Classic Eventing Nation

“He Has Such Belief in Himself:” Sarah Bullimore Takes Day One Lead at Burghley

By on Sep 1, 2022 2:46 pm -
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Sarah Bullimore’s 15.2hh homebred Corouet swaps cockiness for responsibility in a stellar test. Photo by Libby Law.

This morning’s first session of dressage brought us plenty to get excited about, with three tests sneaking below the 30 barrier and a barrage of talent to come — but it’s been the afternoon session that’s really kicked Burghley up a notch. Most thrillingly of all, we were treated to two tests that made it into the top five all-time best Burghley tests — and though they initially tied for top spot, a slight revision in the scores pushed Sarah Bullimore and her diminutive homebred Corouet into the top spot on a 22.5, just a tenth of a penalty ahead of Piggy March and her 2019 Badminton champion Vanir Kamira.

“He was amazing — he actually really listened to me and was on side,” says Sarah, who is battling through a period of unsoundness herself after a fall at Wellington Horse Trials earlier in the week saw her take a stud to the knee. “He actually looked after me. I’ve not come here in the best state to perform, but he was great in there — that’s probably the best test we’ve performed all year. Last year our confidence was on a high and he was pulling it out of the bag, but this year, he came out very cocky and arrogant, and he’s just felt like he thought I was a hindrance to him. And perhaps I was enough of a hindrance to him that he felt he ought to carry me today because I was injured — I don’t know.”

Sarah Bullimore and Corouet. Photo by Libby Law.

Last year’s season of highs saw Corouet, who Sarah bred from her 2015 European Championships ride Lilly Corinne, go sub-20 in a CCI4*-S at Burgham and, most notably, take individual bronze at the Europeans, but this year, he’s had rather more of an educational season. That was compounded in his five-star debut at Kentucky earlier this year, where he sat second going into cross-country but began to go into orbit over the solid fences, eventually picking up a 20 after running out of room in a combination. The precocious gelding has no shortage of talent, though, and it’s not hard to imagine that the experience may have helped to temper and shape his unique case of Small Man Syndrome. For Sarah, who has a wealth of mileage at this level, most prolifically accrued with Reve du Rouet — who shares a sire with Corouet — it’s particularly special to have her homebred at an event like this, particularly because he is so different to his half-brother.

“He knows he’s special, and he just goes in there and says, ‘watch me, everybody!’ He loves the crowd, and he doesn’t actually want to come back out of the main arena — he’s so laid back in there, which is very different from his big brother, who does his test and can’t wait to get out! Corouet has such belief in himself, but he’s always right,” she says. “It’s amazing — I’ve known him since he was born, and that makes it so special. He’s such a huge, massive character, and he doesn’t realise he’s quite small, so he doesn’t feel small when you ride him. He has a huge stride, and so you forget [he’s small] until you leap off and hit the ground sooner than you expect to!”

Now, Sarah is planning to spend her Friday nursing her injured knee, which is getting incrementally better by the hour despite being packed full of iodine-soaked dressing to mitigate any risk of infection.

“Yesterday I couldn’t walk up and down stairs or do rising trot — but fortunately, you don’t have to do that in this test,” she laughs. “It wasn’t the best preparation, but to be fair, I’ve been quite lucky as to where it is — I could easily have fractured something, but there’s luck and then there’s luck, isn’t there? It’s quite stiff and sore at the moment, and very bruised; it looks quite a pretty picture, but it is getting better daily, and we’re just going to keep on icing it and seeing the physio.”

Piggy March and Vanir Kamira hit the first of their goals for the week with a five-star personal best. Photo by Libby Law.

Piggy March came to Burghley with every intention of delivering a big test with her Badminton winner, seventeen-year-old Vanir Kamira, but a five-star personal best of 22.6 was probably beyond the realm of even her own imagination.

“As we came out of the arena I gave her a big hug and a kiss — I just couldn’t really believe it, bless her little heart,” says Piggy. “There’s plenty of pressure that I put on myself for this week, and I was hoping and praying that she’d get a PB because she’s felt great this year. Badminton was one of our best tests and she’s just felt good; she looks amazing, she’s strong, and she’s been working so well that I thought she really deserved it.”

Although ‘Tillybean’ is looking at her very best this season, much rides on the strength of the warm-up — and her preparation for her test today didn’t fill Piggy with confidence.

“Just before I went in, I felt that I hadn’t got her totally where I wanted to,” she says. “She felt quite hot, and she was sneezing quite a lot. She suddenly gets in quite a sweat, even though everyone from the outside would think she looked very calm and nice. But she’s been in these main arenas now a few times for laps of on our and things like that, and it doesn’t take much for them to know it’s an occasion.”

Piggy March and Vanir Kamira. Photo by Libby Law.

After the first movement in the test, though, Piggy and Tillybean rallied — though Piggy confesses that producing the goods today took some seriously hard graft.

“I didn’t love my first centreline; it was straight, but she just went to pull herself up and halt early. That’s something I’ve struggled with all her life, because she’s a mare that half-halts herself and goes a bit swishy and croup-high in every transition, and it takes a lot of attention to detail to stop her doing it. So I thought, ‘oh, balls, I’ve not got her on the button today.’ There’s always such a fine line with her, and I thought I was on the wrong side of that. But then I just thought, ‘get on with it and believe — ears up, sit down, hands together, breathe, ride it, just go through it.’ And she kept on the right side of the line — but for me, personally, it felt like the hardest test I’ve ever ridden on her, because it felt like I was on the edge. Whether that was just a mental thing, because I was so desperate for it to go as well as it can today… I’m not one that normally minds pressure, but she’s getting to the end of her days, so I really was desperate for it to be good.”

Piggy often fondly describes the mare as ‘a pain in the ass 362 days of the year’ or ‘a scopeless yak’, variously, but the gutsy mare is a classic long-format horse: when it really counts, she’s able to overcome her physical hindrances and get the job done, with a little help from her friend.

“She’s got a neck and a backside on her, and as a six-year-old, she couldn’t go on the bit for more than two minutes because of how she’s built. So trying to get her to lift her ears and come up in front, well, you can only manufacture that for so long. It’s just taken that much time and consistent training, but it’s bloody hard. They start to go on their head, and then you start to hold them, and then they’re like, ‘hold me more!’ and then you hold more — my brain’s going overtime the whole time; I felt like I was about to explode, and then I was like, ‘thank fuck that’s over!’ She felt hot enough, but that probably made the changes a bit more expressive, and she kept her rhythm in the medium trots, and it was just good. For Tillybean, a 22 at this level! That could easily be even better, but I don’t care — I’m just so proud.”

Zara Tindall’s Class Affair becomes a man in Burghley’s main arena. Photo by Libby Law.

Zara Tindall‘s sometimes tempestuous Class Affair stepped up to the plate in a major way today, delivering a five-star personal best of 28.4 to take overnight fourth, 2.2 penalties behind third-placed Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On.

“He’s always had the potential, but sometimes his brain takes over a bit — and it did, a little bit, in a couple of the movements [today], but he came back and was much calmer than he’s ever been in there,” she says. “I’m just delighted to be under 30!”

Class Affair comes forward for his third crack at five-star this week after debuting here in 2019 — but ending his day at the Leaf Pit — and then travelling to Maryland last year, where he completed with 20 penalties. There have been hints throughout his career that a very good test might be simmering away under the surface, and it’s now, as a thirteen-year-old, that he seems to be coming into his zenith.

“The last time I came here he was a ten-year-old, so he was very green. We’ve spent a long time with him — he’s pretty crazy in the brain, so he’s quite tricky. He can be really towing you and then just suddenly drop behind your leg, so that’s quite difficult, but he’s been going really well. We’ve just been truing to keep him comfortable, because he gets quite tense, and trying to be consistent with him.”

Zara credits dressage riders Carl Hester and Amy Woodhead with helping her to get the best out of the gelding: “I actually send my horses to Amy in the winter like, ‘please can you get them on the bit?!’,” she laughs. “Amy’s been based with Carl, so she trains how he would, and she’s brilliant. Both of them just make it fun, so it’s not like, ‘oh god, I’ve got to go for dressage lessons.’ They also understand the difference between their horses and event horses — they know that our horses might not be quite as capable, but actually, they can do what they want us to do.”

Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent fly the flag for ex-racehorses with a sparkling personal best. Photo by Libby Law.

There are few horses who so wholly represent the classic American Thoroughbred as well as gutsy, tenacious Palm Crescent, who raced on the flat more than 20 times before starting his second career with the USA’s Meghan O’Donoghue – but his undeniable reliability across the country hasn’t always been matched by a natural inclination to perform on the flat. That all changed today, though, when the pair slipped sub-30 for the first time at this level, producing a sweet, smart test that earned them a 29.6 and put them into fifth place overnight.

“I’m ecstatic with him,” says Meghan. “He was absolutely phenomenal. He’s a performer, so he knows when we’re at a big competition, and we’ve been ticking away at this phase because this would be the hardest bit for him.”

Like many Thoroughbreds, with their busy, clever brains and endless well of effort to give, Palmer is at his best when he’s able to set up shop at a competition for the week, rather than chasing the quick thrills of a short-format: “I think that he’s at a point in his career where he really thrives from the set-up of a big three-day — he comes here, he has his groom, he’s all she thinks about, and he gets all of his things and rises to the occasion.”

Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent. Photo by Libby Law.

Meghan, who made her team debut — and enjoyed her first experience of eventing abroad since her travels with old friend Pirate back in 2013 and 2014 — at CHIO Aachen in July, has stayed put in the UK since in order to prepare for her second crack at Burghley (she started the event in 2014 with Pirate but ended her weekend early on cross country).

“We’ve had an amazing support crew over here; after Aachen, I was able to stay over here at Rebecca Howard’s place near Marlborough [Wiltshire],” she says. While she’s been there, she’s focused on the marginal gains that would steer her sixteen-year-old partner to his best-ever performance on the flat.

“It’s mostly been about the suppleness and where he is in his head, and that would kind of be the case for Thoroughbred horses that have had a relentless beginning. You can’t really blame him for it, because he’s not really built to do it, either,” she explains. Now, with an excellent starting score on the board, she can focus completely on Saturday’s tough cross-country course, on which she hopes to replicate the speedy clears they’ve delivered in all three of their previous five-star runs. This time, she’ll have the added challenge of Burghley’s unique, relentless terrain — but there’s nothing she’d rather be sitting on than a Thoroughbred full of gumption.

“I got to have a run at Hartpury in the four short as his last prep for this, and so I’ve had a little taste of the terrain over here,” she says. “He went super well there, and I have no reason to doubt him — he’s showed up for me every day that I’ve asked him to, so I’ll just do the best piloting job that I can and look after him.”

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Tom Rowland’s ‘cobby’ Possible Mission delivers his best to sit in the top ten. Photo by Libby Law.

Tests from this morning’s competitors make up much of the lower half of the top ten: pathfinders Tim Price and Bango and the USA’s Woods Baughman and C’est la Vie 135 sit in equal sixth on 29.8, while France’s Rodolphe Scherer and Song du Magay hold eighth on 30.4. 25-year-old Harry Mutch and HD Bronze are ninth overnight on 30.8, while Great Britain’s Tom Rowland rounds out the top ten after delivering a five-star personal best of 31.2 with his longtime partner Possible Mission, who’s the sort of horse who wouldn’t look out of place in the hunting field — but nevertheless has jumped clear around both Badminton and Burghley previously. His experience, and his workmanlike nature, meant that he was able to make the best of Burghley’s curious, close atmosphere today.

“He’s fifteen now, and he’s a bit stuck in his ways, but I think we might have got a few more of the flying changes this time than we normally do,” laughs Tom. “But he’s nice to ride in there, because you sort of forget how it goes from being really loud to suddenly really, really quiet. You think, ‘oh, god!’ but actually, he rises to that occasion.”

There’s an old saying in the theatre world that a bad dress rehearsal ensures a good opening night, and that adage certainly proved true for Tom, who took Possible Mission out for a final test earlier in the week that didn’t go wholly to plan.

“I took him to Wellington on Monday to do the Advanced and he did the most horrendous dressage test. He’s a bit of a head shaker, and the arena is down by the trees there,” he explains. “He wasn’t even on the bit — he just threw his head around everywhere, but I thought, ‘no, this is a good thing. He’s got it out of the way.’ And actually, he’s felt really good this week, so I haven’t given him very much work.”

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Emily Hamel and Corvett survive some exuberant moments in their test. Photo by Libby Law.

“I wish he’d have been a little more submissive in the ring, but at least we had pretty good trot work,” laughs US representative Emily Hamel, whose test aboard Corvett upped the comedy ante when the expressive gelding turned one of the flying changes into a colossal series of bucks. They’ll head into Saturday’s cross-country on a score of 37.3, which puts them in 21st overnight. “I always want a little bit better, but overall, I’m really happy with him. He’s going to eat up the course here — I just have to make sure I keep myself in the tack!”

Emily has been busy training with Angela Tucker for this phase — “I’m kind of sad I couldn’t show off our dressage a bit more,” she says — and New Zealand’s Grant Wilson in the showjumping, and comes to Burghley feeling on top form after tackling Badminton this spring just weeks after a serious knee injury.

“I feel more prepared than I did for Badminton, so hopefully that’ll show,” she says. “It’s been a busy summer, and I’ve had a good time, just seeing different events and taking lessons. It’s a cool atmosphere over here.”

To check out the full scores, and times for tomorrow’s test, click here — or, if you want to try to catch the highlights of the day tomorrow, here are some of the biggest tests yet to come:

  • Tim Price and Vitali — 10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST
  • Susie Berry and Ringwood LB – 10.40 a.m. BST/5.40 a.m. EST
  • William Fox-Pitt and Oratorio – 11.31 a.m. BST/6.31 a.m. EST
  • Bubby Upton and Cola III – 11.39 a.m. BST/6.39 a.m. EST
  • Kitty King and Vendredi Biats – 14.25 p.m. BST/9.25 a.m. EST
  • Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel – 15.05 p.m. BST/10.05 a.m. EST
  • Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser – 15.29 p.m. BST/10.29 a.m. EST
  • Tim Price and Polystar I – 15.37 p.m. BST/10.37 a.m. EST
  • Oliver Townend and Swallow Springs – 15.45 p.m. BST/10.45 a.m. EST

The top ten at the end of day one of dressage.

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Burghley 2022: Website|Live Scores|Burghley TV|Form Guide|EN’s Coverage|EN’s Twitter|EN’s Instagram

US Equestrian Names Team for FEI Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4*-L

By on Sep 1, 2022 2:11 pm -

Graphic via US Equestrian.

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the four combinations selected to represent the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4*-L hosted in Enschede, Netherlands at the Military Boekelo-Enschede from October 5-9, 2022.

The following combinations have been named to the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team and are listed in alphabetical order:

James Alliston and Nemesis at Rebecca Farm this July. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

James Alliston (San Ramon, Calif.) and Nemesis, a 2014 Canadian Warmblood gelding owned by Alliston Equestrian.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C at Rebecca Farm this July. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Liz Halliday-Sharp (Lexington, Ky.) and Miks Master C, a 2012 Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Ocala Horse Properties & Deborah Palmer.

Boyd Martin and Fedarman B at Bruce’s field this spring. Photo by Christine Quinn Photography.

Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Fedarman B, 2010 KWPN gelding owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate

Alyssa Phillips and Oskar at Rebecca Farm this July. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Alyssa Phillips (Fort Worth, Texas) and Oskar, a 2009 Holsteiner gelding owned by Alyssa & Julie Phillips.

The competition will begin on Wednesday, October 5, with the horse inspection and continue through Sunday, October 9. The cross-country course is designed by Adrian Ditcham (GER), while the final jumping phase will be built by Kris van Gelder (NED).

Preview All 7 Cross Country Courses at USEA American Eventing Championships

By on Sep 1, 2022 9:00 am -

For about half of the riders competing at USEA American Eventing Championships this week, cross country will kick off today. Ian Stark is the course designer at Rebecca Farm for this AEC cycle, and you can take a virtual spin around each track thanks to Cross Country App.

Beginner Novice

Fence 7 on the AEC Beginner Novice track features a flagged entrance into water between two “saloon” buildings. Photo via CrossCountryApp.

While Beginner Novice courses don’t typically have much in the way of related fences, these tracks are as much about the big picture and the terrain as anything else. Riders will want to keep their legs active at fence 12 here, lest they pick up a silly 20 due to a peek at the water that’s behind the hanging log. Photo via Cross Country App.

[View the full track]

Novice

Fence 9 on the AEC Novice course, the Petroglyph Log. Photo via Cross Country App.

Following a slightly more forgiving but similar question earlier on, the Adequan Fort to Wagon at 14AB will now test the riders’ skill application for going forward and turning. Photo via Cross Country App.

[View the full track]

Training

A friendly reminder at fence 2 on the AEC Training track! Photo via Cross Country App.

Light and shadows are likely to play a factor here at fence 7AB on the Training track. Photo via Cross Country App.

[View the full track]

Modified

Riders will be faced with a visually tricky A element at fence 5 on the Modified AEC course. They’ll have some time — but not a lot if the horse ends up off its line due to a peek at the snake-dragon — before the B element, a narrow table set at an angle after the water exit. Photo via Cross Country App.

Later on the Modified course, Ian once more tests the riders on angled questions related to water. The first water question will have given riders information to use for their ride here. Photo via Cross Country App.

[View the full track]

Preliminary

Fence 11 on the AEC Prelim track, the Adequan Moose, Drop into Water to Corner. I recall a 4* question that was somewhat similar to this question here not too long ago. Photo via Cross Country App.

[View the full track]

Intermediate

The first combination comes up quickly on the Intermediate track — fence 3 to be exact. Ian will want riders to be confident and bold here, which could be a big ask for a pair that has yet to find a rhythm. A forward ride here will set horses up well to continue on with confidence. Photo via Cross Country App.

[View the full track]

Advanced

It’s Alphabet Soup at the first water complex on the AEC Advanced track. Riders will negotiate four progressively narrower elements and tricky terrain here. Photo via Cross Country App.

The C and D elements of the water at 6. Photo via Cross Country App.

Two brush corners are difficult enough, but the terrain in between is what makes this a true Advanced Championship question. Riders will be paying close attention to their lines here as the terrain will encourage drifting and runouts. Photo via Cross Country App.

[View the full track]

Don’t miss all the cross country action today beginning at 8:30 a.m. MST / 10:30 a.m. EST with the Preliminary Championship. You can find live stream links and more information here. Today’s cross country schedule is as follows:

USEA American Eventing Championships (Kalispell, MT): [Website] [Ride Times/Live Scores] [Livestream]

Thursday Morning at Burghley: Reigning Champion Heads up Global Top Five

By on Sep 1, 2022 8:32 am -

2019 champion Pippa Funnell takes an early lead with the first of her two rides, Billy Walk On. Photo by Libby Law.

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Oh, what a beautiful morning; oh, what a beautiful day – and is there anywhere in the world we’d rather be right now than ringside at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials? We think not, particularly after an exciting morning of dressage action.

Reigning champion Pippa Funnell, who won here in 2019 aboard MGH Grafton Street, sits atop the leaderboard at this early juncture after a smart test aboard Billy Walk On. The lanky thirteen-year-old gelding, who led the first phase at last year’s Bicton ‘pop-up’ CCI5*, didn’t quite catch that week’s exceptional 23.9, but his 26.2 today does better this spring’s Badminton mark of 28.5. But for Pippa, the final score wasn’t reflective of the quality of his work in the ring.

“I was delighted with him, but if I’m honest, I’m gutted by one of the judge’s marks being five or six percent out from the other two,” she says, referring to Judy Hancock at E, who awarded her with 70.56%, in contrast to Andrew Bennie’s 76.48% at C and Katrin Eichinger-Kniely’s 74.44% at M. “That, to me, was very disappointing, because I’ve done a lot of tests over the years and I thought it was as nice a test as he’s done at this level. I think I nailed the clear round and yes, he might not be the most elegant of movers, but I absolutely felt he deserved the marks the other judges gave him.”

Coming back to Burghley to defend a title could be something of a stressful situation for a less experienced competitor, but Pippa — who became the first-ever winner of the Rolex Grand Slam when she took the final leg here in 2003 aboard Primmore’s Pride – is wholly pragmatic about the prospect.

“I don’t really feel the pressure, because it’s still got to be jumped,” she says sagely. “I’ve been in the position of going back to Badminton after winning, and when you’ve been in the game as long as I have, you realise that yes, while both horses are scopey and have plenty of ability, it’s also not been the easiest of summers. The ground’s been hard, and it’s been about trying to keep them fresh coming into here while minimising their runs. It’s a balancing act to try to get here in the best shape possible, with the I’s dotted and the T’s crossed.”

Pippa is taking on double duty this week, not just as a two-horse competitor in her own right, but as a coach and mentor: two of the riders who are currently part of the Wesko Equestrian Foundation programme that she leads are tackling their first Burghley this week and one of them, Harry Mutch, also finds himself in the top five at the halfway point of day one. That division of interests, too, is a balancing act.

“I’ve got three riders who I help here, but really, it’s not that tough, because I’ve told them all that actually, this week has to be about me, with having two horses. I’ve got to concentrate on that,” she says.

Tim Price and the experienced Bango sit equal second at the halfway point of day one. Photo by Libby Law.

First in the ring today was New Zealand’s Tim Price, who is the busiest rider of the week with three horses in this year’s field. He set an excellent standard from the get-go, though, putting a 29.8 on the board with the experienced sixteen-year-old Bango, which sees the pair sit equal second at the lunch break. Bango, who has previously finished fifth here in 2019 and tenth in 2018, is perhaps Tim’s most under-the-radar upper-level horse – but he represents part of a strong three-way bid for another crack at the Burghley title, which Tim won in 2018 with the great Ringwood Sky Boy.

Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135 overcome a tough journey to England to take an early second place on the leaderboard. Photo by Libby Law.

To call Woods Baughman‘s journey from the USA stressful might be the understatement of the century – “[C’est La Vie 135‘s] flight was cancelled five times, and mine was cancelled twice,” he says with a faintly traumatised laugh – but there’s no doubt that the high he’s riding right now will be working wonders to ease his pain. He sits in equal second with Tim and Bango on a 29.8 after delivering a sparkling, expressive test with his fourteen-year-old Contendro I son in their second CCI5* — and already, they’re blowing their Kentucky debut this spring out of the water.

“We did our first five-star this spring, and he got very wound up with all the atmosphere,” says Woods, who scored a 39.5 that day. “So I was a little worried about today, and it’s probably lucky that I had a morning draw for him [when it’s quieter]. He’s such a fantastic horse in the first phase that it’s a shame when he does get worked up, because he can pull in really high marks — but when he’s gone tight, he’s lucky to stay in the ring.”

Unlike Kentucky and even Badminton, where the dressage arena can feel like an oasis in an amphitheatre, Burghley’s arena is situated much closer to the grandstand, giving a fishbowl effect that can cow even the boldest of horses. But although a touch of flamboyance crept in and nearly led to a mistake, Woods was able to nurture the horse to a clear round performance.

“He was very, very good the whole way around, but I got a little excited — I started the strike off for the extended trot, and it was really good, so I asked for a bit more and he took one little step and almost broke to canter before I thought, ‘whoops, too much!’ and reined it back in,” explains the Virginia-based rider, who trains with Sharon White. “The rest was clean and good, and definitely much better than our last five-star test.”

Any moments of additional sparkle, though, were welcomed by Woods, who had to carefully manage ‘Contendro’s’ energy levels after his gruelling journey.

“He got here four days later than he was supposed to, because our flights are a little messed up right now. He’s on good form now, but it was a little bit iffy, because he was so flat — he’d travelled for three days, and I felt really bad for him. I couldn’t do much with him at all and it was like, ‘well, great — he’s not working and he’s got to compete next week!’ So I just hacked him twice a day and stretched him out and made sure he felt good while I waited for the energy to come back. And then on Sunday afternoon I let him have a little jump and he bolted with me! After that, he didn’t want to hack anymore.”

France’s Rodolphe Scherer strides into the top five with Song du Magay. Photo by Libby Law.

France’s Rodolphe Scherer got off to an exciting start in his first CCI5* since 2016, when he finished sixteenth here with former championship mount Makara de Montiege. This time around, his ride is the oversized Song du Magay, who competed up to five-star with Rodolphe’s student, South African Olympian Victoria Scott-Legendre, before Rodolphe took the reins in late 2020.

Their 30.4, which puts them in provisional fourth, doesn’t come as a huge surprise after the gelding posted a sub-30 score in his final prep run, but what was particularly interesting was his warm-up: rather than schooling any of the movements in the test or riding in a competition outline, Rodolphe instead trotted the gelding around the outside of the warm-up arena with one hand on the buckle of the reins, letting him stretch his nose down to the ground and stretch over his back. That focus on relaxation was evident as the pair entered the competition arena.

“He’s a good horse with a nice head — he’s very relaxed,” says Rodolphe, who was recently appointed as cross-country trainer for the German team. “It was a little bit of a disappointing intro, though, because I think in the second 10m circle he just touched himself for a moment, and then he had one or two irregular strides, so I lost some points there — but then he did very, very well in the canter.”

A 30.4 puts him in an excellent position to plan for a climb on Saturday, though, and Rodolphe thinks Derek di Grazia’s new look Burghley track will play to his horse’s strengths.

“He’s a cross-country machine,” he says, “and this is a tough course. The beginning is twisty, with many combinations. It’s very tough; the rest of the course is tough, too, but in the beginning, there are so many combinations manifesting so closely that it’s almost like a short-format in its intensity. After that, if you don’t lose too much energy there, you can go into sixth gear.”

Harry Mutch and HD Bronze deliver the personal best in the ring at Burghley. Photo by Libby Law.

25-year-old Harry Mutch rounds out the top five at the lunch break after delivering one of his best-ever tests — and his five-star personal best — with stalwart partner HD Bronze, earning a 30.8. Their recent ascent into the business end of the leaderboard in this phase comes as the result of months spent training with Pippa Funnell as part of the Wesko Equestrian Foundation — a mentorship that’s gone so well that Harry has temporarily relocated from Newcastle to the Funnells’ Surrey base.

“The canter work is probably the best he’s ever given me,” says Harry, who used to lose marks in his canter centrelines when the previously weak, lanky gelding would throw in lead changes — an issue that’s been well and truly nixed after rebuilding the foundations with Pippa. “The trot work got a little bit stuck, so I was a bit like, ‘come on, please pick up again!’, but he just kept it together and was fantastic. I’m thrilled with him.”

Though two pandemic seasons were hardly ideal for horses at this level, Harry, who only began riding at the age of thirteen and made it to Badminton at 21, used the situation to his advantage.

“That sort of put us on hold for two years, but he’s actually matured so much in that time,” he says. “So for me, it wasn’t all that bad! He’s come out of it a much better horse.”

Cornelia Dorr delivers a masterclass in tactful riding with Daytona Beach 8. Photo by Libby Law.

Our second US competitor of the morning, Cornelia Dorr, knew she’d have a job on her hands in this phase: her expressive mare Daytona Beach 8, who, like her rider, makes her five-star debut this week, is notoriously hot and tricky between the boards, despite her abundance of talent. But although their final score of 39 keeps them out of the hunt for now, the work that the former Sandra Auffarth mount delivered in the ring was actually peppered with some of her nicest moments so far this season.

“I’m really happy with her — she tried really hard to stay with me and listen to me,” says Cornelia, who temporarily relocated to England in January to base with Australia’s Kevin and Emma McNab. “Kevin’s helped me get her so much better in the contact, and I can actually put my leg on and ride her now, and she finds comfort in it. That’s been a really big step. It’s pretty ballsy, but I actually just get on her like, ten minutes before my tests and saunter in, because we’ve learned that she has a time limit — after that, she’s like a cat on hot bricks! But today, she kept a lid on it until the crowd clapped at the end, so I couldn’t really ask much more from her. She runs on adrenaline, but she did a really good job.”

For Cornelia, even just riding into the main arena here is a huge milestone. “It’s pretty surreal, and I think I got a little emotional for a second when they rang the bell,” she laughs. “I was like, ‘wow, this is pretty cool!’ I’m just so happy to be here — and with this horse, what makes her difficult in the dressage ring is what makes her amazing out on cross-country.”

We’ll be back this afternoon with a full report from the second session of dressage. Until then: Go Eventing!

The top five at the Thursday lunch break at Burghley.

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Burghley 2022: Website|Live Scores|Burghley TV|Form Guide|EN’s Coverage|EN’s Twitter|EN’s Instagram

Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials Dressage Day 1 Live Updates

By on Sep 1, 2022 4:30 am -

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I can’t believe it’s been three years since we’ve last published these words, but here we are: it’s time for action at the return of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials!

Back for the first time since 2019 (global pandemics will do that to you), “Big, Bad Burghley” features some new scenery and new faces to take in. This includes the debut of new course designer Derek di Grazia, whose track we’ll take a look at in the coming days.

But first, it’s time to settle in for two days of dressage. I’ll be plugged in and watching alongside you each day, bringing you live updates here in this thread. Let me be clear, though, nothing can really bring you the experience from afar like a good live stream, and we know the team behind Burghley TV has been hard at work to bring you the best quality product out there. You can sign up for a one-time fee of about $23 USD or £20 GBP right here.

We’ll see the first 26 of the 52-combination field today in front of judges Andrew Bennie (NZL), Katrin Eichinger-Kniely (AUT), and Judy Hancock (GBR). You can view the full list of ride times and scores here.

Notable ride times for today (Thursday) include:

  • Tim Price and Bango – 9:45 a.m. BST / 4:45 a.m. EST – 29.8
  • Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On – 9:53 a.m. BST / 4:53 a.m. EST – 26.2
  • Woods Baughman and C’est la Vie 135 – 10:17 a.m. BST / 5:17 a.m. EST – 29.8
  • Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8 – 11:05 a.m. BST / 6:05 a.m. EST – 39.0
  • Piggy March and Vanir Kamira – 1:30 p.m. BST / 10:30 a.m. EST – 22.6
  • Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent – 1:38 p.m. BST / 10:38 a.m. EST – 29.7
  • Jonelle Price and Classic Moet – 2:10 p.m. BST / 11:10 a.m. EST – 31.5
  • Emily Hamel and Corvett – 2:50 p.m. BST / 11:50 a.m. EST – 37.3
  • Sarah Bullimore and Corouet – 2:58 p.m. BST / 11:58 a.m. EST – 22.5
  • Zara Tindall and Class Affair – 3:30 p.m. BST / 12:30 p.m. EST – 28.4

Of course, our “notable” list may have left off someone you’re keen to follow — you can check out Tilly’s incredible-as-always Form Guide to each combination competing this week to pick out your “must-watch” list. If you want more Burghley news delivered straight to your inbox, you can also sign up for our FREE Burghley Daily Digest email — full of updates, links, photos, and stories — here.

For now, pour some coffee and enjoy with me! I always love when people join in on the discussion, and I apologize that our comment section is a disaster — in lieu of commenting your play-by-plays on this post, head over to our Facebook page to comment there. Refresh this page periodically for more updates — the most recent can be found at the top, so if you want updates from the beginning scroll to the bottom.

Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials: 
[Website] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [EN’s Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]

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10:40 a.m. EST: And that will do us for the first day of competition! Tilly will be along later with the full report — you can also catch her lunch break report here if you missed it. If you’re tuned in to the Burghley TV live stream, keep it going for a bit as the British World Championships team will be demo-ing their dressage tests shortly. I’ll be back tomorrow with another live update thread from the final day of dressage, and I’ll also add a few scoring notes to this thread shortly. Thanks for following along!

10:36 a.m. EST: Zara earns two 8s for her Harmony mark, scoring a 28.4 total for fourth place after day one. This is a personal best for this pair. Quite a few of those today on day one! Here’s a look at today’s leaderboard, with half of the combinations completing their tests (you can also view full scores here):

10:29 a.m. EST: Zara Tindall brings forward the 13-year-old Class Affair (OBOS Quality x Ruby’s Rosshaven Flight, by Laughtons Flight), who is owned by the Gleadhill House Stud, who will be seeking redemption after coming to grief at the famous Burghley Leaf Pit in 2019.

10:29 a.m. EST: “He was a very naughty boy, in the canter work particularly,” Felicity said ruefully after her ride. “It’s such a shame because we’re so nearly there with this horse, and I think he was on a pretty amazing mark going into the walk. But it’s definitely not a dressage competition. I think as younger riders, the standard is just so high that we put so much pressure on ourselves. The expectation is so high because I know my horse is so capable.”

10:27 a.m. EST: Tom Rowland finishes with Possible Mission, earning a 31.2 including an 8 from Andrew at C for his Harmony mark. This will be good for a top 10 placing at the moment. We’ll close out the day next with British rider Zara Tindall and Class Affair.

10:21 a.m. EST: Tom Rowland and the “Supercob” Possible Mission (Temple Clover – Bahrain Supreme) will be the penultimate pair to see today, coming forward for their fourth start at this level and their return to Burghley after debuting here in 2018. Historically, “Hunter” will score a mid-30s at this level, so we’ll see if he can shave a few marks off today.

10:19 a.m. EST: Felicity loses a few marks on the back half of her test, scoring a 33.2 for 12th at the moment.

10:13 a.m. EST: Sarah Bullimore’s score has been adjusted down to a 22.5, making her the clear leader ahead of Piggy. The drawback is that Sarah sustained a knee injury earlier this week — thus prompting William Fox-Pitt to jog Corouet for her yesterday — but says she’s taking it one day at a time with lots of therapy to get herself into a good spot come Saturday. We hope she’s got an e-bike for course walking!

Just a few more to see today, and we’re now joined by Felicity Collins and RSH Contend OR (Nintender – Coulonia, by Toulon), a horse I really loved after watching their weekend at Badminton where they finished 21st. Felicity is a winner of many titles as a young rider, and you can bet she’ll be on plenty of senior teams as her career continues to progress.

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10:11 a.m. EST: JP and Kiltar OBOS won’t threaten the leaders today, but as this is a debut for this young horse there was a lot to like and build on from here. Remember: this arena is quite imposing, throwing off major “fishbowl” vibes that can undo even the most seasoned of horses.

10:10 a.m. EST: The shopping at Burghley, as always, looks just sumptuous:

10:04 a.m. EST: Next to see will be British pair JP Sheffield and Kiltar OBOS (OBOS Quality x Photo Finish, by Hallodri), a 12-year-old Irish gelding making his debut at this level.

10:02 a.m. EST: Whew, what a nice test! A 22.6 for Sarah and Corouet, going into a tie with Piggy March and Vanir Kamira for the lead.

10:00 a.m. EST: I missed it, but I believe Sarah scored a 10 on her halt in front of Andrew Bennie at C. Corouet scored a 25.7 in what was his debut at this level at Kentucky, and could well beat that today. He receives another 9 from Andrew on his first flying change.

9:57 a.m. EST: Somehow not the smallest horse in the field this year (Pheobe Buckley’s Tiger Mail checks in at 14.3 for the honor this week), Sarah Bullimore’s Corouet has a personality thrice as big as his stature. This pair had a somewhat disappointing result at Kentucky this spring, an event at which they’d been pegged as potential winners, and will be looking to emulate their European Championships performance from 2021. They’re scoring fairly well so far, even earning a rare 9 for their left shoulder-in from Andrew Bennie at C.

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9:56 a.m. EST: Well Emily will want a few of those marks back as Corvett certainly had his mind on more fun things like jumping (see example below). They earn a 37.3, which despite Emily’s disappointment is still a personal best at this level in three attempts. Now go finish on it, girl!

Barry says, “let’s spice this dressage business up a little, shall we?”. GIF via Burghley TV.

9:50 a.m. EST: We’re back with the beginning of the final group here on day one at Burghley, and it’s none other than our final U.S. rider, Emily Hamel with her own Corvett (Corrido – Tina XII, by Clearway) next to see. This pair make their fourth 5* start this week and will look to improve on their result at Badminton, where a pesky lost line led to a runout midway around cross country, marring an otherwise brilliant trip. Dressage wouldn’t be the strongest suit for “Barry”, who prefers to jump four feet higher than all the maxed out cross country jumps to showing that same exuberance in the first phase, but a mid-30s today would be pleasing for Emily.

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9:26 a.m. EST: Here’s a look at the judging percentages as they stand currently (note: they are not in leaderboard order). What trends do you see? Click here to view all scores.

9:26 a.m. EST: Ooo – it sounds like the British team for the FEI World Championships is here at Burghley this week and will ride their dressage tests later this afternoon for some final polish and practice. These tests will be shown on the Burghley TV live stream, so be sure to tune in!

9:23 a.m. EST: Alice Casburn scores a 33.8, her best score at the 5* level thus far, with Topspin despite losing a few marks on her final change. We’ll now move into a short break ahead of the next group, which will begin with American rider Emily Hamel and her own Corvett.

9:20 a.m. EST: “She’s very well. It’s fantastic to have her here,” Jonelle said of Classic Moet. “All year long it’s sort of just been one week at a time, and every week she’s just sort of put her hand up and said yeah I’m going.”

“It’s Burghley — it’s big, it’s huge in places, very large in others,” Jonelle said, noting that she viewed it a bit through “rose colored glasses” on her first spin around, knowing the experience she’s going to be sitting on. “It’s what we were expecting, and you look at it through the eyes of what you’re sat on.”

9:17 a.m. EST: Next in the ring will be 20-year-old Alice Casburn and Caroline Casburn’s Topspin (Zento x Capriati). Alice, a gutsy young rider, finished in the top 20 at Badminton earlier this spring and now makes her third 5* start. What was I doing when I was 20?? Certainly not completing multiple 5* events, that’s for sure…

9:16 a.m. EST: A few marks lost in the flying changes for Classic Moet, so I don’t think we’ll see a personal best here. But — and I feel a bit like a broken record here — this won’t be a dressage show, and this is a horse we will see doing her best to finish on her starting mark. Jonelle and Molly earn a 31.5 — nearly mirroring the 31.4 scored at Badminton.

9:13 a.m. EST: Jonelle’s scoring a bit up and down — lower for some of the extended movements and higher for her transitions and lateral work — as she moves into her canter work. Where Classic Moet may “lack” in expression, she’s helped by her maturity and experience as well as Jonelle’s ring craft.

9:09 a.m. EST: And now here we go with New Zealand’s Jonelle Price with her 2018 Badminton winner, Classic Moet (Classic x Gamston Bubbles, by Bohemond). At 19 years young, “Molly” makes her 12th start at the 5* level, including World Championships, and while dressage is decidedly not her favorite phase she is capable of putting in a sub-30 score.

9:08 a.m. EST: While they won’t challenge the leaders, Richard and Alfies Clover scored quite consistently throughout their test — a marker of success we probably don’t talk about enough. Exemplary of this are their consistent 7-7.5-7 collective scores for Harmony. They score a 31.1 — quite a solid showing, particularly for a pair we can anticipate climbing through the jumping phases.

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9:01 a.m. EST: Local to this area, Richard Jones now canters down centerline aboard the 15-year-old Alfies Clover (Tajraasi XX x Aoifes Clover, by Clover Hill). This pair is a consistent one, most recently finishing top 10 at Badminton earlier this year. They have scored a 30 in the past — at Burghley, in fact — but a low-to-mid-30s score is probably closer to what we’ll see from the judges today.

8:59 a.m. EST: Libery and Glory was certainly fighting fit, and Tom did an excellent job of riding tactfully and coaxing the points he could. This effort earns the pair a 36.0, shaving a few points off their Badminton (38.9) score earlier this year.

8:53 a.m. EST: Danielle Dunn and Grandslam score a 34.5 to go into 11th for the time being. This is also a personal best at the 5* level for this pair — well done! Tom Crisp with the 15-year-old British mare Liberty and Glory (Caretino Glory – Little Runnymede xx) will be the next to see. This lovely mare is owned by Robin and Patricia Balfour (who also bred the mare) and Sophie Crisp.

8:50 a.m. EST: Meghan O’Donoghue celebrates with Palm Crescent after a delightful test:

8:46 a.m. EST: “I didn’t want to let her down,” Piggy said after her ride. “It felt like one of the hardest tests I’ve had to ride with her. She felt quite hot, she got quite warm, she was very sneezy just before she went in.” But despite her misgivings, Piggy pulled it out and is supremely tickled with the results. Next in, we’ll have British rider Danielle Dunn with the 17-year-old British gelding, Grandslam (Sandro B – Foxy Dora).

8:44 a.m. EST: Meghan O’Donoghue delivers a really nice test with Palm Crescent, earning a very respectable personal best of 29.7!

8:38 a.m. EST: Next up, U.S. pair Meghan O’Donoghue brings forward the 16-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Palm Crescent (Quiet American – Edey’s Village). This pair have scored as low as 32 at the 5* level and will be looking to improve on their marks today.

8:37 a.m. EST: Wow! Piggy and “Tillybean” score a 22.6 — a definitive personal best for the 17-year-old mare — to take the lead! What a lovely test from this pair. Plus, we know they can jump a fast clear on Saturday…the plot thickens!

Huge pats for Vanir Kamira after earning a very competitive 22.6. GIF via Burghley TV.

8:29 a.m. EST: John Kyle now joins us back in the booth alongside Yogi Breisner. Loving the commentary so far!

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8:21 a.m. EST: We’re back and ready to kick off the afternoon session on the first day of competition at Land Rover Burghley in just a few minutes. Starting us off is a very near and dear pair, Piggy March with her 2019 Badminton winner, Vanir Kamira Camiro de Haar Z – Fair Caledonian, by Dixi). I just love this quote:

“She’s a pain in the ass 362 days a year, and she’s really tricky to manage,” said Piggy when she won in 2019. “She’s not the nicest of things to ride, you know, and she’s difficult, but she’s amazing – I say it all so fondly, because we all love her to bits. She’s a true five-star horse that comes to form at Badminton and Burghley. The rest of the time, she feels pretty ordinary, and you have to work pretty hard for what you can get. She doesn’t find any of it easy, and if I’d built that [showjumping] course at home and practiced it on the same side of the arena, I could do it fifty times and never have a clear round. There’s something about her, and those great little mares that just do enough when they need to. If they’re on your side, they’re just incredible.”

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7:22 a.m. EST: Quite the Jumping Masterclass here during the lunch break (featuring a celeb sighting: none other than World Championships-bound Tokyo gold medalist Laura Collett)!:

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:12 a.m. EST: Some additional study material for your dressage-viewing (I also use Tilly’s epic Form Guide to accompany these live updates with more context!):

7:05 a.m. EST: Burghley is doing an excellent job with their digital content this year — for example, we’re currently being treated to a front-row seat at the Yogi Breisner Jumping Masterclass happening during the lunch break. And if you’re hankering for a peek at cross country and Derek di Grazia’s debut as Burghley designer, you can watch the full course preview here and an interview with Derek here.

Still need a Burghley TV pass? You can sign up for a one-time fee of about $23 USD or £20 GBP right here.

7:03 a.m. EST: When you bring your pony to Burghley (JK, that’s a 5* horse, Sarah Bullimore’s Corouet!)…

It caused great amusement yesterday when William trotted up Carouet for Sarah Bullimore as she was unable to run.

Posted by Jackie Potts Equestrian Services on Thursday, September 1, 2022

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6:53 a.m. EST: Angus scores a 33.7 — a cleverly ridden test, notes Bettina — with ESI Phoenix. We’ll now move into the lunch break at Burghley and will resume in about an hour and a half, at 8:30 a.m EST / 1:30 p.m. BST with Piggy March and her stalwart partner, Vanir Kamira. Here’s a look at the top scores as they stand following the first 13 pairs:

6:50 a.m. EST: Today I learned that ATM vans are evidently a thing?

6:48 a.m. EST: “Our weaknesses are our changes,” Francis Whittington comments on his test with DHI Purple Rain. “That was still showing in the test, but the rest of the work has come up.”

6:45 a.m. EST: Francis Whittington earns a 34.1 with “Prince” to go into seventh for now. Meanwhile, Andrew James was given a 36.4 with Celtic Morning Star. Next up are British pair Angus Smales and ESI Phoenix (Clover Echo – Catina), a 13-year-old Irish gelding owned by Diana Birch and Charlotte Straker.

6:42 a.m. EST: Bettina observes that DHI Purple Rain’s changes are “too quick in front”, which is what we’d typically call “late behind”. An interesting way to think of this, relating it more closely to riding the horse from back to front.

6:38 a.m. EST: I’ll update with Andrew’s score shortly — next in will be Francis Whittington with DHI Purple Rain (Arthos R x Wynona VWG’s, by Niveau), who was top-15 at Bicton in his debut at the level last year. This horse averages a mid-30s test in general, but more importantly his barn name is, indeed, Prince. Context (as if you needed it) below:

6:30 a.m. EST: Next to see will be Andrew James with Celtic Morning Star (Chilli Morning – Rebels Riches, by Rich Rebel) owned and bred by Michelle Harries. You’ll surely recognize Celtic Morning Star’s sire, 2015 Badminton winner and William Fox-Pitt partner Chilli Morning. This beloved British sire had much success in his breeding career, producing Bicton 5* winner Chilli Knight (Gemma Tattersall).

6:28 a.m. EST: An interesting range on some of Wills scores as he earns a 32.4, a new personal best at the 5* level. That’s good for sixth at the moment.

Wills gives Oughterard Cooley after his test, the first at the level for the 12-year-old gelding. GIF via Burghley TV.

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6:26 a.m. EST: “I think it’s the best five-star in the world,” Rodolphe says of Burghley. “Every year, Burghley is like World Championships.”

6:20 a.m. EST: A 30.3 for Song du Magay, an excellent score for this pair that’s good for early fourth place. Next to see will be Wills Oakden and Oughterard Cooley (Puissance – Oughterard Sky Cruise, by Cruising), a 12-year-old Irish gelding making his 5* debut.

6:15 a.m. EST French rider Rodolphe Scherer — a very busy man these days as a rider and a coach, including for the Bromont Rising Program this year — brings forward the 16-year-old Selle Francais gelding Song du Magay (Summer Song x Indra, by Hand In Glove). This is a return to the level for Rodolphe, who last competed at Burghley in 2016. Be sure you’re following Tilly Berendt on Instagram for more behind the scenes from Burghley — she just posted a video of Rodolphe’s very chill warm-up, which seems to have paid off in the ring!

6:11 a.m. EST: “Diplomatic” is how Bettina describes Cornelia’s very tactful riding here. Daytona is certainly fit for the task ahead on Saturday, that much is sure! They score a 39.0 in their debut. I know Cornelia’ll be wanting for a better score as their partnership continues to grow, but a sub-40 in your 5* debut aboard a very spicy and fit mare is absolutely nothing to be displeased about and she looks pleased nonetheless! A nicely ridden test from this 24-year-old rising star.

6:08 a.m. EST: Rats, we’re definitely seeing the return of the dragon here so far in Cornelia’s test, with lots of tension manifesting in the trot work so far. Bettina notes how difficult it is to ride forward into the bridle when a horse is so tense. “Even these tense horses, you need to keep them enough in front of the leg so they’re not over-reacting to your hands. But it is not an easy ride in this arena,” Bettina says, recalling a time she chose to retire in the first phase here with the notoriously-fractious Lanfranco in 2013. Bettina also explains why she likes this test (5* test B) because of its testing of balance.

6:06 a.m. EST: Fun times! Bettina Hoy joins Nicole Brown in the commentary booth for this session, so we’re in for a treat. Bettina is well-known for her prowess and competitiveness in this phase, so we know she has some perspective to share. Cornelia enters with Daytona Beach 8. Another fun fact: both of our U.S. riders so far are supported by our friends at World Equestrian Brands!

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6:02 a.m. EST: We’re preparing to get back underway with the second group of the day. Cornelia Dorr will make her long-awaited 5* debut aboard the stunning 12-year-old Oldenburg mare Daytona Beach 8 (Duke of Hearts x Sandance, by Santander H). Cornelia’s been based in the UK this year, working hard with Kevin McNab and seeing that hard work paying off in the mare’s dressage marks. Cornelia and Daytona finished top-10 at the Avenches Nations Cup leg earlier this year, and while I know this weekend will primarily be about experience I can’t help but be eager to see what polish Cornelia’s added in the intervening weeks.

5:38 a.m. EST: Tiger Mail earns a 38.9 in his Burghley debut for a tickled-looking Phoebe. Fun fact: Phoebe actually won an embryo transfer with Jaguar Mail as a prize for competing here at Burghley aboard Tiger Mail’s dam, Little Tiger. We’ll now go into a short break of about 20 minutes, after which we’ll resume with our next U.S. rider, Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8.

GIF via Burghley TV.

5:32 a.m. EST: Next in will be British rider Phoebe Buckley with the 12-year-old Tiger Mail (Jaguar Mail – Little Tiger, by Java Tiger) making his Burghley debut. This is a homebred of Phoebe’s, who at 14.3 hands tall gives off major pocket rocket vibes.

5:28 a.m. EST: HHS Noble Call makes his third 5* start this weekend at Burghley, and while his marks here aren’t going to make a threat to the top of the board, he’s one you can anticipate turning in a quick clear come Saturday. “Ben” is a former 1.30m show jumper, so we imagine his taste for dressage ranges from “lukewarm” to “no thanks”. He’s a genuine type of guy, though, and he and Padraig earn a 39.0, improving on their most recent 5* score at Badminton (41.4).

5:23 a.m. EST: Next up will be Irish Olympian Padraig McCarthy, making his Burghley debut (how is that even possible?) with the 11-year-old HHS Noble Call (Fortunas – Noblina, by Cavalier Royale).

5:22 a.m. EST: The biggest cheer of the early going and a 29.8 for Woods and C’est la Vie 135. He’ll tie Tim Price and Bango for early second.

GIF via Burghley TV.

5:18 a.m. EST: Woods has Contendro in a nice, forward rhythm, really trusting him to ride into the bridle despite some evident exuberance. This spring at Kentucky, Woods had a near-miss with another horse in the warm-up just before his test, and there was..much tension in their debut test. Woods will be determined to show what he knows he and this horse can accomplish today. They earn a 9 from one judge on their extended walk.

5:15 a.m. EST: Next up will be our first rider from the U.S., current 4* National Champion Woods Baughman with C’est la Vie 135 (Contendro I – Anette), contesting their second 5* this weekend after making their debut at Kentucky this spring. Woods had quite the adventure getting over to England, enduring several canceled flights for both himself and “Contendro”, but they made it by the skin of their teeth. Woods gets help this weekend from longtime coach Sharon White as well as German Olympian Bettina Hoy, and this is one pair we can anticipate a competitive mark from on their day.

5:14 a.m. EST: 7s across the board for Harry’s Harmony mark, and he scores a 31.8 — his best at the level so far. Well done!

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5:12 a.m. EST: Pro tip from Tina Cook: if your horse has a good walk, show it off! The walk is a gait we often overlook, especially in eventing when our horses might be that much more tense from fitness. But a walk score is a healthy portion of your final mark!

5:10 a.m. EST: At 25, this is Harry’s first time at Burghley competing, though he and HD Bronze have completed Badminton as well as the Bicton one-off 5*. Beneficiaries of training with Pippa Funnell as part of the Wesko Equestrian Foundation, this is an exciting young rider on a self-produced horse.

5:07 a.m. EST: Emma and her 19-year-old partner, Waldo III, earn a 37.5 and look pleased with their ride. This is an improvement off their 5* debut score of 44.0. Next in will be another Brit, Harry Mutch with the 16-year-old Irish gelding HD Bronze (Limmerick – Northern Madera, by Toca Madera).

5:00 a.m. EST: Next to see will be Emma Hyslop-Webb with Waldo III (Faldo – Naomi, by Henzo), who return to this level here for the first time since Badminton in 2019.

UPDATE: Pippa’s score was later updated to a 26.2.

4:58 a.m. EST: A lovely, rhythmic test turned in for Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On. They should slip ahead of Tim into the early-days lead, scoring two 8.5s on their Collective Mark for Harmony. And they do! They score a 26.3, improving on their last Burghley score of 29.9 but not quite hitting the Bicton mark of 23.9.

4:53 a.m. EST: Second to see will be British Grand Slam winner and most recent Burghley winner Pippa Funnell with the 13-year-old gelding out of her and husband William’s Billy Stud program. Billy Walk On (Billy Mexico – Shannon Line, by Golden Bash) very nearly won the “pop-up” 5* at Bicton in 2021, finishing second there after winning the dressage, but has historically struggled to collect clear jumping phases.

4:50 a.m. EST: Tina Cook has joined John Kyle in the booth for this first session, and she shares some really useful thoughts on riding the horse you have to its skill level and level of training. She reminds us that we aren’t suddenly going to teach our horses a new skill in the ring, and that we have to remember to ride what we have and show it in the best way possible. She uses Tim’s halt and rein-back as an example of keeping a lid on and riding the horse on the day. Tim and Bango earned a 29.8, just a tick over his 29.6 earned at Burghley in 2019.

4:46 a.m. EST: And we’re underway! Tim Price is the first to see today with Bango (Garrison Royal – No Sale, by Don Tristan) after the withdrawal of drawn trailblazers Oliver Townend and As Is. “Uno” won’t be one to win the dressage, but he will put in a solid mid-20s to low-30s score based on historic averages.

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Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Sep 1, 2022 12:03 am -

A very special Deer at his retirement ceremony. Photo courtesy of KT Eventing.

This week is just a full-on eventing bonanza, with both the AECs at Rebecca Farm and the return of the big bad Burghley, you could just settle down for four straight days of live-stream action if you didn’t have a job and horses to look after. We’ve got you covered for both events, so don’t worry, you can totally sneak peaks at the action from your work desk or while you’re hacking a horse. All you need to know for the AECs can be found here, and everything Burghley can be found here.

North American Weekend Preview

USEA American Eventing Championships (Kalispell, MT): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Livestream]
Park Equine Kentucky Classique H.T. (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]
Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. (Sherborn, MA): [Website] [Live Scores]
Silverwood Farm Fall H.T. (Camp Lake, WI): [Website] [Live Scores]
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Seneca Valley PC H.T. (Poolesville, MD): [Website] [Entry Status]
Bucks County Horse Park H.T. (Revere, PA): [Website]
Foshay Horse Trails (Jemseg, NB): [Website] [Live Scores]
Major International Events
Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials: [Website] [FEI Schedule] [Entries] [Live Stream]
News From Around the Globe:
Being a successful rider in this sport is an uphill battle — and not just in terms of the skills and time necessary to make your way up the ladder. The ups and downs can be extreme and unpredictable, it’s often “one step forward, two steps back”, and money more often feels like a problem than a solution. And for many ambitious riders like our guests today, there is a palpable tension between “businessperson” and “horseperson”. [Podcast of the Day: Equestrian Voices]
Since the days of COVID, buying horses sight un-seen off a video has become even more common. Amateur rider Allison Calderon took a chance on a lovely three-year-old mare in the fall of 2020, but was shocked a few months down the line when the mare had a surprise pregnancy. With all that ensued after, both Allison and the mare were tested in their toughness and resiliency as they returned to working condition. [Back From the Brink: Surprise Pregnancy & Infection]

Of course, we all know the basics of good grooming: curry, brush and bathe when necessary. Then rub that coat until it gleams. Indeed, you’d be hard pressed to find a professional groom who doesn’t stick to this routine, no matter the season. However, there’s more to keeping a horse’s skin healthy and his coat radiant when temperatures soar and humidity peaks—especially during a long, hectic competition season. So, Practical Horseman asked veteran U.S. Equestrian Team groom Laurie Pitts and Ciera Cordero, who grooms for Canadian Grand Prix dressage rider Shannon Dueck, to share their favorite summer coat-care tips. [Summer Coat Care]

 Thoroughbred racehorses are known for their silly registered names. I’ve had everything from very cool to absolutely abysmal come through my barn, and if you’re a thoroughbred junkie like me, you’ve seen your fair share of silly ones as well. Sometimes they come with cool barn names, and sometimes they don’t come with anything, and you’re left to be creative. [What’s In A Name?]

Sponsor Shout: Who’s ready for Stable View Oktoberfest?

Day One in Montana: AEC is Officially Underway!

By on Aug 31, 2022 9:30 pm -

Name a better backdrop, I’ll wait. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

We’re having our usual FOMO scrolling through social media as beautiful image after beautiful images pop up from those riding at USEA American Eventing Championships this weekend. While we’re sad not to be there in person this year, we’re cheering hard and following along from afar all week long!

Day one of competition brought dressage for the Modified through Advanced riders. The AEC always run on a bit of a staggered schedule to allow for a balanced schedule. Tomorrow, the lower levels will begin their competition while the upper levels will tackle Ian Stark’s cross country challenge.

Helen Alliston praises Ebay for a job well done. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Don’t forget, a ton of action is available via live stream all week long thanks to Ride On Video, Horse & Country, and the USEA. More info on the live stream here.

More #AEC2022 content over on the USEA’s website here.

Bec Braitling and Caravaggio II strike quite a profile. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Let’s recap today’s scores:

$60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final: Helen Alliston and Ebay (25.2)
USEA Intermediate Championship: Tommy Greengard and Joshuay MBF (25.3)
Bates USEA Jr./YR Preliminary Championship: Reese Blinks and I’M Jaguar (25.0)
Bates USEA Preliminary Horse Championship: Jordan Linstedt and Lovely Lola (24.1)
Bates USEA Preliminary Rider Championship: Haley Dwight and WS Radagast (28.4)
Festival Open Preliminary: Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14 (20.0)
Festival Open Modified: Sarah Sullivan and La Copine (22.4)

USEA American Eventing Championships (Kalispell, MT): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Livestream]

Auburn Excell Brady traveled from her California base to contest the $60,000 Advanced Championship. They’re off to a solid start, scoring 29.9 to sit second after dressage. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

As always, Shannon Brinkman Photography and her crew are on the ground as official photographers. You can click here to order your photos from the week.

Last but not least, enjoy some social snippets from the early days of #AEC2022:

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Walk Burghley’s Biggest Questions with Laura Collett

By on Aug 31, 2022 5:00 pm -

Our friends at Horse&Hound have really been killing the video game, with news writer Lucy Elder sliding effortlessly into the role of presenter – and their latest series is no exception. Tune in as Lucy joins this year’s Badminton champion, Laura Collett, to discuss the intricacies of some of the toughest combinations on the new-look Burghley track, and find out where we might see some of the major influence come Saturday. Rather them than us, we say!

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One Horse Held; All Accepted in Ebullient First Horse Inspection at Burghley

By on Aug 31, 2022 2:02 pm -

Kitty King presents Vendredi Biats. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’ve seldom seen such a packed house — and such a vocal crowd — at a trot-up, but a combination of sparkling sunshine and the sheer excitement of Burghley’s return pulled in a bumper crowd for this afternoon’s first horse inspection. They were certainly rewarded for their efforts: throughout the course of the 52-horse presentation, they got plenty of action — in the form of sharp, spooky horses, many of whom insisted they’d never seen a trot strip in their lives and certainly weren’t prepared to trust one now — and more than a touch of country glamour, too, as riders put themselves in the mix for the Hi Ho Silver Best Dressed prizes.

William Fox-Pitt deputises for Sarah Bullimore, presenting diminutive Corouet — much to the crowd’s amusement. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Their joy was palpable and contagious, with each horse and rider receiving a tumult of cheers — particularly if they’d overcome a serious case of the spooks en route to being accepted by the ground jury. The comedy moment of the day, though (if such a thing can exist in a horse inspection!), belonged to William Fox-Pitt, who deputised for an unsound Sarah Bullimore and presented her homebred gelding, Corouet, for her. At over 6’5, William is the tallest rider in the field — and his legs were longer than those of tiny ‘Elfie’, who’s one of two 15.2hh entries in this year’s line-up.

J.P. Sheffield’s Kiltar OBOS is the only horse held during the first inspection. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Just one horse was sent to the holding box by the ground jury, which is made up of president Andrew Bennie (NZL), Austria’s Katrin Eichinger-Kniely and Great Britain’s Judy Hancock. That was J.P. Sheffield‘s Kiltar OBOS, who makes his five-star debut this week, helping his rider return to the level for the first time in a decade. They were subsequently accepted on re-presentation.

There was a tense moment for Sarah Clark, who has travelled all the way from Australia with LV Balou Jeanz. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

There was one ‘nearly’ moment, too: Sarah Clark, who’s made the long journey from Australia to tackle her first Burghley with LV Balou Jeanz, was asked to trot the gelding up again on a looser rein, but although she must have been holding her breath as she did so, her horse was quickly and decisively accepted into the competition after his second trip down the strip.

The holding box vet and ground jury in deep discussion during the afternoon’s proceedings. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Two riders were awarded Best Dressed prizes from jewellery company Hi Ho Silver, who employed Tina Cook to join their judging panel for the day. The Best Dressed Female prize was awarded to American rider Cornelia Dorr, who makes her five-star debut this week with the impressive Daytona Beach 8 after a fruitful summer spent in England with Kevin and Emma McNab.

The USA’s Cornelia Dorr takes the Hi Ho Silver Best Dressed Female prize after presenting Daytona Beach 8 in a classic, tailored dress. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The Best Dressed Male prize went the way of Andrew James, who will debut Celtic Morning Star at the level in this week’s competition.

A nattily-dressed Andrew James takes the Best Dressed Male prize. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

With all 52 horses safely through the first horse inspection, our attention can turn to tomorrow’s first day of dressage, which will start at a very civilised time of 9.45 a.m. BST (4.45 a.m. EST). New Zealand’s Tim Price will be the first rider in the ring with Bango, one of his three rides in this year’s competition, and he’ll be followed by 2019 winner Pippa Funnell, who doesn’t have her Burghley champion, MGH Grafton Street, entered this year, but will ride Barbury runner-up Billy Walk On tomorrow. You can check out the times in full here — or, if you’re hoping to tune in and follow the US contingent this week, their times are as follows:

  • Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135 – 10.17 a.m. BST (5.17 a.m. EST)
  • Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8 – 11.05 a.m. BST (6.05 a.m. EST)
  • Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent – 13.38 p.m. BST (8.38 a.m. EST)
  • Emily Hamel and Corvett – 14.50 p.m. BST (9.50 a.m. EST)

Stay tuned for plenty more Burghley coverage from EN — and in the meantime, Go Eventing!

Burghley 2022: Website|Live Scores|Burghley TV|Form Guide|EN’s Coverage|EN’s Twitter|EN’s Instagram

Burghley At A Glance: Meet the Horses of the 2022 Field

By on Aug 31, 2022 1:31 pm -

We know not everyone has approximately 48 hours to dedicate to reading our whopping great big form guide, so we like to keep things easy around these parts — even if you’ve only got five minutes to spare. First up? Our bite-size analysis of the horses we’ll be watching this week.

With just 52 horses in the field, this is one of the smaller Burghley line-ups we’ve seen — but there’s plenty of quality in its ranks. Here’s how the field stacks up by colour, breed, height, and more:

 

Burghley 2022: Website|Live Scores|Burghley TV|Form Guide|EN’s Coverage|EN’s Twitter|EN’s Instagram