Classic Eventing Nation

The best of days in the office: Tim Price and Vitali take the Burghley lead and smash all the records in the process. Photo by Libby Law.

There’s taking the first-phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, and then there’s what Tim Price pulled off today: not just a decisive leap into the top spot with Tokyo partner Vitali (Contender – Noble Lady, by Heraldik), but the only sub-20 score in Burghley history and, as such, a new record for the competition, a new record for the CCI5* level (non-inclusive of championships) — and Tim’s own career personal best at any international level, to boot. That score? An almost obscene 18.7, which sees the pair go into cross-country tomorrow 5.5 penalties, or thirteen seconds, ahead of their nearest competitors.

“I can’t believe it,” says Tim. “He’s always had that ability, but he’s a quirky little horse. It’s usually a couple of things that are mainly my fault that don’t go quite to plan, but he was super today. He’s very capable of this sort of score, but as we all know, doing it on the day is what’s difficult. There’s always two or three or four things of note that you could do better, and then all the other bits and pieces that create those good scores. But today was a good day, and for me, it felt like a very working class approach for myself with a very classy horse underneath. I felt like I was really pushing and riding, and really not so focused on being perfect in my position — it was all about being effective.”

Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Libby Law.

For the talented Holsteiner, who’s finished in the top ten in all three of his five-star starts, despite three rails at each, getting the headspace right has always been the key — and when that’s happened, as at Burghley last year when he scored a 21.3 and finished third, he’s been a bit of magic.

“He has done some good scores at this level once or twice, but I do believe he can do better, and he’s proven it today — he just needs full attention on the job,” says Tim. “And then, once he’s got that concentration, then he relaxes a little bit and I can really ride him, and then it’s poetry.”

Being able to really ride him, he explains, means feeling that the 13-year-old “just has a desire to go forward. And I think that’s true with any horse. I mean, it’s the age-old thing, isn’t it:  to go forward is key, but everything softens with him, including his mind. It’s always my way with most of them, to be honest. Just to have a desire to go somewhere — to go, ’round the corner, let’s go; round the corner, let’s go; bit of balance, bit of collection, now let’s go again’. Just so that becomes the norm, so then with a horse like him that’s established with the movements, you can just put the movements on top of that rhythm, and balance, and desire.”

It’ll be a different kind of Burghley cross-country day to Tim’s usual sun-up to sun-down busyness: we’re used to seeing him here with multiple horses, but with just Vitali on the roster tomorrow, and late in the day at that, he has a whole day to fill, and a plan in place for how to fill it.

“It’s funny, I came here this week, and looking at the guys with a few horses, I’ve been thinking, ‘I’m so pleased I’m not riding three!’,” he says. “But then, actually, when you do come with three, it’s very much the opposite. You just want to take it on and go to work. I’m here with one this year, which is a lot easier, but he is a complex character and it probably suits him to have a bit more of my attention, not just riding him, but just being around a bit more and just thinking things through.”

And as the day dawns?

“I think I’ll watch a few, pick a few out, and then go and relax — think about what I should have for breakfast, and just slow down the thinking, I think, until you get into the start box and away you go! You’ve got your ideas of how it goes, but it invariably goes differently to what you thought. But the ground is amazing; the terrain, I feel familiar with. I really enjoy it here — I like the time of year this arrives at. I’m keen to get out there.”

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Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Libby Law.

As the penultimate rider of the day, Oliver Townend had one hope for his 2017 Burghley winner Ballaghmor Class — simply to try to go one or two marks better than his day one leader, Swallow Springs, who had posted a 24.2. But while he didn’t manage that, he did deliver a rather remarkable show of consistency: the enormously experienced gelding cruised through the test to end up on exactly the same score, putting Oliver in equal second place with himself going into tomorrow’s cross-country.

“It’s strange, but it’s great,’ says Oliver, who also sits 13th with Tregilder on a 30.5. “Both horses are both very different horses to ride, but the result’s the main bit, and they both went in there and did the test with a smile on their faces. As far as I’m aware, they both jumped clear around in there, so to speak, so fingers crossed we continue the form for the next two days.”

Those differences, he explains, are expansive — from the way the two geldings are built to the way to their brains.

“Both are blood, sharp horses in very, very different ways,” he says. “Swallow Springs could do anything, really; he’s very light on the floor and very wick. He’s very sharp, and a little bit swallow-like; he’s a bit all over the show and very light to ride. You know with him that if you don’t feel like you need the reins in the dressage, he’s doing a good job. Ballaghmor Class is more of a heavy horse to ride in that he’s athletic and powerful, but in a very different way — he’s not the lightest of athletes, he’s kind of a little bit… clunky is the wrong word, but he’s a little less sensitive in some ways, and very sensitive in others. It’s difficult to describe, but they’re definitely chalk and cheese.”

It’s hard to imagine how odds could be stacked much more favourably than they are for Oliver; not only does he have two horses in equal second — and that extra in the top fifteen — but he’s also mounted on three rides tomorrow that either have clears inside the time or very-near clears inside the time under their belt at the level already, and in the case of those two greys, both of them have managed the feat at Burghley. But, he acknowledges, it’s never wise to get complacent — particularly here, and particularly as the memory of his tough weekend last year, which saw him fall at the penultimate fence with Tregilder and earlier in the course with Swallow Springs, proves that just about anything can happen out on course.

“I think everything just stands up at you that bit bigger at these five-stars, and especially at Burghley with the terrain,” he says. “Fences come up a lot quicker, and you have to work a lot harder, especially when they’re huffing and puffing a little bit. The Dairy Mound, I think, will be quite physical — you need to get a blow into the horses down the hill to that, and then get them back up again, so you really have to make it happen. It’s Burghley, from start to finish. First, I’ll think about jumping the fences clear, then it’s about riding the horse, rather than the clock, and seeing where we end up.”

Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser. Photo by Libby Law.

Tom McEwen now holds the fourth-place spot with his second ride, Toledo de Kerser, who produced a typically consistent, professional test to earn a score of 25.6. But where Toledo is consistently excellent, he does also have one small consistent weak spot — his walk work. That cost them today, and they received 5s and 6s throughout the walk section of the test, precluding a higher-placing score.

Still, though, Tom isn’t going to bog himself down worrying about the finer margins when there’s so much Burghley left to be done.

“I’m delighted, actually,” he says. “I thought his lateral work was really good, his changes were excellent, and his canter work was really good. I tried a little bit of a different way of warming up, which did mean that he was a bit excitable in the walk and the halts, so it took a little while to get through those movements in the test. He’s got a bit bored with dressage, so even though you could nudge him around a test, I like having him a little bit fresh — and then he’s just too fresh for the walk, which is fine, because it shows that he’s fit and ready for tomorrow. I’m very much looking forward to that; for me, to have him back at Burghley is so exciting.”

This’ll be Toledo’s first Burghley since his fourth-place finish as a ten-year-old in 2017; since then, the Olympic individual silver medallist has been tied up with team obligations in this latter part of the season, and now, with JL Dublin having stepped into his usual role at the European Championships last month, he’s able to make a serious bid for a first British five-star win — one that Tom will be hoping to add to their 2019 Pau victory.

Tom also sits in twelfth place on a 30.5 with his first ride, five-star debutant Luna Mist, with whom he’ll leave the start box early tomorrow — and both horses, he explains, will require a different approach to taking on the bold Derek di Grazia track.

“I’ve got very different plans for both horses,” he says. “They’re both pocket rockets, but in their own different directions. The plan will be similar in some bits and different in others — but what an amazing track. The ground looks amazing; the course looks great, and I know Tim’s gone and got an amazing result with a beautiful test, so it’s all very competitive.”

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Libby Law.

Yesterday’s morning leaders, European Champion Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel, sit in fifth place now on their score of 26.9, while Boyd Martin, already well in the hunt in sixteenth with Maryland winner On Cue (31.8), takes control of sixth with his hugely experienced Olympic partner Tsetserleg TSF, who put a very good 28.1 on the board this afternoon.

“He’s a good old horse, and we’ve sort of had an up and down year this year, but I feel like we’ve just started to pull it all together even though he’s a veteran of the sport,” says Boyd. “To be in the mix with some of the best horses and best riders, it’s either a relief or happiness, but we’ve still got a mission ahead of us tomorrow and the next day.”

Burghley wasn’t necessarily always ‘Thomas’s’ major 2023 aim, but instead a bit of a rerouted plan after a frustrating early 20 and subsequent retirement at Kentucky this spring, and another early 20 at Luhmühlen in June. All that, though, he says has helped him prepare for a run here this week.

“I had a bit of a blip early on at Luhmühlen, so I sort of just coasted around the cross country course there, and in hindsight, the run didn’t take much out of Thomas,” says Boyd. “So then we just ran him once at Bromont, which was a Derek di Grazia course, three weeks ago. He won that and jumped really well, and then we shipped them over here [at the weekend]. Usually, the week before a five-star you’re practising your test and training them and galloping him and so, maybe luckily for Cue and Thomas, they had four or five days off. They shipped all the way here and were just hanging out with [groom] Steph; she hacked them around and then I got here on Monday and had a jump and a gallop and probably only two or three dressage rides.”

That lessened schooling schedule, he thinks, might be exactly what helped Thomas produce his best work.

“MaybeI should try that a bit more,” he muses. “The more you practice, the sourer they can get. They can get a sore mouth and a sore back, and sometimes with these old boys,  easing off them might be the ticket.”

Tsetserleg will be a late-in-the-day ride for Boyd, who’ll be sixth out of the start box on On Cue — but whether that early ride helps or hinders his plan for the diminutive Trakehner remains to be seen.

“It depends if the first one goes well,” he says with a laugh. “I do feel like the benefit in having multiple horses is that you have a feel of what’s about to come around the corner, which turn’s a bit slippery, and which jumps you’ve got to slow down to, so there is a slight advantage there. They’re quite different horses, though, Cue and Thomas. But they’re both legends. They’re two of my all-time favourite horses. They’ve both played an amazing part in my career and to be here, at the pinnacle of the sport, is awesome and we’re going to give it a good crack tomorrow.”

Another potential benefit on Boyd’s side? “I’ve probably ridden more Derek courses than any other rider here,” he says. “But still, it’s pretty hard to replicate what you’ve got here. There’s no Leaf Pit in the States that Derek’s been practicing with! So I’m not sure if it’s an advantage or not, but I’ll tell myself it is!”

This far away from home, Boyd won’t necessarily be able to use all his innovative tools to get his mindset right ahead of tomorrow — it’s pretty hard to bring an ice bath across the pond with you, after all. But his work over the last few years with his guru, Rubee, has given him plenty of ways to centre himself and get focussed on the job at hand.

“It’s a bit harder when you’re in another country, just because you can’t bring all your stuff with you,” says Boyd, who’s also flying solo without wife Silva this week, as she’s in the latter stages of pregnancy. “But, you know, it’s about staying calm and fired up at the same time and going through a routine. I probably won’t eat very much [before cross-country]; I’ll do a bit of stretching and just as the sun comes up, I’ll walk the course again by myself or with Eric Duvander. It’s actually a pretty swift course walk; you just sort of look at your plan, at the lines you’re jumping and how many strides you’re doing and stuff like that. I get bloody nervous watching everyone else go, but I’ve got a ride early on, so luckily for me, it’ll go pretty quick. Before I know it, I’ll be in a rush to get on my horse.”

Grace Taylor and Game Changer. Photo by Libby Law.

It’s been a barnstorming two days for the US contingent, which sees all six in the top twenty and three in the top ten, continued on apace thanks to British-based five-star debutant Grace Taylor and her Monart Sales graduate, Game Changer. They put an exceptional 28.9 on the board for overnight seventh — an achievement that’s made even more remarkable because it’s their first-ever international sub-30 mark.

“I’m speechless — I don’t know what to say, except thank you, Game Changer,” says the 27-year-old, whose mother, Ann (née Sutton) rode for the US team at the 1988 Olympics, and whose father, Nigel, was a five-star rider in his own right before becoming a selector for the British team and, of course, the proprietor of the prolific Aston le Walls eventing venue.

That wealth of knowledge in her corner — plus an awful lot of hard work — has obviously paid dividends for the up-and-coming rider and her exciting horse, with whom she finished in the top ten at Bramham this year. But to pull off a personal best in a five-star debut? That was beyond her wildest dreams — and it was with no shortage of emotion that she processed the actuality of the situation moments after her test.

“You just keep practising the test and hope you do your best on the day,” she says. “And he was brilliant today. He’s very reliable in the ring, which is great. He had a little look at the crowd as he walked down, but he got it out of his system.”

The top three riders, encompassing four places, after dressage. Photo by Libby Law.

Tomorrow’s cross-country day will begin at 11.15 a.m. (6.15 a.m. EST) with Harry Meade trailblazing aboard the most experienced of his three rides, Away Cruising. You can check out the times in full here, sign up for your Burghley TV membership to follow the live stream here, and, of course, keep it locked on EN for live updates throughout the competition and comprehensive reports, analysis, previews, and more. We’ll be bringing you a closer look at the track to come shortly, and you can preview the major questions and find out more about Derek di Grazia’s philosophy for this year’s track in our interview and course walk here. To our intrepid competitors, and to you: Go Eventing!

The top ten after dressage at the 2023 Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

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What a day of dressage we had yesterday at Defender Burghley!

A leaderboard change after lunch, an American charge, and a smart test by Swallow Springs to see a delighted Oliver Townend sitting in pole position overnight on a score of 24.2.

Just over two points behind, in second is Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel on 26.9.

Rounding out the top three is Emily King with Valmy Biats on 30.

Oliver‘s other ride, Tregilder is on 30.5, equal with Tom McEwen and Luna Mist.

Then it’s the USA’s Jennie Saville with FE Lifestyle in 6th on 31.1.

The other US rider to go yesterday, Boyd Martin with On Cue sits in 8th on 31.8.

And Jessie Phoenix and Wabbit for Canada are 15th on 34.9.

Here’s a look at that top ten in full:

The top ten at the end of the first day of competition at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

Great Britain’s Richard Skelt will kick off the action at 9:45am BST / 4:45am EST with Credo.

If you’re following the USA contingent, first up for you will be Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way – set to go at 10:33am BST / 5:33am EST.

You’ll also want to watch out for Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl who’ll enter the ring at 11:10am BST / 6:10am EST.

Later on in the order, we’ve got two Americans on the trot – Grace Taylor with Game Changer at 2:25pm BST / 9:25am EST and Boyd Martin is back with his second ride Tsetserleg TSF at 2:33pm BST / 9:33am EST.

Will there be a change at the top after today’s action between the white boards? Who will set out from the start box at the head of the pack? Keep this live thread refreshed, and watch this space! (Don’t forget, if you’re viewing this after the event, read from the bottom up.)

Want to follow along with the form of all the horses and riders cantering down the center line? Check out EN’s Form Guide for all the inside info.

Don’t forget to follow @goeventing and keep it locked onto EN for all the content you can handle from all the brilliance that is Burghley.

Eyes on, and go eventing!

Defender Burghley Horse Trials Links: Website | Live Stream | Entries | Times and Scores | EN’s Coverage

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A new Burghley record. Photo shared by Team Price via Facebook.

10:45 And that’s a wrap on the history-making dressage phase at Defender Burghley!

New Burghley record holder, World No. 1 Tim Price and Vitali head up the board by just under 6 marks on a phenomenal 18.7 for New Zealand.

Oliver Townend has both of his rides – Swallow Springs and Ballaghmor Class – on 24.2.

Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser are in 4th on 25.6.

It’s been a fantastic start to Burghley for the US riders.

Boyd Martin sits in 6th with Tsetseleg TSF on 28.1.

Right behind, in 7th is Grace Taylor with Game Changer on 28.9.

Will Faudree‘s PB with Mama’s Magic Way sees them in 9th on 29.8.

Jennie Saville and FE Lifestyle are in 14th on 31.1 and Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl are in 18th on 32.1.

Canada’s Jessie Phoenix and Wabbit are in 29th on 34.9.

Watch out for Tilly’s full round-up of all the action – coming soon!

Thanks for coming along for the ride. It’s been a blast, but tomorrow – tomorrow will be an even bigger blast for it’s the best day – it’s cross country day 🎉🙌

Bring it on, and go eventing!

10:44 Harry Meade and Tenareze round off the dressage at Defender Burghley with a score of 30.1.

10:43 They finish up with two 8s and a 7.5 in the final halt and a smile from Harry.

10:41 Ah, the horse changed going into the corner and Harry had to stop to gather him together before continuing. They’re quickly back on it though and the relaxation is still there for an 8 and a 9 in the stretch circle.

10:40 The walk is relaxed and the extended earns an 8. They have a clean strike off into the canter which continues in much the same way – easy and rhythmical and pulling in 7s.

10:39 Tenareze is shining as the sun pokes through the clouds at Burghley. The trot work is rhythmical and there’s a nice swing happening, showing how soft and supple Tenareze is. There are some 8s creeping into the scores.

10:38 The horse’s 5* debut at Pau saw them on a 29.3. At Badminton they posted a 26.9 before opting to withdraw before the cross country. At Luhmuhlen it was 30.7. What will our final dressage score be?

10:37 And rounding out the dressage at Defender Burghley, we have Harry Meade, back in the ring for the third time, with the stallion Tenareze.

Harry always brings a splash of color to the Horse Inspection with some snazzy pants – they were lilac this year. I see he’s gone with the more traditional white breeches to finish off the dressage – shame.

🏆🏆 Tenareze won the World Championship for Young Horses at Le Lion D’Angers as both a 6 and 7-year-old with previous rider, Tom Carlile.

They were 5th at Luhmuhlen, finishing on their dressage of 30.7.

Early on in his career, Tenareze was a bit ‘ditchy’, so Harry walked 1000 ditches a month with him to build his confidence and prove to him that there were no trolls lurking in the depths 🧌

The perpetually nattily dressed Mr Meade, with the equally striking Tenareze:

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10:36 Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class score 24.2 – the same score as his other ride Swallow Springs. They’re into 3rd based on the collective marks, whilst Swallow Springs holds 2nd.

10:34 This is all very nice work, and Oliver is riding with his usual accuracy. Overall this has been a nice test and there’s a nine for the trot up the center line and another one for the halt. Not a challenge for the top of the leaderboard, but it’ll be up there somewhere.

10:33 The walk has a bit more about it and he gets three 8s for the extended. A lovely transition brings in two more 8s and there’s another two for the medium canter and three for the flying change.

10:32 Thomas looks beautiful, but there’s perhaps not the extent of expression that we’re used to with him. He’s so relaxed, and he’s pulling in 7s and a couple of 8s. He’s that chilled he rests his hind leg – 5.5s for that. But it’s 8s for the rein back.

10:31 Oliver and Thomas are straight up the center line. He’s got his game face on. They get an 8 and a 7 for the first halt.

10:30 We’re expecting sub-25 here – he’s had a 20.8 and 21.1 at Badminton. Will he take on his stablemate? Eyes on this one 👀

10:29 And now it’s the turn of overnight leader on his other ride Swallow Springs, Oliver Townend and team Olympic gold medalist Ballaghmor Class. They’re the penultimate pair of the dressage phase.

🤩 ‘Thomas’ has an impressive record on his form card – seven 5* completions, two wins, never out of the top 5, as well as Olympic and World Championships call-ups.

As a combination they’ve won here at Burghley and Kentucky, can they make it a third 5* win and second Burghley here?

He may look easy when he’s floating round the arena with Oliver, but Thomas is very sharp and has had everyone on the floor at home. Oliver’s always liked him though and their relationship is evident in the success they’ve had together.

📺 Did you know? Oliver has appeared on the UK TV show Question of Sport – where they asked him a bunch of horse racing questions 🫢 (He knew the answers though.)

Thomas in all his spotty glory:

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10:28 David Doel and Ferro Point score 37.8.

10:27 There’s a pat for Ferro Pont at the end, and two 8s for the final halt. There were nice moments in this test, a real shame about the changes which will have affected the overall mark.

10:26 The canter is accurate, but the changes don’t happen as well as they could. There are some 4s and 3s for the changes.

10:24 The walk is relaxed and correct, but it’s not a big walk for the top marks.

10:23 David and Ferro Point get off to a solid start with 6.5s and a few 7s on the whole for their early trot work. The mare looks relaxed enough and they get a 9 for their halt at C.

10:22 They posted a 39.1 in the first phase at Pau last year. It was a 40.8 at Luhmuhlen. What will it be today?

10:21 Coming up the center line next, on his second ride, is David Doel with Ferro Point.

This is their sixth 5* start. They were 13th at Luhmuhlen in June.

They got their 2023 season off to a flying start with a 3rd place finish in the 4*-S at Chatsworth.

David came through the Junior and Young Rider teams, medaling multiple times.

Last year at Luhmuhlen, it’s safe to say their show jumping round did not go to plan – the saddle slipped right under Ferro Point’s belly. Fingers crossed for a less dramatic competition for them this time around.

In his other life… David works with his dad at their ice cream company 🍧

10:20 Harry Mutch and HD Bronze score 32.5.

10:19 They finish up with a solid halt and Harry looks pleased enough.

10:18 They get an 8 and two 7s for the extended canter. This is a picture of a horse and rider working together well and their relationship is obvious in how happy the horse looks in his work.

10:17 Carl Hester in the commentary box comments on how chilled Fernando is. He’s getting 7s for his walk work.

10:16 Fernando steps out of the first halt but stood still for Tom while he saluted. Fernando’s swishing his tail a bit but he’s listening to Tom and they’re pulling in 6s and 7s for their trot work.

10:15 They scored a 30.8 in this phase last year and have been very low to mid-30s in their runs this season. Their best is a 28 in the 4*-S at Alnwick last year. What will it be at Burghley?

10:14 Coming forward with his second ride next is Harry Mutch and HD Bronze.

This is their fourth 5* start together and second time at Burghley. They had a fall at the Cottesmore Leap last year, so Harry will be hoping to put that right here this time around.

‘Fernando’ was entered for Badminton, but a niggle was enough for Harry to decide to save the gelding for another day.

🌟 Since Harry took on the ride in 2015, they’ve been placed at every level except 5*.

They were 8th in the 4*-L at Bramham in June, and 10th last time out at Alnwick in the 4*-S.

10:13 A big clap as they leave the ring and it’s a score of 25.6 and into 3rd for Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser.

10:12 He doesn’t quite stretch fully into Tom’s hands in the circle but the scores are back up for the flying change and they finish up with a 9 and and 8 for the trot up the center line.

10:11 More 8s coming in for the medium canter and the first change. Toledo’s much happier in the canter – 8s across the board for the extended.

10:10 He’s got such an enormous stride that he trod on himself in the rein back. The walk’s the difficult bit for Toledo – we’re looking at 6s on the whole.

10:09 Toledo’s trotting off into a great start with a 9 for the medium trot. 8s across the board for the half pass and Toledo is really showing off his best bits.

10:08 Consistent and flashy, they reliably score mid-20s – or better. Watch this space 👀

10:07 And here we are, the final session of dressage – after a VERY exciting day so far at Defender Burghley – and who better to get us underway than Olympic team gold and individual silver medalists Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser.

Tom’s back for his second ride after getting his Burghley off to a great start with a 30.5 for Luna Mist yesterday.

This is a much talked about combination this week, so eyes on 👀

They were 4th at Badminton in the spring. This is their second Burghley – they were 4th here in 2017. Will it be podium this time around? Very possibly.

🥇🥇🥈This pair have been to two World Championships – winning team gold in Tryon – as well as the Tokyo Olympics.

Tom was 2nd at Kentucky in the spring on JL Dublin.

Behind the scenes… Toledo is a bit of a quirky character and doesn’t do any jumping at home.

Toledo’s not at all sure about Tom’s choice of socks:

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9:45 We’re going into a break now. I’ll fill in the details for Boyd and Wills when I can, but for now, the important news for US followers is that Boyd’s currently the best of the American contingent, sitting in 4th with Tsetserleg TSF. Grace Taylor’s hot on his heels in 5th.

We have a new Burghley record and the best ever test at a non-championship 5* on record – New Zealand’s Tim Price and Vitali are leaders of the pack on 18.7.

The final session starts back at 3:09pm BST / 10:09am EST when we’ll wrap up the first phase at Defender Burghley and find out who’ll be heading up the leaderboard (surely Tim, right?) as we look forward to tomorrow’s cross country.

9:44 Wills Oakden and Arklow Puissance score 37.2.

Updated – Wills Oakden and Arklow Puissance:

Taking us into the final break is Wills Oakden and the second of his two rides Arklow Puissance.

Arklow Puissance – ‘Mr P’ – is a former Oliver Townend ride.

Wills brings him to Burghley for the horse’s second 5* start and first time at Burghley. They didn’t complete on Mr P’s 5* debut at Badminton in the spring – can they make it a first top-level completion here this week?

They were 15th in their last run – at Alnwick in the 4*-S.

Wills doesn’t just enjoy equestrian sport, he also enjoys golf and pickleball (sounds delicious).

Another fun fact about Wills – he loves to do the laundry and is in total charge of the washing machine at home.

They posted a 34 in this phase at Badminton but can add a couple more points to that. How will Mr P find the Burghley Main Arena? Let’s see.

Mr P looks a little tense at the start of his test. He’s not very keen to stand in the halt and there’s a little wobble up the center line.

He settles into the trot work though and pulls in some 7s.

There’s not much immobility in the halt at C which scores 5s and a 6.5.

The walk is relaxed, but a bit tentative – the tension’s still there but Wills is doing a great job keeping Mr P cool.

They get 7s for the medium canter but are short behind in the first change for 5s and a 6.5.

He’s better in the half pass and pulls the scores up to 7s and a 7.5.

He gets a bit tight in the changes, but the second one is better for 6.5 and a 6.

The stretch circle improves as it goes along and they score 7s across the board.

Ah, he does the change, then changes back – the scores drop down to 3, 2, 4.

He struggles in the halt again – Mr P really doesn’t want to stand still, he’s clearly ready for cross country.

9:43 We’re back up and running with a rather disappointed looking Wills halting at the end of his test.

9:41 We’re still down, but I can tell you that Wills Oakden and Arklow Puissance are currently in the arena. I’ll bring their score when it’s in and come back to their test when I can.

9:37 It’s into 4th with 28.1 for Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF. Such a shame we missed this test (I will fill in the detail as/when I can), but great news that there’s another US score in the top 10.

Updated with deets of Boyd’s test:

Staying with the USA, here’s Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF, his second ride here this week.

🥈‘Thomas’ was top-20 at the World Championship last year and took silver with the US team. He was also top 20 in Tokyo.

It’s a first Burghley for Thomas, but by no means his first 5*. This season they rerouted to Luhmuhlen from Kentucky, where Boyd retired after a 20 on the cross country course. They had a 20 at Luhmuhlen too. Before that his record was remarkably clear – fingers crossed he’s back on form on Saturday 🤞

Winning form 🥇 Thomas comes here straight from taking the win in the 4*-S at Bromont a couple of weeks ago.

In the barn (and the field, wherever really), Thomas loves a good nap 💤

Influencer alert! Thomas is a bit of a social media ⭐ with his own channel – @thomas.says.so.

He’s quite the character and has clear opinions on that suit:

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We’re almost certainly looking at the 20s for Thomas. His lowest is 22.1 at 4* – at 5* it’s 25.4. His last two runs saw him sneak into the 30s though – what will it be at Burghley? 👀

Thomas starts off with a lovely square halt and gets an 8 from one of the judges.

He looks soft and is working smoothly and easily for Boyd – he’s giving off all the old pro vibes and they create a lovely picture of a horse and rider in harmony.

There’s lots of 7s, 7.5 and some 8s for the trot work.

There’s another 8 for the halt at C, and another in the rein back.

Thomas is very relaxed in the walk. He knows just what he’s doing and looks to be right at home in the Main Arena at Burghley.

The extended walk earns them an 8.

The first change is clean for 7s across the board.

Thomas doesn’t have the big paces in the extended that some of the other horses in the field have, but the softness and rhythm produce an 8.

Everything is so solid – it’s so easy to watch this experienced pair.

Towards the latter stages of the test Thomas seems to remember that it’s cross country tomorrow and there’s a bit of tension creeping in.

But they finish with another 8 for the trot up the center line.

Thomas has a much of grass and a big pat as Boyd finishes his best ever Burghley test.

9:36 I just got a glimpse of Boyd finishing his test but then the feed went again. Score coming and I’m pretty sure it’s a good one…

9:34 I’m really sorry but I fear I’m missing Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF. The whole feed seems to be down. Will bring news as/when I have it.

9:32 A score from the live leaderboard for Grace Taylor and Game Changer – they’ve gone into 4th with 28.9. Go USA!

9:27 Apologies, my feed’s gone a bit weird so I missed the end of Grace’s test.

9:26 Game Changer is looking really rideable and they’re pulling in 7.5s and 7s. There’s an 8 for the half pass and two for the extended canter. They’re doing a great job and are being rewarded for it.

9:24 A very expressive extended trot earns an 8 and there’s an 8.5 for the transition before halt at C.

9:23 Grace starts things off with a good square halt for two 7s and a 7.5. She takes a breath before she kicks on. Lots of 7s coming in for the trot work.

9:22 We’re looking at mid-30s here, maybe a bit higher for a first time at the level.

9:21 We’ve got two American riders on the trot next. First, it’s Grace Taylor and Game Changer.

Rookie alert! This is a first 5* for both Grace and Game Changer.

Grace was stylish in sneakers and a tea dress at the trot-up on Wednesday 👟+👗= ♥️

She’s previously worked for Oliver Townend, Karen O’Connor and Marilyn Little.

In the genes 👖 Grace is the daughter of two top-level eventers. Her mom represented the US at the 1988 Olympics and was later team selector and chef d’equipe for USEF – her dad represented Britain at the European and World Championships the same year and is currently on the British team selection committee.

This combination were 6th on their latest run – in the 4*-S at Alnwick – and were 9th in the 4*-L at Bramham.

9:20 Sophie Fouracre and Lordana VH Leysehof Z score 40.9.

9:19 She’s still wary in that corner and drops out of the canter in the stretch circle which affects the marks quite a bit. She’s still snorting and hits the board as they turn up the center line. Sophie’s done a great job holding this together and she takes a big breath at the end.

9:17 Marlie really does look stunning as she makes her way round the Main Arena. Everything’s accurate but she’s showing a little tension in the way she’s chomping the bit. She sees something as she halts at C and she snorts and has a good look round. Sophie gets her back quickly though and manages the walk really well. Marlie’s definitely a bit looky in that top corner.

9:16 Recently they’ve been high-30s in this phase – it was 39 last time out. What will it be here?

9:15 Next into the ring will be Sophie Fouracre and Lordana VH Leysehof Z.

Sophie’s recently back from having a baby and is here at Burghley for the first time since 2015.

‘Marlie’ is taking on her first 5* here this week.

👑 Sophie rode for the late Queen of England, eventing four of her horses and has recently taken on an unbacked three-year-old owned by King Charles.

They were 6th in their latest run, in the 4*-S at Bramham – great prep for the Burghley hills – their only FEI run this season.

9:14 Richard Coney and Poetry in Motion score 35.2.

9:13 Their changes are accurate throughout and they end in a nice halt. Richard tells Snippet “Good boy” for a job well done.

9:12 Snippet is swaying his head through the walk, which affects the marks. They get a clean strike off into canter and are nicely together, Snippet’s just showing that bit of tension.

9:11 It’s a solid start for Richard and Snippet with 6s and 7s coming in for the early trot work. They do a great halt at C for two 8s and a 7 and another 8 for the rein back.

9:10 Snippet isn’t the easiest in this phase, with scores in the high-30s and into the 40s. Let’s see how he does today.

9:09 Coming forward next we have Richard Coney and Poetry in Motion.

It’s a 5* debut for ‘Snippet’ – Richard piloted two horses into the top-20 on his 5* debut at Pau in 2020.

This combination were 4th at Bramham in the U25 4*-L this season.

In the club! Richard is a former Pony Clubber.

When he’s not eventing, he enjoys cycling 🚴 and whilst he’s at events he attempts to keep up with the action on a different kind of track – that of his second favorite sport, Formula 1 🏁

9:06 Tom Crisp and Liberty and Glory score a PB at the level with 33.7.

9:05 All in all, this was a very good test for Lori. She stayed with Tom almost the whole way through, with just one sticky moment. Lots of pats for Lori at the end as she has a bit of a scratch before leaving the arena.

9:04 There’s mistakes creeping in now. She breaks before the counter canter and it takes a moment for Tom to get her back so they can perform the movement. He’s encouraging her on though and there are still some 7s coming in.

9:03 Lori finds the walk tricky, there’s slight losses of rhythm occasionally but the scores are holding steady and they get 7s across the board for the extended.

9:02 It won’t be easy for Lori to come in after the crowd were so hyped up. She’s settled enough though, and is listening to Tom. They’re bringing in 6s and 7s for the trot work and the mare is really trying.

9:01 Lori is not here to win the dressage, she’s here to win the cross country. Expect high-30s here for this tempestuous mare – and a mammoth climb hereafter.

9:00 Next up the center line will be Tom Crisp and Liberty and Glory.

Fun fact! ‘Lori’ was born on the 4th of July – hence her name – Liberty and Glory.

🪜 At Pau in 2018, this feisty mare climbed 54 places on the leaderboard to finish 6th. The pair were 9th at here last year.

Tom’s making his 10th start here at Burghley this week.

Lori decided she was going cross country at the end of the jog strip at the First Horse Inspection, but Tom managed to hang on. Let’s hope she got that out of her system and stays patient enough between the white boards today, before she lets rip tomorrow.

Family connection! ‘Lori’ is out of a Thoroughbred mare who Tom’s wife, Sophie, competed. She was bred by Sophie’s parents.

In his other life, Tom is a fireman 🚒

He also proved his swimming skills after taking a dive into Badminton lake in the spring, and showing off his sportsmanship and sense of humor with some antics for the crowds. His fire crew rewarded him with a ‘swimming the width of Badminton lake’ certificate:

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8:58 It’s a 10 for harmony and A BRAND NEW BURGHLEY RECORD!!! Tim Price and Vitali smash the sub-20 boundary with an 18.5. Tim’s best ever international score – and the best 5* score in at least 15 years – a total masterclass.

8:57 It’s two 9s and an 8 for the final change. There’s a huge cheer as they halt. Is it record breaking…?

8:56 Tim’s riding for every single mark here. Everything is smooth and quality and they’re getting the big scores in reward.

8:54 He’s reeling in the marks – this is on target to go close to the record Burghley test. Two 9s for the extended walk and lots more 8s. Could this be sub-20? Let’s not jinx it…

8:53 Vitali is shining brightly in the Burghley sunshine and gets a 10 for the first halt. What a start to their Burghley campaign. 8s and a couple of 9s coming in for the trot work. He’s making this test look so easy. There’s another 9 for the half pass left and two 9s for the extended trot.

8:51 Their score has rarely dipped outside of the 20s and has been dropping lower and lower – they posted a 21.3 at here last year – a 5* personal best – leaving them in 2nd after the first phase. It was 27.1 at Badminton in the spring, and the same at Luhmuhlen last year. We’re expecting them to slot into the top of the leaderboard – where will it be? 👀

8:50 World No.1 New Zealand’s Tim Price comes forward next with his Tokyo Olympics ride Vitali.

🌟 Vital’s groom, Kerryn ‘Kez’ Edmunds was the 2022 FEI Groom of the Year.

Tim and Vitali were 3rd here last year – can they better that this time around?

Hot form 🌶️ Vitali has never been outside the top-10 at 5*. He was 7th at Badminton in the spring.

🩰 Vitali sure is a horse with dancing shoes – Tim says, “The horse is capable, it’s on me to bring it out of him – he could do a nine everywhere”.

🥉 Tim won bronze at the World Championships in Pratoni with Falco. He’s aiming for his sixth 5* win here this week.

At the Horse Inspection Vitali certainly looked 5* fit and very excited to be at Burghley.

All of the Price horses travel with a mascot – Vitali borrows his from Charlie Brown:

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8:49 Arthur Duffort and Arthur Duffort score 35.9.

8:48 The final halt pulls in two 8s. This was a very good test for Toronto and they could well be looking at a PB score.

8:48 Everything’s very accurate so far in this test, although as I typed that he got a bit unsettled in the half pass and Arthur has to bring him back for a couple of strides. But they’re back together now and continuing on with their canter work.

8:47 There’s a 7.5 for the extended trot and more 7s for the rein back. The walk is relaxed thus far, with two 7.5s for the medium. The canter transition is clean for two 7s.

8:46 Toronto has come in looking relaxed and isn’t too phased by the atmosphere in the Main Arena at Burghley. They get 7s across the board for the first shoulder in and Toronto seems to be listening to Arthur and working well with him.

8:45 Their scores are generally around the mid to high-30s in this phase, with their 5* tests trending towards the top of the scale. He posted a 28 at Badminton though – how will Burghley compare?

8:44 Kicking off this afternoon’s session is British-based French combination Arthur Duffort and Toronto D’Aurois.

3️⃣ Arthur’s looking to make a Burghley completion hat trick this week.

This quirky gelding made his 5* debut at Burghley in 2019. They were back last year for a 15th place finish. This is their seventh 5* start.

The original plan for ‘Toronto’ was for him to be sold, but he can be rather tricky and they struggled to find anyone who would take him on. And now he’s a stalwart 5* campaigner.

Toronto’s groom, Leonore Gignoux, told me she wishes she could turn off the giant screen in the dressage arena for Toronto’s test because he’s so shy 🙈

He looked like an old pro at the First Horse Inspection, let’s hope he’s as settled in the Main Arena today:

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7:08 And that’s it for the morning session – time for some lunch, unless you’re in the US, then it’s breakfast, but feel free to have a pizza, or something, you do you.

The overnight leaders – Oliver Townend and Swallow Springs hang onto the lead on 24.2 after the morning session on Day 2.

Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel are still in second on a score of 26.9.

We have a new pairing in third – Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope on 28.8.

American excitement this morning for Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way who shot into 4th on 29.8 – and posted the first 10s of the competition – and Tiana Coudray with Cancaras Girl sit just outside the top 10 on 32.1 in 12th place.

We’ll be back at 1:45pm BST / 8:45am EST with the second half of the day’s action between the boards. Until then…

7:02 Julia Norman and Ardeo Berlin score 41.8.

7:00 Bert settles a bit better, but the tension is clear. He is performing the movements though and the changes are good enough for 6s. He’s very buzzy up the center line, although finishes with a 7 from one of the judges for the halt. That was a tough test to ride, but there was lots of potential on show too. There’s lots of atmosphere in the Main Arena at Burghley.

6:59 Bert’s grinding his teeth in the halt and rein back and that tension translates into the walk. He’s really quite tense and there are some 3s coming in for the medium. He anticipates the canter strike off but then gets off OK. He gets very unsettled at the end of the diagonal though and Julia’s got a bit of a job to hold this together.

6:58 There’s a bit of a loss of balance on the turn which continues through the half pass. They get an 8 for the extended though.

6:57 What a lovely medium trot Bert’s got! It’s 7s across the board for that after a bit of a wobbly start down the center line.

6:55 We’re looking at the 40s here – Bert’s come to Burghley to jump. They scored a 40.1 last time out at Ballindenisk, and a 42.1 at Pau last year.

6:54 Owner – rider Julia Norman will take us into the lunch break riding Ardeo Berlin for Zimbabwe.

Julia switched nationalities from British to Zimbabwean this season in honor of her late mom.

It’s the first time Zimbabwe has been represented at Burghley.

‘Bert’ made his 5* debut at Pau last year, finishing 34th.

Career switch ⏩ Julia started out as a Quality Surveyor, then was a Rural Planning Consultant, before becoming a full-time eventer.

🐶 Julia also breeds Golden Retrievers!

Julia’s been bringing eventing to the mainstream whilst at Burghley, with interviews by the the BBC:

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6:53 James Rushbrooke and Milchem Eclipse score 35.2.

6:52 The accuracy continues throughout the canter work and they finish up with another great halt for an 8 and two 7s.

6:51 The first change is accurate for 6.5s and there are some more 7s coming in for the canter. Everything’s clean and a nice picture.

6:49 They’re bringing in 6s, 6.5s and 7s for the trot work, and it’s 7s across the board for the halt at C. They set off into walk still looking relaxed and happy in the work.

6:48 They’re very straight up the center line and stop in a super square halt. Milchem Eclipse looks relaxed and is working nicely with James.

6:47 This pair’s dressage fluctuates between the low and high-30s, so they probably won’t be in the hunt early on. They’ll be on the rise up the leaderboard come Saturday though, for sure.

6:46 Next into the ring will be James Rushbrooke with Milchem Eclipse.

James describes this horse as ‘slightly weird’ – in the best possible way.

He turned up at the First Horse Inspection dressed for the British summer – in a padded lumber jacket over a knitted sweater 🌞

It’s a Burghley debut for both horse and rider, but they’ve got two Badmintons under their girths, with a 17th place there in the spring.

🏅 This pair were part of the British Nations Cup winning team at Boekelo in 2021.

Fun fact! James moonlights as a Master for the Badsworth and Bramham Moor Hunt.

That hunting background will be of huge benefit as they tackle the Burghley track on Saturday!

6:45 Padraig McCarthy and HHS Noble Call score 34.9.

6:44 It’s 7s across the board for the first flying change. Padraig is making this look easier than I’m sure it is. Ben is definitely a bit lit up, but he’s working really nicely for Padraig and they get two 7.5s for the final change.

6:43 Ben looks to be a bit on his toes in the walk work, although he keeps a lid on it. This is a horse who looks like he can’t wait for tomorrow.

6:42 The half pass has beautiful bend and pulls in two 7s. Ben is stepping up really nicely, but he’s coming out of the contact a bit which is affecting the scores. He’s looking around a little.

6:41 We have another beautifully turned out gray in the arena. They come up the center line in a very straight canter.

6:40 There’s no denying Ben finds this phase tricky – he’s strong and that can translate as tension in the dressage ring. He scored a 38.5 here last year. What will it be this time around?

6:39 Padraig McCarthy and HHS Noble Call are up next for Ireland.

This is their fourth 5* together.

In the barn… HHS Nobel Call’s name is ‘Ben’.

Ben made his top-level debut at the pop-up 5* at Bicton in 2021 where he finished 8th. He came to Burghley last year and finished 19th. He’s also completed Badminton.

🥈 🥈 Padraig took individual silver at the World Championships in Tryon with Mr Chunky, as well as team silver.

He runs MGH Sport Horses with his wife Lucy, who also used to event at the top level. If you watch eventing (and of course you do, because it’s like, the coolest), you’ll have seen the MGH prefix – Pippa Funnell’s ride here this week is MGH Grafton Street and Nicky Hill is here with MGH Bingo Boy.

Smart stuff 🎓 Padraig has a first class degree in Economics and Finance with German.

6:38 Sarah Clark and LV Balou Jeanz score 37.8.

6:37 The next change is better and the final one is really rather good – 7s and a 6 for that one, so they finish up on a strong point.

6:36 He jumps through the first change and their scores drop a little. He goes into trot before the next one rather than doing the counter canter and misses it so it’s 1s across the board.

6:35 The rein back is clean and accurate for two 7s and a 7.5. Jeanz looks to be happy in the walk, it’s rhythmical and accurate and more 7s come their way.

6:34 They’re bringing in lots of 6.5s and some 7s in the trot work after a very nice halt to start which got a 7.5

6:33 Typically mid-30s in the dressage, they have scored as low as 31 at the 4*-S level. It was a 34.3 for them here last year. What will it be this time around?

6:32 Next up the center line is Australian Sarah Clark and her “dreamcatcher” LV Balou Jeanz.

When Sarah left Auz for the UK with the dream of coming to Burghley, she boarded the plane with no return ticket and no funds to buy one.

Competing here last year was the fulfillment of a “life-long dream” – they finished 22nd.

🌟 ‘Jeanz’ was Eventing South Australia Horse of the Year in 2022.

He made his 5* debut as a nine-year-old.

They were based with David Doel for a while and have now settled with fellow British-based Australian rider Bill Levett.

Jeanz picked up a special mascot as a souvenir of a dream come true at Burghley last year:

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6:31 Tom Bird and Rebel Rhyme score 41.1.

6:30 They finish off with two 7s in the halt. All in all, that was a good performance from Tom and Rebel Rhyme gets a nice pat.

6:29 The canter work is accurate enough on the whole, but the horse anticipates the changes and things go awry coming into them. Rebel Rhyme gets a bit upset about that but Tom is riding incredibly maturely and staying calm, giving Rebel Rhyme the confidence he needs.

6:27 The walk work is relaxed and Rebel Rhyme is stepping out nicely. They get a 7.5 for the extended.

6:26 They get of to a great start with two 7s in the halt. Rebel Rhyme is a bit tricky in his head on the first turn but settles into the trot work as he goes. They look to be a lovely partnership, with horse and rider on an exciting journey together.

6:25 Rebel Rhyme looks beautifully turned out – he’s a really striking, and sparkling, gray.

6:24 They posted a 40 in their last run, and two 39s before that. For their first time at 5*, we’re probably looking into the 40s here.

6:23 Next into the ring will be Tom Bird with Rebel Rhyme.

Rookie alert! Tom’s taking on his first 5*.

He’s the youngest rider in the field at just 21!

All the sports! Tom also plays hockey (field, not ice) 🏑 and football (soccer, not American) ⚽

Rebel Rhyme is fully aware that he’s a gray horse and loves to get as dirty as he can.

They were 2nd in the U25 at Bramham this season and 7th in the 4*-L at Ballindenisk – both of which should stand them in good stead for Burghley.

Inspired by the trot-up greats, Tom cut a dashing figure of a fine young man at the First Horse Inspection, with orange pants to rival Harry Meade, a velvet jacket and a David Doel-esque bow-tie. Start as you mean to go on, young man!

6:22 Lauren Lillywhite and Hacien score 34.8.

6:21 It’s the same story for the last two changes – the first one was better than the second. But the canter work on the whole was accurate and Lauren looks really pleased with Hero as they complete their test. Hero’s having a good stretch as he walks out of the arena.

6:20 The horse’s front leg changed first and there are 4s for that, but the second change is much better for 7s across the board.

6:18 The rein back is slightly tentative, but they’re off into the walk now, which is rhythmical and relaxed. More 7s coming in.

6:17 Hero is a lovely bold-looking chestnut. He’s bringing in 6s and 7s so far for the trot work, which is accurate and in a lovely frame. It’s 7s across the board for the extended.

6:16 They scored a 34.8 last time out – in the 4*-L at Bramham where they finished 23rd. They had a 37 at Chatsworth earlier in the season. How will Hacien fare in his first 5* test?

6:15 Next it’s the turn of Lauren Lillywhite and Hacien.

Lauren’s back at the top level after over a decade, with Hacien coming forward for his first 5*.

It’s Lauren’s third time at Burghley.

In the barn… Hacien’s known as ‘Hero’ 🦸

Lauren bought Hero as an unbacked three-year-old stallion from Hungary.

Did you know? Hero has partial sight in one eye. It hasn’t stopped him reaching the top of his sport though.

Everyone needs a pint-sized mascot:

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6:14 Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl finish with a big grin from Tiana and get their Burghley underway with a score of 32.1 and go into 12th.

6:13 The canter is bringing in 7s on the whole, it’s accurate but could show a little more suppleness for the higher marks. The flying changes are great though, two 8s and a 7 for two of them. A highlight for this horse for sure.

6:12 They break into canter for a stride in the extended trot, which is a shame as they were seeing lots of 7s and a couple of 8s up to that point. Cancaras Girl is relaxing in the walk now though, although it looks a little tentative.

6:11 They kick off with a 9 for the first halt, and pull in an 8 for the medium trot. So far so good for Tiana and Cancaras Girl.

6:10 The mare’s had a 33.5, a 28.6 and a 33.3 at the 4*-S level this season. How will her step up to 5* go?

6:08 And we’re back between the white boards with US Olympian Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl for the USA.

It’s a 5* debut for the mare and Burghley 5* debut for Tiana. She’s been here before though – in the Dubarry Young Event Horse class with one of Harry Meade’s 2023 Burghley rides, Cavalier Crystal.

Tiana’s originally from California, but swapped the sunshine for (mostly) rain and gray skies, and is based in Britain.

Tiana spent time training with course designer here Derek di Grazia and his wife, Bea.

Cancaras Girl showed a fair bit of personality on the jog strip on Wednesday, looking delighted to be at Burghley:

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5:47 We’re heading into the first break now. Back in around 20 minutes – at 11:10am BST / 6:10am EST when US rider Tiana Coundray will get us back underway with Cancaras Girl. Be there…

5:45 Will Faudree is being interviewed and says, “you dream your whole life” about days like this. He seems so thrilled with Mason and calls him a “star”. We concur, Will. Great job, and an exciting Burghley so far for Team USA.

5:44 Emma Thomas and Icarus X score 38.5. Emma’s delighted and is clearly emotional. What a lovely start to their Burghley debut.

5:43 The changes so far are clean and Emma’s doing really well to have brought this horse back. He’s settled again now and they end up with a lovely halt for a 7 and a 7.5. There’s a big kiss for Icarus from Emma.

5:42 Icarus is looking around a bit in the walk, but he’s working nicely with Emma on the whole. His head’s coming up a bit in the canter work and the tension creeps in.

5:41 It was tough for Emma to come into the arena with the crowd cheering, but she manages the atmosphere really well and they’re settling into their test.

5:40 We’re looking at, maybe, high-30s here, but probably into the 40s for their first time at the level. In their last run they put down a 43.1 in this phase. It was a 35.8 at Chatsworth on their way to 4th place though. Let’s see how they get on.

5:39 Last to go before the first break we have24-year-old Emma Thomas and Icarus X.

Rookie alert! It’s a first 5* for both Emma and ‘Stix’.

Fun fact! Stix is diddy for an eventer, standing at only 15.2 hh.

He’s known for being a difficult ride, particularly on the flat, but Emma’s been working with Pippa Funnell through the Wesko Equestrian Foundation and Stix has come on in great strides.

They’ve been busy this season, with seven runs, and have had a 4th place finish in the 4*-S at Chatsworth and were 6th in the U254*-L competition at Bramham.

🥇🥇 Emma is a two-time National Pony Club Champion.

Stix was shining in the Burghley sun at the First Horse Inspection and seemed to be taking all the excitement of his first 5* right in his stride:

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5:38 Will punches the air – it’s a 29.8 for Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way – a PB – and into 4th! The crowd is delighted with Will’s obvious delight.

5:36 Another lovely halt to finish and a big clap from the crowd in appreciation of some lovely work on show this morning.

5:34 There’s an 8 for the extended walk, and now they’re into canter. Mason’s not necessarily making this easy for Will, but he’s pulling in 8s and 7s in the canter work. Will has to rescue the first change, he threw one in early but Will gets him back and does it accurately on the marker.

5:33 IT’S TWO 10S AND A 9 FOR THE HALT AT C! The first 10s of the competition.

5:32 Mason really comes in looking well. It’s 7.5s for the medium trot. He’s so elegant in his movements and is showing that off throughout the trot work. Lots of 7s and 7.5s coming in.

5:31 At 5*, Mason’s generally in the low to mid-30s in this phase. He’s capable of a truly smart test, but that enthusiasm can get the better of him. How will he find the atmosphere in the Main Arena?

5:30 Getting the US campaign going on Day Two is Will Faudree with Mama’s Magic Way.

‘Mason’ is what you could safely call, enthusiastic. Will’s challenge is keeping all that enthusiasm contained in this phase.

Will says, “From the moment I sat on him, I knew he was my horse”.

This is Mason’s fourth 5* start. It’s not his first time in Britain – that came last year for Badminton, where they finished 31st. He was 13th at Kentucky in the spring.

Will’s been saying for a while that Mason’s a Burghley horse – and now we get to find out if he’s right!

In the genes 🧬 Mason is the product of two eventer parents – Mighty Magic, who won the Seven-Year-Old Eventing World Championships in 2011 with Andreas Dibowski (who also rode Mason), and Straightaway, a 4* campaigner in her own right.

Will looked sharp on the jog strip on Wednesday, sporting a tweed jacket with a twist and dazzling white pants.

There are a number of people at EN who’d love a smooch from Mason:

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5:29 Sam Watson and SAP Talisman score 35.4.

5:27 The canter work is coming up accurately and the changes so far have been clean. Podge is looking round as he finishes his test. You can see just how much Sam was keeping together throughout that test.

5:26 This is another horse who’s not keen on walking. You can see Sam taking deep breaths in an attempt to show Podge there’s nothing to get wound up about. They get two 7s for the extended. It’s a cautious strike off into canter – you get the feeling that Sam’s working to keep a lid on Podge’s excitement.

5:25 Sam gets off to a solid start with 6s and 7s and the marks for the trot stay in the same kind of league, mostly 6s on the whole.

5:24 They scored 36.8 in their last run before coming here. It was a 37.4 at Pratoni. How will Podge take to Burghley?

5:23 And now for Ireland we have Sam Watson and SAP Talisman.

🧮 Sam is one-half of the brains behind stats gurus EquiRatings.

🥈 He was part of the silver medal winning team at the World Championships in Tryon.

He comes forward for his first Burghley since 2012 with ‘Podge’, who’s making his 5* debut.

Podge is Sam’s World Championships ride from Pratoni, where they were pathfinders for the Irish team, coming home fast and clear cross country.

He doesn’t find the first phase easy, but Sam’s been working hard at home and is hopeful that it’ll all pay off this week.

Sam managed to leave home without shoes or a tie as he set out Burghley-bound. Luckily, eventers are used to mucking in and at the First Horse Inspection he was shod by Tim Price and accessorized by Tom McEwen!

5:21 Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope score 28.5 and go into 3rd.

5:20 This is a really good test from Majas Hope. Apparently Pippa gave him a little jump this morning to soften him up. It’s 8s across the board for the final halt and Pippa looks absolutely delighted with that test.

5:18 But the walk’s gone a bit wayward. Maja’s Hope has a good look at the flowers and there’s a lot of tension throughout the walk work. But they’re into canter now and Pippa’s using every iota of her experience to pull this together and the marks are back up – there’s an 8 and 9 for the extended canter.

5:16 It’s a lovely square halt to start for an 8 and Majas Hope is working really nicely with Pippa in what is his least favorite phase. Pippas’s going for every mark and there are two 8s for the extended trot and a 9 for the halt at C.

5:15 We may be looking at sub-30 here – they had a 28.2 here last year. It was 32.6 at Badminton and 35.2 at Kentucky.

5:14 And now we have eventing idol, Pippa Funnell coming forward with Majas Hope.

Royal approval! 👑 Pippa was awarded an MBE from the Queen of England for her services to equestrianism.

Pippa is a multiple Olympic, European and World medalist, a Wesko Equestrian Foundation mentor, video game star and children’s author.

💵 Pippa was the first (and only in the long format) winner of the Rolex Grand Slam.

Majas Hope took on his first 5* at Burghley in 2018, when he finished 12th. He was 16th here last year and 14th at Kentucky. They had a top-10 finish at Badminton in the spring.

🥇 He proved his reliability as a capable team pathfinder at the European Championships in 2019, where Britain took team gold.

Pippa got her week off to a winning start at the First Horse Inspection where she won one of the best dressed rider awards:

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5:13 Aistis Vitkauskas and Commander VG score 40.6.

5:11 There’s nearly there now. It gets a bit more wayward toward the end, and there’s not much halt, but they’re done and overall, Commander VG showed some nice work and good relaxation in places.

5:10 There’s more tactful riding from Aistis, who’s keeping things accurate on a horse who’s getting a little bit buzzy.

5:09 He’s not happy to stand in the halt though, stepping constantly and gets a 2 from one of the judges. But the walk is calm enough – Commander’s wanting to look around but Aistis is sitting quiet and sending calming vibes down the reins.

5:08 Commander VG looks to be relatively calm and collected in the Main Arena this morning. He’s working nicely for Aistis and is pulling in 7s and 6.5s on the whole for the trot work.

5:07 This combo are not averse to dipping a toe – or two – into the 40s in this first phase, although at Pau last year they scored a career-best at the level with 36.1. How will he do here?

5:06 Lithuanian rider Aistis Vitkauskas with his lovely gelding Commander VG comes forward next.

This is Commander VG’s seventh 5* and third this season – it’s his first time at Burghley.

They retired on course at Luhmuhlen a few weeks ago after picking up a 20 – he’d put down a 43.2 in the dressage.

Cuteness alert! This lovely horse can be spotted at events giving Aistis’ young daughter pony rides.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t challenge Aistis’ sometimes though. He got hot, hot, hot – despite the rain – during his dressage at Badminton and scored 48.1. Will he keep a lid on it today? Only time will tell!

Commander VG was sporting blue and yellow ribbons in his braids at the Horse Inspection on Wednesday, in support of Ukraine, whilst Aistis was rocking a patchwork flat cap.

Fun fact – Aistis wears a knitted cross country silk that his grandmother made for him:

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5:05 Louise Harwood and Native Spirit score 32.4.

5:04 The other changes are much better and they pull in 7s and 7.5s in the last one.

5:03 The canter is clean and accurate, but like the trot, isn’t pulling in top scores but are stead in 7s. There’s a problem in the change though, but they’re very quickly back on track.

5:02 Another nice halt at C brings in 7.5s across the board. There’s an 8 and a 9 for the rein back. Some real high points in this test so far.

5:01 They kick off with two 8s for the first halt. Native Spirit is a very elegant type of horse. Their trot work is clean and accurate, but not showing the softness and power for the very high marks.

5:00 They put down a 34.5 last time out, in the 4*-S at Hartpury. At the horse’s only other 5* run – Pau in 2021 – they posted a 32 in the first phase. What will Burghley bring?

4:59 Next up the center line will be Louise Harwood with Native Spirit.

Louise has ten Burghley completions under her girth but it’s a first Burghley for Native Spirit.

He went to Pau last year but was eliminated on the cross country, so let’s hope everything comes together for a completion here this week.

He’s a new-ish ride for Louise, joining her yard in 2021 and Louise is the owner-rider of the horse.

4:58 Tom Rowland and Possible Mission score 31.9 and go into the top 10.

4:57 There’s a 9 for the final halt for Tom and Hunter and a lot of pats.

4:56 Ah, they miss a change as Hunter looks up into the crowd. But they continue on with the canter work accurately and the next change is much better for two 7s.

4:55 There are more 7s for the medium and extended walk. This test is really showing their partnership, it’s pleasing to watch and you can see that horse and rider are really working together.

4:54 The trot work is accurate but Tom’s having to work to keep Hunter soft. The scores are steady in the 6s and 7s though and it’s 7s across the board for the extended.

4:53 It’s an 8 for the entry and halt straight off the mark – a fab start to their Burghley.

4:52 They went sub-30 at Badminton with a career-best 29.9. Will they do it again, here in the Main Arena at Burghley?

4:51 Next into the ring will be Tom Rowland and Possible Mission.

In the barn… Possible Mission is called ‘Hunter’ – appropriate considering he was bought from a hunting yard in Ireland.

He’s known as the super cob at home due to his hunting roots and dig-in attitude.

This is Tom and Hunter’s third time at Burghley at sixth time at the level. They completed here on their debut, finishing in 27th place. They were an excellent 19th at Badminton this year.

High fashion alert! Tom gave Harry Meade a run for his money in the fashion stakes at the First Horse Inspection with an aqua suit and matching hi-tops – suits you, sir!

4:50 Pedro looks very pleased with himself as he leaves the arena with his head in the air. It’s 38.1 for Richard Skelt and Credo.

4:49 Ah, he makes a mistake in the next change and gets 3s for it, and now there’s a couple of mistakes creeping in. Overall though, Pedro’s been very rideable and they finish their test with a very nice halt for a 7 and 7.5.

4:48 Pedro’s putting in an accurate test so far, the first change is clean and everything’s happening as it should.

4:47 The marks have picked up a bit for the walk – 7s on the whole across the board and an 8 for the extended. Good work Pedro!

4:46 It’s a solid start for Richard and Pedro, they’re pulling in 6s and 6.5s for the trot work, with a couple of 7s coming in. All’s looking settled and pleasant as they get their Burghley underway.

4:45 They scored a 33.5 in their last run – the 4*-S at Aston Le Walls. It was a 37 at Pau last season, and a 35.7 here last year. What will it be this time around?

4:44 First up today is Richard Skelt with Credo, coming forward for their third Burghley together.

In the barn… Credo’s known as ‘Pedro’.

Richard’ll be hoping it’s third time lucky here this week for a first Burghley – and 5* – completion.

Richard was aiming for the cool kids look at the Horse Inspection on Wednesday, with a tie and jacket – and untucked shirt. I approve 😎

Fun fact! He saved up for his first pony by working weekends for Marietta Fox-Pitt.

Pedro was originally produced by Angus Smales and was a naughty youngster. He still struggles in the first phase, so let’s hope his early draw helps a bit with the atmosphere in the Main Arena.

4:42 What’s up ENers?!
All hail the eventing superfans Stateside who are doing the double and are back at all sorts of antisocial hours to watch the goings on at Defender Burghley. We salute you.
Let’s do this thing!

Oliver Townend and Swallow Springs take the day one lead at Burghley. Photo by Libby Law.

That’s a wrap on day one at the 2023 Defender Burghley Horse Trials, and while some things stayed the same — those hard-to-please judges, for one thing — one important thing did change: our leader.

Riding in the final session, Oliver Townend knew he was sitting on one of the entry list’s real weapons in this phase in fifteen-year-old Swallow Springs: he and the former Andrew Nicholson ride are now in their second full season together, and in that time, they’ve posted low-to-mid 20s scores in three of their four five-stars. But, of course, that’s never reason enough to be complacent, especially as their last five-star run, at Luhmühlen in June when they rerouted after being pulled up late on course at Badminton, they posted an uncharacteristic 31.7.

Oliver Townend and Swallow Springs. Photo by Libby Law.

Today, though, Swallow Springs was back at his best, skipping neatly and quietly through all four changes and looking thoroughly unruffled by the significance of proceedings. That ultimately resulted in a very good score of 24.2, a 2.7 margin over now second-placed Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel, our morning leaders.

“I thought it was exceptional, really — I think in other five stars with other judges, it might have been a 20 or better,” says Oliver. “I feel that he’s improving in the phase all the time. It’s obviously credit to Andrew Nicholson who did an amazing job producing him, but he’s continuing with the work that we’re giving them and the management to improve right towards the end of his career. Hopefully he’s got a few years left, but he’s not a young horse.”

Oliver doesn’t just hold the overnight lead — he’s also sitting fifth overnight on his first ride, Tregilder, on a score of 30.5 — and yet to come is his third and final ride, the 2017 winner of this event, Ballaghmor Class. This is a horse who’s finished in the top five in every single one of his eight five-star starts, and Oliver’s clear in his goals for tomorrow’s test: “Let’s hope the other old boy can do even better,” he quips.

Jennie Saville and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Libby Law.

The rest of the top five are familiar faces to anyone who followed along with this morning’s competition: with Ros now in second place on their 26.9, Emily King and Valmy Biats shift to third (30), and Tom McEwen and Luna Mist sit level-pegging with Oliver and Tregilder on 30.5.

And then? Another new face, and one who couldn’t contain her delight at finding herself in such a competitive position after her test. Jennie Saville has a serious cross-country machine in Tim and Nina Gardner’s FE Lifestyle, but that’s not always conducive to finding the first phase particularly easy — and that’s been something that Jennie has had to manage throughout his top-level career. While he’s usually a solid mid-30s horse, though, today he stepped up to the plate in a major way, delivering his personal best at the level of 31.1, stepping into overnight sixth place in the process.

“Dressage is usually the hardest phase with ‘Foxy’, and I think he handled it all quite well,” says Jennie with a grin. “I’m trying, man! Shout out to Philip Dutton — he’s helped me so much with this horse on the flat over the last bit, and it’s made all the difference in the world. I worked for him for five years and the first time I came to Burghley was to watch him with TruLuck. Anyway, he’s really helped me a tonne and obviously, Eric and the whole team.”

This focused chunk of time working on Foxy with Phillip began when Jennie needed to keep the horse in work while she was away competing at Rebecca Farm.

“It’s so funny — I was like, ‘Big Phil, man, he can be a horse dancer!’,” laughs Jennie. “He rode him for me while I was away competing in Montana this summer, and I came back and he’s just given me heaps of lessons in just laying down the law with him. If he hadn’t have sat on him… he was like, ‘okay, he’s messing about with you. You’ve got to get serious about this — be tougher’. He’ll always be the boss to me, so when Philip tells me to do something, I’m like, ‘okay!’ But it made a huge difference, him sitting on him and then just getting after me a bit.”

The dream team! Photo by Libby Law.

Jennie also adapted her warm-up, utilising a tactic she learned from Harry Meade and Superstition: instead of riding through a longer warm-up, she got on the gelding just a few minutes before her test, and for the twenty or so minutes prior to that, he was just quietly led around the collecting ring and allowed to pick at grass and settle into his surroundings.

“We did that at Bromont, and it was the first time I think he’s ever been in the top three after the dressage, so we just did it again,” she says.

Now, Jennie’s looking ahead to her first-ever run around Burghley – a course she admits she once thought she’d never fancy having a crack at.

“This is a wicked cross country horse,” she says. “I walked around Burghley, like, ten years ago and I was like, ‘I don’t think I ever need to do that!’ And then I was like, ‘no, this horse, I want to take over’. It’s pretty amazing!”

Matt Heath and the smart Askari. Photo by Libby Law.

Zara Tindall and Class Affair now sit seventh on their morning mark of 31.3, followed by Boyd Martin and his Maryland 5* winner On Cue, who hold eighth on 31.8. In ninth, we welcome Matt Heath and the former Richard Waygood mount Askari to the leaderboard on the strength of their 32.1, which was marred by just one mistake in a change and some very slightly underpowered canter work.

“He’s pretty solid in this phase,” says Matt. “He can be really spooky and the atmosphere can just get the better of him, and then he gets a bit strong through his neck sometimes. But I thought he kept it really well in there. It was a shame I just fluffed one change, and I think that was very expensive. But I’m over the moon with him, really.”

The first change, though, was smart: “It felt like he really waited for it, and it was good,” says Matt. “And then I just lost rhythm; I went quite brave in the extended canter, and then as I brought him back, I just felt like he [wasn’t quite there]. Hindsight’s a wonderful thing; I think probably three or four minutes less [in the warm-up] would have been a bonus.”

But, he says, “If you take [the leading couple of scores] out of it, he’s bang there, and there’s a lot to do on Saturday — you know, it’s Burghley. There’s always a lot to do here. We’ve got to jump right in, but it’s a great start to the show for him and it’s great for him to be here. It’s great for his owner as well. She’s waited a long time to get one to five star and it’s nice to be here.”

Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal. Photo by Libby Law.

Harry Meade, who was this morning’s trailblazer with Away Cruising (now 20th on a 36) rounds out the top ten with his second of three rides, the five-star debutant Cavalier Crystal. The thirteen-year-old Jack of Diamonds mare, who won the Burghley Young Event Horse five-year-old series here in 2015 with US rider Tiana Coudray aboard, earned a 32.2 for her smart test, which showed enormous potential for her five-star career to come.

“I was really pleased,” says Harry. “This season I’ve felt she’s been really, really on her way. She’s been coming; she’s been getting better and better.”

Part of the mare’s preparation for her debut at the level has been a gradual easing up of her competitive workload after an excellent fifth place finish in the terrain-heavy CCI4*-L at Bramham earlier in the summer.

“I did a load of Intermediates in the spring and took her to Bramham, where she was really good, and I’ve actually done nothing above Intermediate since then to prepare for this because I felt she needed her confidence,” explains Harry. “She had confidence, but she just needed nurturing. She’s pretty experienced at four-star, so this five-star year I just thought, ‘I’ll keep it a little bit easy for her’.”

It’s all boding very well, not just for Harry — who we’ll see again tomorrow afternoon with the very good Tenareze, who was fifth at Luhmühlen this year — but for owner Charlotte Opperman, too.

“Charlotte Opperman has had three horses with me, and I found all three as youngsters,” says Harry. “The first one was called Wild Lone [who was third at Badminton in 2014]. The second one is called Away Cruising — and the third one is Cavalier Crystal, so she’s done pretty well. Two of them have come good as five-star horses — we will see what Cavalier Crystal can do!”

Jessica Phoenix and Wabbit get their Burghley campaign off to a great start. Photo by Libby Law.

We’ve got one Canadian in the mix this week, and already, everyone’s falling in love with her lop-eared ex-racehorse. Jessica Phoenix and the delightful Wabbit have been on this side of the pond for a couple of weeks now, basing with Tim and Jonelle Price at their new Dorset base, and it’s all been with Burghley in the viewfinder — and now, their campaign at the event has begun, with a starting score of 34.9 and overnight fifteenth place.

“I’m incredibly pleased with that,” beams Jessie. “This is his first time at Burghley, his fourth five star, and it was one of his personal bests. I’m really proud of his performance today.”

Wabbit, quite sweetly, maintained his focus throughout the entirety of his test — and the second his job was done, and he was faced with the cheers of the crowd, he became rather starstruck, very nearly refusing to exit the white boards.

“Wabbit is full-on Wabbit,” laughs Jessie. “He’s a one in a million. He’s a full Thoroughbred, and he has energy for days, and he’s the most genuine, heartfelt person you could ever meet — but he’s got a lot going on in his mind! So he’s always trying to connect with me and stay calm and focused. But in the centre, he’s like, ‘where’s cross-country? Let’s get going!’ This is what we’re here for him.”

Jessie cited the enormous support of a number of trainers and riders in helping her to tick this major autumn goal off her list: “Our team technical advisor, Rebecca Howard, is based in England and she has been instrumental through training with us this year,” she explains. “We’ve been able to do online lessons with her leading up to this point, which has been awesome. So a huge thank you to Rebecca, and through Rebecca we were able to go to Tim and Jonelle’s for training for the week and that was awesome. Their new facility is second to none, and they are just the best people. They’re so welcoming and so heartfelt, so I’m really thankful for that opportunity.”

Tomorrow’s second — and final — day of dressage begins at 9.45 a.m. again (4.45 a.m. EST) with British partnership Richard Skelt and Credo first in the ring. Our first North American pair will be Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way, at 10.33 a.m. local/5.33 a.m. EST, and then we’ll see British-based American Tiana Coudray and her five-star debutante Cancaras Girl in the ring at 11:10 a.m. local/6:10 a.m. EST. Our final two US riders go back to back in the penultimate session of the day: at 14:25 local/9:25 a.m. EST it’ll be the turn of five-star first-timers Grace Taylor and Game Changer, followed by Boyd Martin and his Tokyo mount Tsetserleg TSF at 14:33 local/9:33 a.m. EST. We’ve also got some first-phase heavy hitters to keep an eye out for — notably, our likely leaders, Tim Price and Vitali, at 13:53 local/8:53 a.m. EST; Tom McEwen and his Tokyo double-medallist Toledo de Kerser at 15:09/10:09 a.m. EST, and 2017 winners Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class at 15:33/10:33 a.m. EST. Until then: Go Eventing!

The top ten at the end of the first day of competition at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

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