though on a good day, he’s a pleasure to ride cross country. He’s a different league than anything I’ve ever sat on — he wasn’t a slow racehorse; he was a winner on the track.”

Ben Way (42nd): “It walked better than I saw on the preview. There are plenty of places where he’s given an option where he didn’t necessarily need to, which will be interesting. Then you’ve got a long gallop up the hill, and nice, plain fences cruising downhill all the way home. I’ll be trying to make use of Galley Light’s Thoroughbred-iness. I’ll give him some early long routes to give him confidence — he’s not an ignorant horse, and he needs some hand-holding.”

Polly Jackson-Griffin (45th): “The ground is a massive thing here — very undulating and hilly with a big hill at the eight minute marker, and then the jumps actually get bigger!”

Imogen Murray (54th): “It’s big, and it’s bold, and it should suit Ivar Gooden. He loves to gallop — if it was a fourteen minute cross country, that would be perfect!”

Katie Preston (55th): “This course has got my horse’s name all over it. He’s a horse who looks for the flags, and at every point, the horses can see them. There are no tricks. I’ve never gotten to the bottom of his stamina before — he’s a Thoroughbred, and the perfect Burghley horse.”

Tina Cook (62nd): “It’s very similar to last year in many ways. There are a lot of wide fences, which will be quite energy sapping. The technicality is varied in places, but has been upped in other areas, like the Maltings. If you take on the oxer and get it wrong it’s very fiddly, and you could be up there half an hour trying to find your way out! We’ve got enough combinations early on, and the Leaf Pit early on, which will catch people out. By the end of the course, though, the simple fences will still be difficult, because the horses will be tired.”

Michael Owen (65th): “The Trout Hatchery will come up thick and fast, and the Rolex combination at 15abcd with its Vicarage Vee replica, too. This place can catch you out anywhere with the terrain — you or the horse can lose focus at any time. You’re not clear once you get past the Dairy Mound, either — the horses can, and will, still tire. Some of the long routes won’t waste any more time, so you need to have done your homework and have a plan A, B, and C for each one.”

Dickie Waygood (Team GB Performance Manager): “It’s incredible — the horses will love jumping off this ground, and the fences are beautifully dressed.”

Cross country begins shortly at 11.00am BST/6.00am EST — follow our links below to follow along via the live stream and our Twitter feed. The marvellous Jenni Autry will be spearheading the live updates thread right here on EN — don’t miss a second of the action!

Burghley Links: Website, Entries, Timetable, Start Times & Live Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram, Form Guide

Saturday Links from Tipperary

By on Sep 1, 2018 12:01 am -

Randy Ward, Buck Davidson and Lillian Heard at the Leaf Pit. Photo by Chelsea Eldridge.

Watch out for that first step – it’s a doozy! I think there are two kinds of eventers in the world: those that feel better and more confident as they walk a cross country course and those that get even more nervous because the jumps look bigger the closer you stand to them. I’m not saying one is better than the other, it’s just down to different personalities. You can count me in the latter category. I can’t even imagine ever walking up to a legitimate cliff like the one that is the drop into the Leaf Pit at Burghley this year. Look out below!

National Holiday: National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day

Major Events This Weekend:

American Eventing Championships [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Burghley CCI4* [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Foshay [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

U.S. Weekend Action:

Chattahoochee Hills CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Silverwood Farm H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Woodland Stallion Station H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Park Equine KY Classique H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

YEH Qualifier at Loch Moy [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Saturday Links:

FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 Announces Mars, Incorporated as Official Eventing Discipline Sponsor

Road To The WEG: Boyd Martin’s Focusing On Fitness And Confidence

‘I’ve never walked around here and seen fences of such dimensions’: top riders share their thoughts on this year’s Burghley cross-country track

Quist Defends Training Amateur Lead Aboard A Mustang Cross At American Eventing Championships

Top rider’s ‘eventful’ weekend includes broken bit and incredible cross-country save

Inbreeding in Thoroughbreds: Positives and Negatives

Saturday Video: Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody, leaders after the first phase, are the last to go in this session.

Dressage Session 3

Friday Dressage

Posted by The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials Official Page on Friday, August 31, 2018

Rain on Our Parade: All the Friday AEC Action That Didn’t Get Stormed Out

By on Aug 31, 2018 10:17 pm -

Hayden Brown and California Girl lead Jr. Beginner Novice dressage with another two-thirds of the division still to go. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

The last sound you want to hear in the middle of your dressage test is the judge urgently ringing a bell, but in the case of Jr. Beginner Novice rider Ava Cunningham, it wasn’t because she’d gone off course. She was being rung out of the ring because an order had just come down from show management for all riders to dismount and proceed to the barn immediately, even if they were in the middle of a test.

For poor Ava and several other riders, it was the third time they’d been sent back to the barns; after two warmups terminated by holds for lightning, she’d finally made it up the centerline and then … ding-ding-ding! An ominous incoming storm was the final straw, forcing all remaining Friday competition to be postponed until Saturday.

We eventers are champions at rolling with the punches, though, and we wish Ava a happy rematch tomorrow. Let’s hear it for all our Jr. Beginner Novice competitors, in fact! They’re an inspiration, perhaps still too young and fresh to be saddled with all the neurotic garage we heap upon ourselves as adults.

Take, for instance, Mackenzie Lowe and Addie Oakie. Addie did not like that judge’s box. Not. One. Bit. Refused to go near that cursed devil hut before their test.

Addie Oakie: “Are those aliens in there? DEFINITELY ALIENS. Grab mane, mom, Imma get us out of here.” Photo by Leslie Wylie.

But Mackenzie just kept breathing and rode him quietly through it, and once she got him in the ring he mostly forgot about the aliens and was all business.

Mackenzie Lowe and Addie Okie. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

We caught up with Mackenzie after her ride to ask what was going through her head:

Well-played, Mackenzie! Gracie Friend was another rider who did a pro job of soothing her horse’s nerves:

Jr. Beginner Novice is the largest AEC division, and only about a third of the competitors squeezed their tests in before the storm delay. Best of luck to the rest of the field tomorrow! Click here for the new schedule and here for new ride times.

Only four of the eight Novice and Beginner Novice divisions scheduled to tackle dressage today were completed before the competition suspension; Novice Amateur, Junior Novice, Beginner Novice Amateur and Beginner Novice Horse all wrapped up dressage today, and there are still four riders to go in Beginner Novice Rider, 10 to go in Novice Rider, 20 to go in Junior Beginner Novice, and all of the Novice Horse competitors.

Meanwhile over at cross country, a full day of action was scheduled for Training, Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced divisions, but mother nature intervened. Only Training and three of the four Preliminary divisions had their chance to leave the start box on Tremaine Cooper’s cross-country course (check out a virtual preview here). The remaining Preliminary division, Intermediate and Advanced will now go cross country on Saturday morning. Preliminary will show jump on Saturday, while Intermediate and Advanced will Show Jump on Sunday morning. Click here for the revised schedule.

Here’s a roundup of the day’s action, with quotes from the leaders of each division! Many thanks to the good-looking, hardworking media folks at USEA and Colorado Horse Park for making such comprehensive coverage possible.

Jr. Novice

Julia Brittain and Haiku. Shannon Brinkman Photo.

In the lead after dressage: Julia Brittain and Haiku, her own 6-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Sir Donnerhall, on a 29.2.

On their partnership: “I got him almost two years ago. I introduced him to eventing, so it’s a big deal to be here. We switched barns a year ago, and my partnership with him hasn’t been as smooth as I would have liked, but we’re definitely on an upward trajectory at this point.”

Her cross country plan: “Not take any of the jumps for granted. Cross country and dressage are probably our strongest phases. I just need to ride him forward and strong and straight, especially to the combinations.”

On their heels: Miriam Copeland and her own D’Stinctive, an 11-year-old Friesian gelding (Diederik x Rippin And Snortin), are 2nd on a score of 29.2. Blake Foley and Judicial Review, Ellen Doughty-Hume’s 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, are 3rd on a 31.8.

Top three after dressage: 

Novice Amateur

Erin Contino and Handsome Ransom. USEA/Jessica Duffy Photo.

In the lead after dressage: Erin Contino and Handsome Ransom, her 6-year-old Thoroughbred gelding  (Desert Warrior x St. Casmir’s Secret), on a score of 25.8.

On their test: “Yesterday in my warmup ride he was obedient but tight and definitely a little distracted,” said Contino. “He was just a bit more reactive than I wanted him. But today when I got on him, I felt him take a deep breath. I rode a little ahead of my scheduled time, the horse in front of me must have scratched. I debated waiting for my time because he was still a little bit up. But I decided to use that to my advantage to keep him a bit brighter and to come up with a bigger test than I normally do. It could have backfired, but it didn’t.”

On the Colorado resident’s first AEC: “It’s nice that it’s here. We’re really excited. We figured we had better take advantage of that!”

On their heels: Michelle Meghrouni and Swizzle, a 7-year-old Holsteiner mare (Blauer Vogel x Swiss Detail), are 2nd on a score of 27.0. with Lorilee Hanson and Hypnotik, her own 7-year-old Warmblood/Thoroughbred gelding Hypnotik (Montego Bay x Trelawny), are 3rd on a 27.5.

Top three after dressage: 

Beg. Novice Amateur

Cami Pease and Vibrant. USEA/Jessica Duffy Photo.

In the lead after dressage: Cami Pease and Vibrant, her own 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Orlando x Fatima Van De Heffenk), on a score of 24.5.

On their test: “We have been working really hard on dressage. I want to do the dressage regionals this year. I just wanted to go in and be positive; he felt really good. I was a little bit surprised by the score. There were a couple of moments that I thought could have been improved, but that’s always true. He was great. Last year at the AEC he was kind of spooky in the ring; Tryon is kind of a big atmosphere. It was nice that the Horse Park let us get them acclimated and get in the rings. He was great, focused and happy.”

On the cross country course: “It looks great! It looks really fun. I love that it’s galloping and there are open fields with plenty of space to get into a rhythm. The fences look incredible. It looks like a lot of fun. It’s an incredible backdrop, the sky is huge out here! You can see for miles.”

On their heels: Sherry Pound and Gestalt, her 6-year-old Mecklenburg gelding (Gloriosus x Celine), are 2nd on a 27.4. Meagan Counts and Aviator, her own 6-year-old Holsteiner gelding, are 3rd on 27.5 penalties.

Top three after dressage: 

Beg. Novice Horse

Alexa Ehlers and Clear Laveer. Shannon Brinkman Photo.

In the lead after dressage: Alexa Ehlers and Clear Laveer, her own 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Rascalino x Hauptstutbuch Wincenta 2), on a 27.4.

On their test: “Our test today was good. I’m pleased with him. He was really obedient, which was good. But with that said, he was also pretty fresh. Yesterday we schooled, and that went great. He’s just a really happy dude. The whole point of me eventing him is just for him to learn to enjoy working. I got him for that reason. Today he just seemed really happy, and I’m happy for that reason. He was really steady and did everything I asked of him. He threw in a little porpoise-like move, having way too much fun with himself. I’m just happy that he was having fun the whole time. He’s super rideable.”

On their plan for the weekend: “My plan will be to go out there and get it done, but, I’m merely here to have fun. I just want my horse to have a really good time. I’m going to be the ridiculous person, patting him. Doing all of the things that I don’t do with the other horses. But I want him to go out and have a good time and be confident and come home confident. That’s the whole point.”

On their heels: Taylor Lindsten and Claudia Channing’s Chestnut Oak’s Drummer Boy, an 11-year-old Shire gelding (Clononeen Romantic Traveler x Steege’s Beth), are 2nd on a score of 28.1. Sophie Mueller and Dawn Holmes’ 24Karat Magic, a 7-year-old Australian Stock Horse gelding by Icewood’s Cadabra, are 3rd on a 29.6.

Top three after dressage: 

Junior/Young Rider Preliminary

Madelyn Floyd and Clementine lead the Junior/Young Rider Preliminary division. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

In the lead after cross country: Madelyn Floyd and her own Clementine, a 9-year-old Hanoverian mare (Carrico x La Belle), on a score of 29.5.

On their run: “The course rode great. My mare was super good, and I was really happy with the overall performance. This is our first year doing the full Preliminary level, so I have been really proud of her. She was super bold and confident to everything, and just gave me a nice overall feel. I just came off of the Intermediate at Woodside which gave me some preparation, it was a bit big but it was a competitive track and I enjoyed it. She and I both love cross-country!”

On having the AECs close-ish to home (Madelyn lives in Washington): “I’ve never been here to CHP before and this is my first AEC. It was really exciting for me, because I couldn’t have made it to the East Coast with school and stuff, so I was very happy to find out it was coming to the Midwest.”

On their heels: Camryn Holcomb and Michaela Holcomb’s Cloud Nine, a 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, are 2nd on a 32.7. Callia Englund and her own Xyder, an 8-year-old Cheval Canadien gelding (D D D-Cromwell Prince 2 I x Cosyland Start Kandi), sit 3rd on a 42.3.

Top three after cross country: 

Preliminary Horse

Tamra Smith and Fleeceworks Ghost. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

In the lead after cross country: Tamra Smith and Fleeceworks Ghost, Judith McSwain’s 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse/Belgian Warmblood mare  (Shannondale Sarco x Riverlon Mist), on their dressage score of 29.0.

On their run: “I wasn’t sure how the time was going to run. We metered it and it was pretty right on, so I figured that the time wouldn’t be super hard to make, but it actually was hard to make, and the course rode a lot more tough than I had anticipated. That mare is pretty experienced and she had her eyes open. I had to ride. All the questions were fair. I thought it presented itself very well. It’s a championship. It should be at the top of the level. I thought Tremaine [Cooper] did a great job with the design. It was very much a championship course.”

On their show jumping plan: “She’s a good jumper, I’m really happy to be on her going into day three. I mean, she can occasionally have a rail. She tries really hard and she’s a good jumper, so I’m hoping that it works out great.”

On their heels: Gina Economou and Syntax, Lauren Rath’s 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Devil His Due x Synful Maid), on a score of 30.4. Smith also rounds out the top three on the MB Group LLC’s MB MaiBlume, an 8-year-old German Sport Horse/Thoroughbred gelding (Sir Schiwago x Free Lady), on their dressage score of 31.9.

Top three after cross country:

Preliminary Amateur

Erin Hofmann and Darkwatch. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

In the lead after cross country: Erin Hofmann and her own Darkwatch, a 2008 Thoroughbred gelding (Royal Academy x Without), on their dressage score of 32.4.

On their run: “Our cross country run today was really good. I was a little nervous at the beginning, but my horse is really bold and likes a good galloping course so it was a good fit for him. It was a lot of fun, and it rode really well.”

On competing at the AEC: “I was at the very first AEC as a volunteer, but this is my first AEC as a competitor. It’s so nice to be here, and to have this in our home court is a dream. We love coming here, it’s a great facility and a great event.”

On their heels: Julia Spatt and her own 5o1 Macintosh, an 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, are 2nd, having collected 0.8 time penalties for a score of 35.1. Darlene McInnes and her own Speed Bump, an 8-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Pomeroy x Everdream), are in 3rd on a 35.5.

Top three after cross country: 

Junior Training

Eva Jacroux and Rubel. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

In the lead after cross country: Eva Jacroux and Rubel, a 12-year-old Zweibrucker gelding (Radikal x When the Worlds Unite), on a 31.4.

On their run: “Rue was really good today. We were a little sticky in warm up, but as soon as we got out there it was fun! Today I really went out with the goal to not pick up any time faults, so I worked on going a little more forward than I normally do. He was good and seemed to like being pushed a bit more. All of the jumps seemed friendly, but there were some tricky questions in there, which is what this is all about.”

On her plan for show jumping: “It’s always been the toughest phase for us, so tomorrow I want to make sure that I do my job to the best of my ability, so that he can try his hardest for me too. Hopefully it’ll work out!”

On their heels: Rosie Smith and her own Seamus, a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Corrcullen, RID are 2nd on a 33.8. Sunny Courtwright and Around Midnight, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, sit in 3rd on a score of 34.3.

Top three after cross country: 

Training Horse

Lizzy Jahnke and Patrickswell Royal. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

In the lead after cross country: Lizzy Jahnke and Patrickswell Royal, Lightspeed Equestrian LLC’s 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Royal Storm x Rahard Sally), moved up from fourth to first place with a total score of 33.6.

On the mare: “She’s six this year, and she’s for sale. We imported her last year with the idea of a resale. We got her out of Ireland and she’s been with me for about a year and a half now. I click well with her. She’s lovely, super sweet, and a really nice horse.”

Of the day’s cross country course: “I thought it was a really nice course. Definitely the biggest course this mare has ever jumped – she’s super young. It was a challenge, but fair. It was beautifully decorated, and they made really good use of the terrain. I thought everything rode really well.”

On their heels: McKenzie Rollins moved into second place with Excel Star Lord, a 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Non-Stop x Korea B), with a 34.9. Marc Grandia aboard Michelle Jones’ Command N’ Rule, a 19-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, are 3rd on a score of 35.5 penalties.

Top three after cross country: 

Training Amateur

Linda Quist and Belle Gambe. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

In the lead after cross country: Linda Quist and Belle Gambe, her 14-year-old Iberian Warmblood mare  (Temerario VII x Mojave), on their dressage score of 27.3.

On the course: “I thought it was a very fun course, and my horse was a rockstar. It just flowed really nicely, one thing came to you after the next. The big jumps were big, but nothing too hard to handle!”

On their plan for tomorrow: “Going into tomorrow, I’m just going to try really hard to leave all of the rails up. She likes show jumping, but she wants to jump stadium like it’s cross country, so it’s our tough spot.”

On their heels: Cherye Huber and her own Sam I Am, a 12-year-old British Sport Horse gelding (Cameo’s Reflection x Castle War Rebel), moved up from 5th to 2nd place with 30.2 penalties. Dawn Robbins and her own Diablo Tejano, a 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Sandpit x Soar Like An Eagle), also jumped up the leaderboard from 9th into 3rd on a 31.1.

Top three after cross country: 

Training Rider

Tracy Alvez and Romulus. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

In the lead after cross country: Tracy Alvez and Romulus, her own 20-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Contango x Divottii), overtook the lead and move forward on a score of 26.8.

On their four-year partnership: “We’ve only had one solid year of showing because we had two years of quarter cracks and other things that we were dealing with. This is our first year back, but it’s also his retirement year so today was our final competitive cross country together. I’d like him to dabble in some dressage moving forward, but I won’t be doing the cross country with him, because I’ve just found that the conditioning for it can take a toll on him.”

On his favorite phase: “People tend to think that his strongest phase is dressage because he has a good education, but his favorite phase is cross country. Yesterday he was really quiet in the warm-up, and I thought ‘oh man, he’s behind my leg and I’m in trouble!’ when we got in the ring and started going around, he got way more excited. He turns into quite a showman.”

On their heels: Rebecca Mortensen and her own Seattle Freckles, a 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, are 2nd on a 28.8. Jessica Maranto and Czardus, an 11-year-old American Warmblood gelding (Sweet’s Lucky Moondancer x Cadence), are 3rd on a 32.8.

Top three after cross country: 

If you thought that was a long event report, just imagine how much longer if could have been if half the day hadn’t gotten postponed. Tomorrow is going to be a monster — get ready!

Go Eventing.

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AEC Friday Instagram Roundup: Riders of the Storm

By on Aug 31, 2018 8:17 pm -

You know that saying, “I could see it coming from a mile away?” Well, you could see this storm coming from maybe the next state over. Ominous clouds, dramatic lightning, booming thunder … it was actually pretty neat to watch unless, of course, you were a rider waiting to do your dressage test or start cross country. Then it was just a bummer.

After a couple holds, Friday’s competition was halted mid-afternoon to be continued Saturday. We’ll be along soon with our daily report, and of course we’ll update you with regard to the revised schedule when it’s posted! In the meantime here are a few snapshots from the day:

How we feel about lightning delay. #rbf

A post shared by Katy Groesbeck (@eventkid) on

So this happened ⚡️

A post shared by Olivia Jefferson (@omg.eventing) on

Rain hold at the AEC's #aec2018 #eventingnation #pouringrain

A post shared by Jeanine Allred (@jeanineallred) on

Thunder, lightning, and rain!! #colorado #imissthis

A post shared by Ryan Andresen (@mr_ryan_andresen) on

Welcome to Colorado 🌩 . . . #aecs #americaneventingchampionships #coloradohorsepark

A post shared by Anna Cummings (@cummings_eventing) on

AEC: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Friday Video from World Equestrian Brands: Ghurka Soldiers in Battle of Burghley

By on Aug 31, 2018 7:00 pm -

Happy Friday, chums, from a remote field in a jolly corner of rural Lincolnshire! (Nah, I’m kidding, I’m in a Holiday Inn Express in Peterborough, eating pizza and calculating dressage margins. Try to tell me the life of an equestrian journalist isn’t a glamorous one. Just TRY.) Today’s Friday video is, I’m afraid, sans entry information — mainly because I’ve got a course preview to wrap up for you all. You win some, you lose some, and Burghley madness is one helluva drug.

Speaking of Burghley, their official charity this year is the Gurkha Welfare Trust, which provides support to the British Army’s Nepalese soldiers and their families. To raise awareness of their mission — and to show off the enormous dimensions of this year’s course — four of these intrepid soldiers took to the track on foot for Horse&Hound. We rather think that press-ups in the Cottesmore Leap should be a mandatory condition of completion, frankly. Get stuck into the brilliant video and take your first look at the colossal course before tomorrow’s competition kicks off — it’s a big’un, but somehow this lot make it seem almost – dare we say it? – easy. Almost.

Burghley Dressage Wrap-Up: Quality Kiwis Hit the Mark

By on Aug 31, 2018 1:15 pm -

Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody lead after the first phase. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

The final session of dressage was always set to be an exciting one, with some of the top combinations in the competition coming forward in front of the ground jury. Historically, we always tend to see slightly more favourable marking on Friday afternoon — but over two days of competition, we witnessed a grand majority fall in the mid-30s bracket, with arguably conservative scoring across the board, and very few riders earning coveted 9s in their tests.

The Townend stronghold was shaken up by a strong showing by the Kiwi contingent today. New Zealand riders have historically been enormously successful here — in fact, they can claim 13 of the last 30 victories at the event.

Mark Todd is one such Kiwi rider who is no stranger to the top of the leaderboard, with five victories to his name. Sixth at Badminton with a 23.4 dressage, his eleven-year-old Irish sport horse Kiltubrid Rhapsody has demonstrated a remarkable consistency and ability to perform in his 2018 season. Today, he didn’t fail to deliver, earning a 26.4 to storm into the lead, finally usurping Oliver Townend and MHS King Joules, who have led since the start of the competition.

Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

“He was very good — I’m very pleased with him,” said Mark, who also sits in 12th place with NZB Campino, despite two errors of course. “He just keeps getting better and better. He’s got a wonderful temperament; he can go out there and it just doesn’t bother him at all. He actually got a bit nervous in the collecting ring, as there was quite a lot of noise around, but you can’t really hear it when you get in the ring, and he settled back down.”

A minor blip in the extended trot prevented Mark and ‘Raps’ from matching their Badminton score: “He skipped a bit there, which he never does, but for his level of training I don’t think he could have gone much better. Bless him — he just loves showing off in there.”

This will be Kiltubrid Rhapsody’s first trip around the Burghley course, and the second consecutive year that Mark finds himself in the lead after this phase. Last year, he and Leonidas II led the way, but their competition came to an unfortunate early end when the horse stumbled upon landing from a fence, ejecting Mark out of the front door and leaving them with a long walk home. This year, he intends to avoid a similar disappointment.

Mark Todd is all smiles on the hunt for a record-equalling sixth win at Burghley. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have a few wins, and of course, you’re always looking to win another one — and I probably won’t have too many more chances. I wouldn’t say Burghley is his ideal track, but he’s a real trier and just keeps galloping and jumping, so we’ll see. There’s a long way to go yet. He’s fitter than he was at Badminton, and a bit harder now, but this is a different kind of track with a lot of hills.”

Tim Price and the ‘quirky’ Ringwood Sky Boy. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Mark’s fellow countryman Tim Price set an early precedent for the week to come, producing a 26.9 with Ringwood Sky Boy. Tim, who won Luhmühlen CCI4* in 2014, has had several good results here with ‘Oz’, including a fifth-place finish last year, fourth in 2016, and second in 2015.

“I had high hopes for him — we’ve been here a few times, but it hasn’t necessarily always been an upward curve in terms of improvement,” he said. “It’s been slightly snakes and ladders with him, but not today — maybe now that he’s fifteen, he’s maturing and we’ve figured him out. I’m mostly pleased that we stood still three times! He went sideways at Rio and has done it here, and if you can’t stand still, you can fall down the scoreboard pretty dramatically. He just tends to get a bit excited and can’t contain himself, but he went in their and stood quietly.”

Oz wasn’t always an obvious upper-level contender for Tim, who bought the horse as an ‘unruly’ six-year-old, with a proclivity for rearing and bolting, and for the princely sum of £3,000.

“I tried to sell him for a few years — in fact, I tried to sell him to the Brazilians that Mark was working with — but no one wanted him. But now, I wouldn’t be without him. He’s a part of the furniture at the farm.”

Oliver Townend and MHS King Joules remain in third place — the best of Oliver’s three rides. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Oliver Townend‘s long-term leader MHS King Joules sits in third place going into cross country, the highest-placed of his three-pronged attack here. His reigning champion Ballaghmor Class was the last horse to enter the ring today, and while we didn’t see quite the quality of work that led to his remarkable 20.8 at Badminton, he delivered a respectable score of 27.9 to sit fifth overnight. Oliver also holds seventh place with his Badminton runner-up Cooley SRS, putting him into an enviable — if highly-pressured — position going into tomorrow.

“Ballaghmor Class’ test didn’t quite come off how I was hoping it would come off, but we’ve won big competitions from worse positions, and we’re only a couple of seconds from the top,” he said. “For him to be that cool and walk so nicely is a real testament to the horse — I have no complaints at all, I’m delighted with him.”

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class make their way into the top ten. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Oliver may have his hands full, trying to analyse and plan his way around Captain Mark Phillips’ tough track with three very different horses in mind, but he’s no stranger to piloting an impressive number around a top-level track. Nor does he register the external pressure to deliver a result in the wake of his exclusion from the World Equestrian Games team, a hot topic on everyone’s lips this week.

“I love coming to Burghley, and I don’t really think I need to prove any points. I’m here to enjoy it, and to enjoy my horses. Burghley is very special in my heart, and to come with three horses who I love riding is a special and unique position to be in. I’m unbelievably happy with all three of them, and all credit has to go to the team behind the scenes — having three horses looking great, feeling great, and performing well at Burghley is a tough job. Now, if all three can stay on the same scores, I’ll be doing somersaults!”

Australia’s Bill Levett made a late entry into the top ten riding Improvise, who was 6th here in 2014.

“He was good, but they didn’t love him — I was hoping for a 27 or a 28, but that’s the way it is! Like many horses, he anticipated walking on the final centreline, but we so rarely have tests where they have to transition from canter to trot there. We’ve been working with [Australian dressage rider] Gareth Hughes once or twice a month, which just keeps us improving and aware of what we’re doing. Frankly, the more you walk the cross country course, the less upset you get about dressage!”

Andrew Nicholson and Swallow Springs sit in the top 20 overnight. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Another Kiwi looked to be in contention for a top placing, though the mark didn’t quite reflect the work he felt he’d produced. Andrew Nicholson‘s four-star debutante Swallow Springs earned a 32.1 from the judges, putting him in equal 16th.

“I was very pleased with him — I thought he was smart, classy, and active throughout, but I guess I’m out of favour with the ground jury,” he remarked. “He felt very cool in his brain. He’s come on mentally, and he’s a lot stronger in his body, but the scores didn’t match what I felt, and they didn’t match what I’ve seen in some other tests this week. But we’ll just have to get the other phases right.”

Buck Davidson and Park Trader choose the perfect moment to lay down a personal best. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Buck Davidson and Park Trader finished the day as our best-placed North American combination, finishing equal 16th on a personal best of 32.1.

“I was very happy with him, he worked really well,” he enthused. “He got a bit wound up when he first came up, but then he settled. I brought him to Millstreet [Nations Cup in Ireland] last week to school him, so he’s been over here for a couple of weeks now and is well settled. I’m excited to have him here this weekend — I think he’s the right horse for the job. His attention isn’t always there, but he’s an out-and-out galloper and jumper, and I’d like to do it better than I have before.”

Tomorrow’s cross country test is chock-full of tests and stamina-sapping efforts, and we’ve spoken to the riders about their initial impressions and battle-plans for tackling Captain Mark Phillips‘ tricky track. Stay tuned as we bring you the inside intel, and an unpacking of the course, before the competition recommences tomorrow at 11.00am BST/6.00am EST. Go Kiwis, and Go Eventing!

The top ten at the conclusion of dressage at Burghley.

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