Classic Eventing Nation

The feeling as you finish: Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy cross the line in 2018. Photo by Peter Nixon.

And so the big one looms once again: it’s cross-country time at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Want to brush up on your knowledge of the course? Check out our comprehensive preview, featuring an in-depth and fascinating course walk video with course designer Captain Mark Phillips. Find your favourites to follow on the live-stream by checking the ride times for tomorrow. Then, check out what some of our competitors have to say about the challenge ahead…

THE RIDERS REACT:

Pippa Funnell (1st): “I’ve walked it with my best friend, Tina Cook – so any problems tomorrow, I can blame on her! He’s had some blips, but we want to try to eradicate the blips – he’s a horse I’ve thought a lot of, but he’s had hiccups along the way. I’ll have to ride his balance a little bit – he can fall on his head and shoulders on cross-country. He’s a rookie, so I’ve got to ride him in the frame of mind I rode with last week [at the European Championships]. You can’t do a nice easy trip – you’ve got to get stuck in and be bold.

Because of the size of the fences, it’s important to give them as good a ride as possible. If you start seeing bad strides, it makes them much bigger. I’ll have to concentrate from beginning to end, because of [MGH Grafton Street’s] sense of humour.”

Oliver Townend (2nd): “I don’t look forward to jumping any of them! I’ve only managed to walk it once so far, as I’ve been suffering a little bit.”

Izzy Taylor (3rd): “It’s a big track and a tough track, and we’ll have to think from the beginning to the very end. There’s no fence to not be concentrating on; the middle of the course is very intense, but that doesn’t take away from the rest of the course. The ground walks very well, but it often rides softer – but they manage it very well here.

[Springpower] is very positive and wants to get on with life, so I need to make sure he’s staying with me as he does so.”

Lauren Kieffer (4th): “I’m not here for experience – I promised the owner that if I came, I’d give it a crack, so we’ll give it a crack or go home trying. But we have Plan Bs, too, as anything can go wrong in the combinations and you need to think really fast to be able to get out of it. He may go out there and say, ‘holy crap! This is different than anything I’ve ever seen!’ Or he might attack it, which is much more him. He’s an Arabian, so the fitness will be okay.”

Piggy French (=5th): “You’ve got to wipe the slate clean before cross-country and take each stage as it comes. She’s a true Burghley horse – our preparation hasn’t been great since Badminton, and I won’t have that in the back of my mind, but I need to make sure she’s feeling her best. She’s got a massive heart and is such a trier – all that helps.

I hate the double of gates [at the lake, fence 16]. I think it’s a horrible fence and Mark Phillips has been brave at that stage in the course. When I jump gates I always turn around to check they’re still standing. We all trust Mark completely, but I’d quite like to bypass it!

The course is enormous, but it’s fair – there’s nothing there to catch us out.”

Jonelle Price (=7th): “The ground here is world class – the best I’ve ever seen in the world.[What make the course tough] is the accumulative effect of big fence after big fence – that’s unique to Burghley. [Faerie Dianimo] is such a dynamic, careful little jumper, which is why I’ve looked after her  a little bit. You never know if you’ve got a Burghley horse until you’re out there, but I think she is, which is why I’ve brought her.”

Eliza Stoddart (=9th): “The first time I walked it, I did it in the dark – so luckily, I couldn’t see some of the fences!

Having not ridden here before, I don’t know what [Priorspark Opposition Free] should feel like at each stage, so I walked the course again with Pippa Funnell and Piggy French, and they told me what he might feel like, and then Chris Bartle said, ‘Eliza, you’re not here for experience – you’re here to do well.’ He’s a very genuine horse, and there are quite a lot of long routes, so you just have to be sensible for your horse. I’ll just break it up into manageable pieces.

I used to come to hunter trials here when I was a kid, and I’d sit on the edge of the Leaf Pit with my mates. We’d say we were the Three Musketeers and we’d do Burghley one day.”

Tim Price (=9th, =11th, and 20th): “Everyone knows what they’re about – you’ve got to do your own job, and your own game, and I’ve got three chances to get it right. The course, by and large, is very cleverly designed. It’s challenging, and I look forward to it.

You’ve got to start in a way that allows them to get into the course, but not at the expense of the time. It’s intense, and you’ve got a lot of obstacles early on. That will affect my three in different ways – Xavier Faer needs to be on his game early on. Once you get up Winners’ Avenue and through the Dairy Mound, you’re ticking boxes – though I don’t say that in a casual way.”

The aftermath. Photo by Peter Nixon.

Sarah Bullimore (=11th): “The first part is heavy with questions, and you have to negotiate them and also be quick. There’s a couple of similar questions, but an awful lot of new questions – some of them are similar but have been tweaked. The terrain here is massively influential, not just on the fences, but on the time.

Reve du Rouet has got so much scope and ability – I just have to direct it in the right way. It’s not like riding a machine; they have a brain too.”

Sebastien Cavaillon (13th): “Its bigger in the middle of the course, though the technicality is similar [to other five-stars]. It’s uphill, it’s downhill – it’s much more difficult than Badminton or Pau.”

Gemma Tattersall (=14th and 28th): “I have two different plans, but they’re both fast, bold cross-country horses. I can bring the information back from Arctic Soul’s round to use for Santiago Bay. It’s the biggest track I’ve ever seen in my life, and that suits me! Obviously anything can happen, and Arctic Soul is still a horse, but this is his best event and I’m looking forward to taking the handbrake off.”

Zara Tindall (17th): “I’m going to go out meaning business – with [Class Affair], it’s easier to go straight than to keep turning around. He almost needs a big occasion to make him back off and not be so buzzy. Obviously you have to have a plan B, but we want to be economical.”

Georgie Spence (18th): “It’s big – it’s always big! – but it looks particularly big in some places. The Maltings seems to walk on four-and-a-half strides, and it’s hard to decide whether to do the four of the five. It all seems jumpable, bit it’s all there.”

Will Furlong (19th): “We’ve done a couple of Badmintons now, and I think I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be! The middle section from the water onward will be intense, and where the problems will come. If you can get around to the Cottesmore Leap, it’s quite a nice ride home and downhill, too. I’m seventh on so I’ll have to stick to my plan – it’s nice, actually, because you can overanalyse by watching and really, you know your horse best.”

Ludwig Svennerstal (=21st): “It’s a good course, and always Mark Phillips builds a good course. It’s going to be very demanding, but it walks very fair. It’s very tough, but that’s what you expect here.”

Sarah Bullimore and Reve du Rouet at the Maltings. Photo by Peter Nixon.

Doug Payne (=21st): “It’s a tremendous place – just having a walk around, it’s incredible. There’s no stone or blade of grass left unturned, and the course is beautifully presented. I watched as many videos as possible, and I find the most value in helmet cams – I watched Tim Price’s round from last year, which gives you an idea of where you’re going and what comes up next.

I might go long at the Leaf Pit, as it’s unpredictable, and you won’t lose too much time. There’s trouble that can be had from beginning to end. I’m lucky to have the horse I have – he’s an absolute machine on cross-country. You just have to hope you’re fit enough. You wouldn’t want to enter here questioning if you’re ready – you need an abundance of confidence.”

Ben Hobday (=21st): “[Harelaw Wizard] has got it in him to go fast – with him, it’s the brakes that can sometimes go wrong! He’s very brave, and he’s also very strong.”

Will Coleman (26th): “This, to me, is the epitome of our sport – I value it above all others. It’s the most pure form of our sport that’s left – it’s a true cross-country dominated event. The Maltings fences are the biggest jumps I’ve ever seen.”

Johan Lundin (27th): “This is one of the biggest courses I’ve ever seen – it’s inviting for the horses, but frightening for the riders!”

Becky Woolven (30th): “It’s very hilly, and there are a lot of questions in one area. I do feel happy having done Luhmühlen with DHI Babette K – she was bold and straight, which does give me confidence, but she’ll never have experienced a test like this.”

David Britnell (32nd): “I’m itching to get out there! There’s a little bit more width in places [than at Badminton], but nothing Continuity can’t read. [Having a long partnership] gives you a feeling of ease where others may have anxiety and doubt – you know how he’ll read things. It’s organic; you feel, you don’t think.”

Buck Davidson (=34th): “Of any event, this is the biggest, and it’s always a dream come true to be here. I’d like to see Mark Phillips’ measuring tape, though! The Dairy Mound and the Maltings are for real serious – and my little horse has never seen crowds, and is a little bit spooky. You need a galloping horse, and a brave horse, and I think Jak is that.”

Emma Hyslop-Webb (=34th): “The Maltings will be tough – it’s not the fences, it’s putting them together, and you have to decide whether to go on four or five strides. The nice thing is that the Captain releases the course video, so you can train the lines at home – I train with Caroline Moore, and we’ve trained over a lot of them. Burghley really is the pinnacle of the sport – I’ve got my whole team here so they know what the end goal is that we’re producing the young horses for.”

James Sommerville (=37th): “I got run away with at the end of Blair last year, so stamina shouldn’t be a problem! Everything here seems to have extra elements – I don’t remember seeing Ds and Es at Badminton. It’s big jumping all the way with very few let-up fences. Winners’ Avenue is certainly a long way – I knew it was a long gallop, but you don’t quite realise how long it is from the gates to the Cottesmore Leap. It’s a good minute of galloping.

Some of the long routes are quite long, but some are as quick as the short routes. I’m having half a glance at the Leaf Pit, though. I’m in a good position in that I’ll get to see how it rides.”

Francis Whittington (=39th): “I intend to go long at the Leaf Pit – I don’t see a reason to jump that big drop, and it’s better to keep him moving round. How do you prepare for the Leaf Pit? I remember coming to the edge of it the first time I ever walked it and thinking, ‘I’m a goner!’ I’ve got a VHS tape that I watch sometimes of that round, and the commentator says, ‘Francis Whittington – reckless at the Leaf Pit!’ I like to think I’ve improved since then! For Evento, it’s an ideal course – we’ll grab it with both hands.”

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class take the scenic route. Photo by Peter Nixon.

Andrea Baxter (46th): “It’s the same track as last year – in a way, it’s not as technical, but it’s bigger, and when the technical things come up, they come out of nowhere.”

Dom Schramm (53rd): “They’re huge – I got up to the Leaf Pit and was like, ‘I don’t even know if this is possible!’ I guess it is, because they do it every year – part of me is terrified, and part of me wants to give it everything we’ve got. I wouldn’t want to be on a whippet that runs out of jump at the end.”

Matt Heath (=54th): “I’ve been here six times, and it’s the hardest I’ve ever seen. It’s tough out there this year – because it’s different, you start to think it’s bigger and stronger. But Mark has been very kind in that once you’ve got to the top of the hill, he helps us out from there – last year, there was a nasty skinny at the Dairy Mound, but he’s taken that out this year.

I’ll watch the first group of riders go, because you’ve got some of the best in the world in there – they’ll give us an indication of how it’s riding, but I won’t watch after that.”

Lillian Heard (=54th): “I don’t want to have a 20 but I want to be quicker, too, so I won’t take too many long routes. I’m not very good with drops, so the Leaf Pit is my concern – but it’s a long long-route. [LCC Barnaby] is good on cross-country, so I have to be too – but he’s up for it!

I love Kentucky, but this feels like a different sport – it’s as big and as bad as it gets, which makes the first phase a little less important.”

Imogen Murray (60th): “There’s a couple of places where you have options, where one route isn’t actually quicker than the other. The Trout Hatchery is a lot scarier this year – it’s very big. You can’t go to sleep on course out there at any point.”

George Hilton-Jones (=63rd): “I’m still not sure what I’m going to do at the Rolex Combination – the two routes don’t have much of a time difference. It’s a big, impressive track, and it’s what most of us have dreamt of, tackling the biggest course in the world. I’ll probably go long at the Leaf Pit – [Efraim] gets quite strong and forward, so I’ll have to see whether I can get enough control to just step off.”

Woodge Fulton (65th): “He’s an excellent practice horse and super honest – if I don’t mess up, he’ll jump all the jumps.”

Ginny Howe (66th): “As a child, you always look at the Cottesmore Leap, so it’ll be nice to get over that and get a nice picture. I’ll go long at the Rolex Combination – it’s [Undalgo de Windsor’s] first time at the level, and it’s a strong enough middle question – and you don’t lose that much time on the long route. There’s not one small fence, really, but you don’t come to Burghley for any other reason. I’m hoping he’s the right horse to take me round.”

Kirsty Short (67th): “After fence eight, it’s our course – but up till then, I’ll need to keep [Bouncer] steady and together. They’ve got to come into the main arena and be short and nippy, and then there’s a skinny before the Leap Pit where there’s normally a big oxer – and it’s a tight turn, too. It’ll be tough for a big-jumping horse. From then on, it’s a good galloping course.”

The US riders (plus honorary yank Dom Schramm) will ride at the following times:

• Will Coleman & Tight Lines – 11:55 a.m. (6:55 a.m. EST)
• Andrea Baxter & Indy 500 – 12:11 p.m. (7:11 a.m. EST)
• Ariel Grald & Leamore Master Plan – 12:31 p.m. (7:31 a.m EST)
• Dom Schramm & Bolytair B – 12:47 p.m. (7:47 a.m. EST)
• Doug Payne & Vandiver – 1:07 p.m. (8:07 a.m. EST)
• Liz Halliday-Sharp & Deniro Z – 1:35 p.m. (8:35 a.m. EST)
• Chris Talley & Unmarked Bills – 1:55 p.m. (8:55 a.m. EST)
• Hannah Sue Burnett & Harbour Pilot – 2:03 p.m. (9:03 a.m. EST)
• Buck Davidson & Jak My Style – 2:19 p.m. (9:19 a.m. EST)
• Lillian Heard & LCC Barnaby – 2:27 p.m. (9:27 p.m. EST)
• Woodge Fulton & Captain Jack – 3:03 p.m. (10:03 a.m. EST)
• Lauren Kieffer & Vermiculus – 3:07 p.m. (10:07 a.m. EST)

To all our competitors heading out of the start box tomorrow: have fun, stay safe, and we’ll see you on the other side. Go Eventing.

#LRBHT19: Website, Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Form Guide, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

The 2019 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials coverage is brought to you in partnership with the team at Voltaire Design United Kingdom. Going to Burghley? Head to Voltaire Design in the World of the Horse and meet the team of Sports Saddle Specialists, arrange a free, totally no-obligation fitting for you and your horse, or indulge in the Deal of the Day. Put a deposit on a new saddle during the event, and you’ll receive a matching bridle – free! Looking for a bargain? Head to Voltaire Design’s sister stand, EquiTack, to check out their premium pre-loved saddles at rock-bottom prices.

You know you’ve really made it when a celebrity comments on your social media, right? The EN Team was just a wee bit starstruck yesterday when we saw that the one and only Pippa Funnel had commented on this Instagram post:

Not only can the woman ride, but she has a hell of a sense of humor and maybe a little hidden talent as a songwriter, referencing her error of course in the final halt during yesterday’s ride on Billy Walk On. Good on you, Pippa! Consider us #blessed.

But as if that wasn’t exciting enough, it was pretty phenomenal to wake up this morning on the East Coast and check the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials leaderboard to see two U.S. flags sitting pretty at the top! Though the day was young and there was still some shuffling of the leaderboard yet to be seen, we’ve got three Americans sitting in the top ten ahead of cross country. Dare we say, it was a rather exciting day of dressage all around.

Exciting … dressage … two words not normally used together, but hey, no complaints here. Take a look behind the scenes of dressage day two and scroll further down for a close-up of the cross country course:

View this post on Instagram

🌟 MGH Grafton Street wonders what all the fuss is about as @pippa.funnell leads after Day 2 of the dressage @lrbht_official on a stonking score of 22.8 🇬🇧👏 . . . #lrbht #dressage #eventing #fivestar #equine #eventinglife #legend #pippafunnell #burghley #pferd #superstars #fridayfeeling

A post shared by The Gaitpost (@thegaitpost) on Sep 6, 2019 at 11:57am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Getting ready for dressage and we have an Olympian helping Jak to look gorgeous for dressage. SO EXCITED!!!!! @jill_henneberg #jakmystyle #buckdavidson #burghleyhorsetrials

A post shared by Kathleen Raye Cuca (@katcuca) on Sep 6, 2019 at 1:00am PDT

Find someone who looks at you the way Sinead Anglin looks at Zara Tindall’s Class Affair😍😍😍 #LRBHT pic.twitter.com/PpOsbwlqFR

— Land Rover Burghley (@LRBHT_Official) September 6, 2019

View this post on Instagram

So very proud of Deniro Z in his first Burghley dressage test today! 28.4 and equal 7th over night ❤️ big thank you to super groom @gjelinaka for making him look so gorgeous and to @jamesburtwell and Erik Duvander for helping us today! We are ready to fight hard tomorrow! #lovehim (lovely photos by @chronofhorse) @robdesino @chris_desino_ @ibsharp2 @harrylee85 @dilanbower @antaressellier_usa @botanicainternational @kasteldenmark @haygainusa @profchoice @uvexequestrianusa @uvexequestrian @fairfaxandfavor @fmbstherapysystems @saracen_horse_feeds @flairstrips @claire.tisckos @nicola_benson @prudawes7 @karen.corp @teamlbd @freejump_america @freejumpsystem

A post shared by Liz Halliday (@lizhallidaysharp) on Sep 6, 2019 at 1:39pm PDT

Walking up to @LRBHT_Official dressage warm-up just about as cool as you can be: @laurenkieffer & Vermiculus 🤩 pic.twitter.com/1qRsthUBYv

— samantha clark (@samanthalclark) September 6, 2019

The weather has turned nasty but the #LRBHT fan is dedicated @LRBHT_Official . They love the dressage pic.twitter.com/ph5A4yBKhl

— Burghley Horse Trials Radio (@BHTrialsRadio) September 6, 2019

View this post on Instagram

Blue sky Burghley 💎 Wishing you enormous luck @licihawker #gogal 👊🏼

A post shared by Georgie Wood (@porgewood) on Sep 6, 2019 at 9:51am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Just two Aussie kids kicking it at the @lrbht_official #nobigdeal #gdaymate #burghleyboly

A post shared by An Eventful Life – eventing (@aneventfullife2007) on Sep 6, 2019 at 3:26am PDT

Now that the fancy prancing it over with, it’s time to get down to business freaking out over all the ginormous fences that the horses and riders will have to tackle tomorrow. The best way to do that, of course, is to stalk social media for as many up-close-and-personal shots of the jumps as possible. Prepare to be awestruck:

View this post on Instagram

Cottesmore Leap – believed to be world's largest fence in the sport……..and the horse's view of it. It is wide enough in the middle to drive a Landrover through it! Would you jump it?? @lrbht_official @harrymeadeeventing #cottesmoreleap #eventing #eventersofinstagram #crosscountryjumping #horsetrials #burghleyhorsetrials #harrymeade #3dayeventing #horses #horsesofinstagram

A post shared by Horse Weigh (@horseweigh) on Sep 6, 2019 at 12:38pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

Sights and shite making jumps at #burghleyhorsetrials

A post shared by Jane Needham Day (@janenday) on Sep 6, 2019 at 12:37pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

Brilliant course walk with the legend that is Ginny Elliot and Horse Trials Support Group. We actually walked up Winners Avenue with her! #eventinggoals #hstg #burghleyhorsetrials

A post shared by Josephine Sclater (@josephinesclater) on Sep 6, 2019 at 4:43am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Not sure this was a great idea, but we walked XC….I have so much respect for each rider who will tackle this massive, complex course on Saturday. Best of luck to all the horses and riders—with just an extra bit of luck to the US folks, a super competitive group of top notch riders who are amazingly supportive of each other 🍀. Jak and Buck go at 2:19PM (BST)/ 9:19AM (ET) 💪 #jakmystyle #buckdavidson

A post shared by Kathleen Raye Cuca (@katcuca) on Sep 6, 2019 at 1:31pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

Just go straight… it’s easy! 🙈 #rolex #combination #vicaragevee @lrbht_official

A post shared by Steven wilde (@stevenwilde1) on Sep 6, 2019 at 12:55pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

Just a little one @gemma_tattersall 🐎

A post shared by Jack (@jacktatt) on Sep 6, 2019 at 11:13am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Great fun walking the course at burghley today then watched the last of the dressage. Brilliant test by Pippa Funell and also by ollie Townend, izzy Taylor, Gemma tattersall, and Tim price. The xc is huge. Good luck all tomorrow. #burghleyhorsetrials #hugecrosscountry Britisheventing #olivertownend #gemmatattersall #pippafunnell #timprice

A post shared by Sally Evans (@sally.evans.71) on Sep 6, 2019 at 1:30pm PDT

#LRBHT19: Website, Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Form Guide, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

The 2019 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials coverage is brought to you in partnership with the team at Voltaire Design United Kingdom. Going to Burghley? Head to Voltaire Design in the World of the Horse and meet the team of Sports Saddle Specialists, arrange a free, totally no-obligation fitting for you and your horse, or indulge in the Deal of the Day. Put a deposit on a new saddle during the event, and you’ll receive a matching bridle – free! Looking for a bargain? Head to Voltaire Design’s sister stand, EquiTack, to check out their premium pre-loved saddles at rock-bottom prices.

From L to R: Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus (photo by Tim Wilkinson/Eventing Images); Hannah-Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (photo by Nico Morgan Media); Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z (photo by Nico Morgan Media).

The U.S. had a heck of a day in the sandbox on day two of Land Rover Burghley dressage. Heading into cross country, we have three riders in the top 10: Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus are 4th on 26.7; Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot are equal 5th on 26.9; and Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z are equal 7th on 28.4. Read Tilly’s morning recap, which includes Hannah and Liz, here, and her afternoon recap, which includes Lauren, here.

Beat Media caught up with our three leading ladies after their tests:

Here’s to a happy, safe cross country day for all tomorrow. View cross country times here; U.S. (and, for Dom, U.S.-ish) times and dressage placings listed below:

Will Coleman and Tight Lines (26th): 11:55 a.m. local time (6:55 a.m. ET)
Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 (46th): 12:11 p.m. local time (7:11 a.m. ET)
Ariel Grald and Leamore Master Plan (=48th): 12:31 p.m. local time (7:31 a.m. ET)
Dom Schramm and Bolytair B (53rd): 12:47 p.m. local time (7:47 a.m. ET)
Doug Payne and Vandiver (=21st): 1:07 p.m. local time (8:07 a.m. ET)
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z (=7th): 1:35 p.m. local time (8:35 a.m. ET)
Chris Talley and Unmarked Bills (61st): 1:55 p.m. local time (8:55 a.m. ET)
Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (=5th): 2:03 p.m. local time (9:03 a.m. ET)
Buck Davidson and Jak My Style (=34th): 2:19 p.m. local time (9:19 a.m. ET)
Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby (=54th): 2:27 p.m. local time (9:27 a.m. ET)
Woodge Fulton and Captain Jack (65th): 3:03 p.m. local time (10:03 a.m. ET)
Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus (4th): 3:07 p.m. local time (10:07 a.m. ET)

The multi-award winning Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (September 5 – 8) has been established as a major international equestrian and social event in the Autumn Sporting Calendar for over 50 years. For more information visit burghley-horse.co.uk.

Go Eventing!

#LRBHT19: Website, Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Form Guide, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street take their biggest leaderboard yet. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

“At Tattersalls my exact words were, ‘I’m not retiring until I get to the bottom of this little bugger!'” laughs Pippa Funnell, the former Grand Slam victor and our dressage leader with MGH Grafton Street. For those of you who keenly follow the sport – and, indeed, our reports from across the country – it should come as no surprise to see the Padraig McCarthy-sourced gelding at the top once again, nor to see him boasting such a considerable lead on his score of 22.8. But if you know MGH Grafton Street as a reliable first-phase performer you know, too, that he can be somewhat less consistent across the country. It’s that Tattersalls performance that Pippa holds onto: in a commanding lead after the first-phase, the gelding stopped at an innocuous drop as Pippa adjusted him for the following corner, dropping them well out of contention.

“He’s got loads of ability, but he can just get the last laugh – he’s a real comedian,” says Pippa, who rides the horse for long-time owners Jonathan and Jane Clarke. “But I’ve walked the course with my best friend, Tina Cook, so if I have any problems tomorrow I can blame them on her!”

Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

The first battle, though, was the first phase – and although the horse scores remarkably well each time he comes out, today’s test was the first time that Pippa thought he felt as good as the scores suggested.

“He’s an attractive horse to look at, but the judges actually tend to like him more than the feeling I get – which is a nice way around to have it,” concedes Pippa. “He’s short-coupled and can feel stiff in the back, and it’s a bit like riding round on a pogo stick.”

Pippa’s decisive, precise riding today came down to two things: firstly, a stern word with herself – “last night I was thinking, ‘it’s ridiculous to have Billy Walk On so far down the field when he’s usually right up there’; I told myself off!” – and secondly, an interesting warm-up tactic, taught to her by long-term coach and mentor Ruth McMullen. In the collecting ring, just moments before her test, she continued to school the horse as normal – but with one hand behind her back.

“It means I can’t start niggling with my hands, and it’s a reminder to turn with my legs, not my reins,” she explains. “For the last few minutes, I can just focus on myself, not him – it’s actually something I used at the Olympics with Billy the Biz, too. It really helped me, and it brought him up through his withers. It gives him something to focus on, and it puts me in a little zone, rather than focusing on everyone else. Yesterday, I got too hooked up on riding the movements from the test – with this horse, I know he can do the movements, but I needed to get the basics. If they’re there, everything else slots into place.”

Pippa will bring just the overnight leader forward to cross-country – Billy Walk On, placed fourteenth after dressage, will reroute to Blenheim, a manoeuvre designed to give the rangy youngster his best chance of a positive, competitive run after Pippa’s week away at the Europeans fractured her training plans.

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class settle for second. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

2017 champions Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class couldn’t quite usurp the lead, though their 25.3 and second place should be well worth raising a glass of something naughty to, anyway. Or, well, it would be – but for the fact that Oliver hasn’t been able to actually walk tomorrow’s course properly yet.

“I’ve been suffering a little bit,” admits Oliver, who injured his back earlier in the week, and has barely been able to walk or ride since. As a result, he had to withdraw his second entry, the first-timer Ulises. “It’s been a little bit tricky. I’ve had a lot of physio in my career, obviously, but what Ash Wallace, the Team GBR physic, has done since Wednesday has been nothing short of a miracle.”

Despite his own physical limitations, he produced a test with all the consistency and sprinkling of sparkle we’ve come to expect from the Courage II gelding, who has never finished outside of the top five in his four five-star runs.

“Two years ago [when he won here on his debut], he was a novice, really – I remember I was still putting flying changes into him in the warm-up,” says Oliver. “He’s become a lot stronger, and a lot more established since then – but if I could go in again, I’d just get him revved up a bit more. He was very relaxed, and I actually had to kick him on a bit in the walk.”

Although ‘Thomas’ is a reliable low-20s performer – and briefly held the record for the lowest-ever dressage score at Badminton, quickly eclipsed by stablemate Cillnabradden Evo – Oliver doesn’t consider this the horse’s best phase.

“That’s not his strongest bit, I don’t think – but tomorrow’s another day, and the best bits are hopefully to come,” he says. “He’s proven himself here before, and hopefully he’ll do it again, but it’s just lovely to have a horse of this calibre at these sort of events. He’s still only twelve, and he’s not yet finished improving – we’ve not seen his best, yet.”

But how will Oliver make sure he’s at his best before giving the Burghley course another go?

“I don’t know what Izzy’s got planned for me tonight,” he laughs, shooting a sidelong glance at his girlfriend, who sits just behind him on the leaderboard. “She’ll probably spike my drink and give me a kick in the back!”

Springpower shows off his potential with Izzy Taylor. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

“He’s got a lot of movement, but he’s not entirely able to control it at the moment,” says Izzy Taylor, placed third overnight with the ‘cheeky’ Springpower, who was second in the Blenheim eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S last season. Though he’s always shown enormous promise in this phase, his previous marks have been somewhat scuppered by a proclivity for naughtiness – but today, in his second five-star start, he looked nothing if not professional, scoring 25.6 to slot in less than half a penalty behind the 2017 winners.

“He’s still green at the level – he went to Badminton [and did his test] on the Friday afternoon, which went to his head a bit, so we had a lot of work to do,” says Izzy. “The cameras are very close in there, so he got a bit tense, but it’s still so exciting – there’s so much more to come, and I’ve always been excited about him since day one. I just had to say to him, ‘it’s alright, we’re still together, I’m still here – let’s go and do this.’ The experience will be fantastic for him.”

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus battle the elements. Photo by Tim Wilkinson/Eventing Images.

Lauren Kieffer and the diminutive Anglo-Arab Vermiculus stormed into a late lead this afternoon, and by the end of the day, they remain in fourth place and best of the US riders on their score of 26.7 – yet another personal best, despite some grumblings of harsh marking across the board.

“I’m thrilled with him,” says Lauren, who began her test in heavy rain showers. “He hates the rain, and when it started coming down in [the collecting ring] he kept trying to turn his butt to it – I thought we’d just be trying to survive in there!”

Ultimately, though, the rain proved a surprise advantage to the gelding, who lives out all year round and goes into ‘survival mode’ against the elements as a result.

“In canter he can get a bit stuck and fresh, and he can throw in some changes – but the rain was letting up, and I think he was so thrilled that he was like, ‘I’ll behave, just give me the sun!'”

For Lauren, who finished twelfth here in 2017 with Veronica, Vermiculus isn’t just an exciting part of her competitive string – he’s a poignant link to the past, too. He’s a full brother to Snooze Alarm, the horse with whom she made the transition from childhood rider to five-star competition.

“He was my first-ever horse, and it was a bit of a fairytale – I got him as a kid, and did my first Kentucky on him,” she explains. “After he retired, I didn’t really have any other horses, so I thought I’d start with what I knew, and so I brought his full brother – Vermiculus. He was a two-year-old at the time, and he was so feral that I didn’t manage to catch him until he was four.”

Now, Vermiculus is part of a formidable group of US event horses owned by Jacqueline Mars, arguably the patron saint of upper-level eventing in the country.

“She’s a godsend, and our fairy godmother – she deserves this more than any of us,” says Lauren. “I promised that if I came, I’d give it a crack – so we’ll give it a crack or go home crying.”

Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo dazzle in the early movements. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

The Price family are a formidable force at any event, and even after the late withdrawal of top contender Classic Moet, Jonelle Price still finds herself comfortably within the top ten after dressage. Riding Burghley debutante and Luhmühlen winner Faerie Dianimo, she scored a 28.4 to sit in equal seventh place with Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z. She started her test with a bang, scoring a 10 for her first halt, and produced a nearly impeccable test for the first two-thirds, in which the flashy mare – a maternal half-sister to fellow entrant Xavier Faer – showed her remarkable trot work at its best. ‘Like Marilyn Monroe,’ reads the horse’s bio on the Prices’ website, ‘she’s at her best in front of a crowd’ – and that certainly shone through for the first half of today’s test. But while the medium trots were a highlight, some marks slipped away in the latter part of the canter work, in which she showed some tension and began to slip behind the vertical.

“It’s not quite the start I’d hoped for,” says Jonelle, who scored a 27.1 when winning the German five-star last year with the mare. “If I can get her right in those seven minute, she can be quite special. I thought, at the grand old age of fourteen, that she’d grown a bit more sedentary – but she surprised me by being a little hot in there, and then we had a bit of tension.”

Jonelle had tried a new tactic with the mare this week, riding and preparing her slightly less than usual for this phase – “but it caught up with me,” she says with a rueful smile. “She dances to the beat of her own drum, for sure – she’s certainly a hot little thing, and hopefully that serves us well tomorrow, but it would have been nice to have a few extra seconds up our sleeves!”

But a spot in the top ten at Burghley is enough to continue the fight for the win and, as Jonelle laughs, “we’re in front of the hubby, so that’s always a good start!”

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy round out a star-studded top ten. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

The reigning Burghley champions might have hoped for something better, but a 28.7 isn’t too shabby a place to start for Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy, who sit in equal ninth place with yesterday’s leaders Eliza Stoddart and Priorspark Opposition Free – the only competitors in yesterday’s group to remain in the top ten.

“That’s the best he’s been at this level, but I was disappointed with the score,” says Tim. “He’s not flashy, but he’s a serious workman. I’d hoped and thought that this guy would be higher up the leaderboard; he stayed right with me, but he doesn’t have that ‘wow’ that some of the others do.”

Tim is the only rider in the field with three horses this week, and all three sit in the top twenty as we move ahead to cross-country: Bango, tenth here last year, sits just behind stablemate Oz in equal eleventh, while Xavier Faer, who was third at Kentucky this spring, sits twentieth.

Woodge Fulton and Captain Jack begin their last hurrah in a busy summer abroad. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

It’s been a long and productive summer for Woodge Fulton who, powered by the $45,000 Wilton Fair Grant, has spent a season training in Germany with Dirk Schrade. Her adventure began with a successful first trip to Badminton, and now she’s back at Burghley for her last hurrah before she heads home – and this, for her, is the event that matters the most, and the one at which she and her ex-racehorse Captain Jack have unfinished business. Though they came here in 2017 and jumped clear across the country – and, in fact, they’ve never done otherwise in their four five-star starts – they ultimately withdrew before the final phase.

Today, the heavens opened just in time for their dressage, though wise-beyond-her-years Woodge and the experienced sixteen-year-old gelding didn’t succumb to the conditions. Their score of 45.4 might leave them out of the hunt competitively in 65th place overnight but, she sagely points out, “you have to be prepared to be a little bit embarrassed if you want to improve.”

“He’s a bit of a new man, but I’m still riding the old one,” she says. “Dirk has been great in getting him better, but now it’s on me to ride this new horse I’m on.”

Woodge’s go-for-it ethos has been the driving force behind her year abroad, which has seen her compete not just her own horse, but a number of young horses owned by Dirk.

“I think it’s really important to get out of your comfort zone,” she explains. “We [US riders] can’t just compete against each other all the time and lose sight of the bigger picture.”

Riding with Dirk hasn’t just been a positive influence competitively – it’s also allowed her a comprehensive insight into training.

“I can’t remember a time I’ve been riding in the ring alone there, which has been so useful,” says the 23-year-old rider, who shares arena space at Dirk’s with dressage riders, showjumpers, eventers, and stable jockey, who produce the myriad sales horses at the property. All roads lead here – and, most pertinently, to tomorrow’s cross-country track, over which Woodge is hoping to produce the goods yet again.

“I had a text from Dirk this morning, saying ‘good luck – try not to mess it up!'” she grins. “I mean, thanks, coach!”

Cross-country commences tomorrow morning from 11.15 a.m. local time/6.15 a.m. Eastern time, with Tim Price and Bango leading the way. Stay tuned for a look at the course from the riders’ perspective, and in the meantime, revisit our course preview to prepare yourself for the exciting day ahead.

Until then? We’ll be off to light a candle under our poster of Pippa and Supreme Rock, which has been Sellotaped to the walls of EN HQ since the mid-90s. Fangirls? Guilty as charged.

Go Eventing!

The top ten at the conclusion of dressage at the 2019 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

#LRBHT19: Website, Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Form Guide, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

The 2019 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials coverage is brought to you in partnership with the team at Voltaire Design United Kingdom. Going to Burghley? Head to Voltaire Design in the World of the Horse and meet the team of Sports Saddle Specialists, arrange a free, totally no-obligation fitting for you and your horse, or indulge in the Deal of the Day. Put a deposit on a new saddle during the event, and you’ll receive a matching bridle – free! Looking for a bargain? Head to Voltaire Design’s sister stand, EquiTack, to check out their premium pre-loved saddles at rock-bottom prices.

Big pats for Vanir Kamira after a lead-equalling performance. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

There’s nothing we value more than consistency over two days of dressage, but the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials took our pleas to Eventing Jesus perhaps a little too literally, dishing out more of the same blustery, spooky weather that plagued us yesterday. But despite the conditions – and the little bit of extra pizzazz they can bring to a fit horse’s dressage test – we were witness to some top-class performances across the board in the penultimate session of dressage this morning.

To add to the excitement? We saw a total changing of the guard in the top three – and a tie for first place, held by one of Britain’s finest and one of the USA’s best.

Hannah-Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot move into a joint lead. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Hannah Sue Burnett could have been forgiven if she’d come to Burghley fearing the worst for this phase – after all, Harbour Pilot had fizzed over entirely at Kentucky, putting a 39.6 on the board and precluding a top-ten finish for the pair. But what’s life, and sport, without keeping those competitive embers well-stoked? And so Hannah Sue rode for every mark, delivering a five-star personal best of 26.9 for the horse to hold onto provisional equal-first place.

“He was awesome – that was definitely the best test we’ve done at this level, and for him to come out and let me really ride him was so exciting,” she says with a broad smile. “He’s normally pretty good, but we had a really disappointing test at Kentucky, where he exploded, so I rode him in a lot more here to make sure he didn’t get nervous. He just got better and better in the ring – he was like my old reliable horse that I used to have.”

Ever the competitor, a nevertheless delighted Hannah Sue reflects, “I could have gone a bit crazier in the extended canter, but I didn’t want to push it! But we’ve got to get it at its best, because these guys over here are pretty good.”

Piggy French and Vanir Kamira start their quest for a second Grand Slam leg. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Pretty good may be a bit of an understatement, and Hannah Sue shares the top spot with one of the very best: Badminton winners Piggy French and Vanir Kamira equalled their 26.9, despite a less-than-ideal summer of preparation.

“She’s not a dressage horse, so nailing the ‘clear round’ is what’s important with her,” explains Piggy, who took her first five-star victory this spring from a starting score of 26. “She finds some things hard – like the canter to trot transition on the centre line. It’s the simple things that are hard for her, but she kept her head and had presence. She’s not naturally a fancy horse, so it’s about keeping her on the right side of the line – and it’s a very fine line.”

Piggy came forward with some trepidation about how the quirky Irish Sport Horse mare might react to the main arena. Though the mare has become a consistent mid-to-high 20s performer, this is her first major appearance since that Badminton, at which she enjoyed a lengthy and exciting victory gallop.

“I really milked the Badminton prize-giving – I went round and round, so I thought maybe she’d go in and get excited, but she’s obvious getting older and wiser,” she laughs. So old and wise, in fact, that we saw her deliver a textbook transition into the tough stretchy canter circle, which remained supple, through, and expressive.

‘Tilly’, who went to stud for her post-Badminton holiday to make use of the embryo transfer she won for being the competition’s best mare, has had larger hurdles to overcome on her way back to five-star, though. Her stay at the stud lasted eight weeks – longer than usual – while they waited for her to cycle, and in the meantime, they opted to make a farriery change. For the mare, who Piggy describes as “a high-maintenance gal,” it was a big step in the wrong direction.

“She’s gone there enough times that we expected it all to stay the same,” says Piggy. “Then, we had eight weeks to get her fit enough – and she was fat from being out, so when you’ve got a horse with delicate feet, it’s not an ideal length of time.”

After noticing that the mare was walking cautiously when being led out to the field, Piggy opted for drastic action, and now the mare has pads to redistribute and diminish some of the pressure. But the rider, who currently ranks third in the world, remains cautious – particularly after a surprise stop at a water jump in a one-day event at Keysoe.

“Some horses have a stop and need to go school water and get revved up again – she’s not one of them,” says Piggy. “Obviously you’ve got to wipe the slate clean before you go cross-country [at a five-star] and take each stage as it comes – but I wouldn’t say I’m confident. If she gets to the Leaf Pit and doesn’t want to jump or isn’t comfortable, I’ll put my hand up.”

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Burghley has been a major goal for UK-based American Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z, who are on the hunt for redemption after unlucky blips at Kentucky and Aachen this year. But if there’s one phase in which their performance never comes into doubt, it’s this one: despite an ongoing struggle to nail down the changes, they’re perennially correct, geometrically accurate, and flashy between the boards. Today, they find themselves in provisional third place after putting a 28.4 on the board, once again hinting that when those changes are solidified, they’ll be flirting with the very low 20s.

“He was such a good boy – I’m absolutely thrilled,” says Liz, who has worked closely with leading dressage trainer Pammy Hutton to fine-tune the buttons. “He finds the flying changes mechanically difficult, and they’re still definitely a work in progress, so I really concentrated on trying to get as many eights as I could elsewhere. He always give his all for me, though.”

This is a first Burghley for the prolific and talented Liz, who combines a busy career eventing in the UK and the US with a sideline in race driving. That proclivity for speed and toughness should serve her well this week – and so, too, should the learning curves of this season, which haven’t dented the incredibly talented gelding’s enthusiasm at all.

From fourth to eighth place, the lay of the land looks familiar: yesterday’s leaders Eliza Stoddart and Priorspark Opposition Free sit fourth, followed by Tim Price and Bango (5th), Sarah Bullimore and Reve du Rouet (6th), Sebastien Cavaillon and Sarah d’Argouges (7th), and Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On (8th).

Richard Jones and Alfies Clover chase down the big guns. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Richard Jones and Alfies Clover recorded a career-best result here last year, when they finished seventh – but this year, the local rider has the top three in his sights. He made great strides towards that goal this morning, delivering a 30.7 – a significant personal best at the level.

“I’m absolutely delighted with him – dressage isn’t his forte, but that’s four marks better than he’s been in a five-star before. He doesn’t find it easy, but the thing with him is, he doesn’t have a weak link: he’s got everything, all the lateral work, the changes, and he’s not reluctant, but it’s just not easy for him,” says Richard, who lost his wedding ring finger in a lorry park accident in 2017 but debuted the gelding here just three months later for 22nd place.

With an improved finishing result on his mind, Richard puts himself well in the hunt.

“The main thing,” he says, “was getting close to the top guys, and we’ve done that. If you look at the track, and look at the field, I’d still be thinking [I could get] a top-five finish on a 35.”

Buck Davidson and Jak My Style sit just outside the top twenty: “he’s a super cool horse to be around.” Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Although Jak My Style isn’t a true five-star debutante – he did a test at Kentucky, though was withdrawn before cross-country after Buck Davidson suffered a broken collarbone in an earlier round – he comes to Burghley wet behind the ears at the upper levels. But the fourteen-year-old full Thoroughbred, who was struck off before making his racing debut as a result of his bad behaviour, made a professional start to his week, posting a 34.3 to very nearly match his Kentucky test and sit 22nd at the lunch break.

“For him, it’s good – it’s a work in progress in the dressage. The trot is still weak, but his canter and his changes are really good,” says Buck, who took over the ride from former student Justine Dutton after she suffered a plethora of injuries in a rotational fall from the horse in 2017. “She did a great job on him, and I’ve hopefully been able to take it to another level.”

Though Jak flunked out of his racing career, Buck maintains that his brain is one of his greatest assets: “You can teach him something and he does it. He lacks a bit of trot, but he’s got a great brain and he’s a super cool horse to be around. Of course, you’d always like to be better, but it’s [nearly] his personal best, so you can’t really ask for more.”

A run at Kentucky in the spring may have been a crucial part of Buck’s Plan A, but in hindsight, he’s found a silver lining – the horse, he says, “has had six months to get stronger and better. It may have been the best thing for him.”

Now, there’s one goal in mind for the rider, who finished in the top twenty here last year with Park Trader: “If I can stay on [this score] for the whole weekend, I’ll be happy. I’m so fortunate to be here; of any event, this is the biggest, and it’s always a dream come true to be here. I just hope I’ve brought the right horse.”

Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby make their third consecutive Burghley appearance. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Lillian Heard is becoming something of a mainstay at the Lincolnshire five-star, and just like Andrea Baxter yesterday, she returns for a third consecutive year to chase the ultimate goal: a clear round over the biggest course in the world.  Like Andrea, too, she’s followed a trajectory of clear improvement – she failed to complete after falling on course with LCC Barnaby in 2017, and returned last year to complete, incurring 20 penalties along the way.

“It’s nice to be going somewhere you’ve been before – it’s a bit more comfortable every year, because I know where I’m going and what I’m doing,” she says. “I’ve been here three times, yes, but I don’t know when I’ll come again, so I don’t take it for granted.”

Today, she ticked the first-phase box, putting a score of 39.1 on the board for equal 39th place. Their calm, steady test lost some marks in the canter work, in which the Irish Sport Horse gelding lacked in some hind-end activity.

“He can get really hot in the ring and I never know where the line is, but today he was really calm and I rode on the safe side of that line,” explains Lillian. “I should have ridden for more, so I actually got a worse mark than normal – I’m a bit frustrated with myself.”

But this is just one phase of three, and Lillian remains pragmatic and focused on the task ahead: “I love Kentucky so much, but Burghley feels like a different sport. It’s as big and bad as it gets, which makes this bit a little less important.”

Chris Talley and Unmarked Bills add some sparkle – though perhaps a sprinkle too much – between the boards. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Burghley debutantes Chris Talley and Unmarked Bills have had a long road to get here, and it’s been one paved by crowdfunding, rather than grant money. But for the rider, who made his five-star debut at Kentucky this spring with the Thoroughbred gelding, it’s been worth all the hard work.

“It’s pretty special – it’s a pretty magical place, so it’s been an incredible experience so far,” says the rider, who has been hard at work confirming his horse’s connection and rideability in this phase. But preparing for Burghley isn’t just about nailing the dressage, as Chris well knows – and after finishing Kentucky “with plenty of gas in the tank,” he began to build Billy’s fitness further to ready him for the hills. And what do you get when you ask a Burghley-fit horse to stay sedate between the boards? Well, sometimes you end up having to nurture, rather than push.

“It was pretty wild,” laughs Chris of his test, which earned a mark of 40.6 for provisional 46th place. “He struggles with tension a bit in there, and he was quite hot. He’s very fit right now, and so the changes were a little bit early and a little bit excited, and putting my leg on wasn’t quite easy, but he stayed with me, so I’m happy with him.”

We’ve got sixteen combinations left to come in the final session of dressage, so stay tuned for a wrap-up of all the action and the riders’ thoughts on tomorrow’s cross-country challenge, too. Until next time, folks!

The top ten after Friday morning’s dressage session.

#LRBHT19: Website, Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Form Guide, Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

The 2019 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials coverage is brought to you in partnership with the team at Voltaire Design United Kingdom. Going to Burghley? Head to Voltaire Design in the World of the Horse and meet the team of Sports Saddle Specialists, arrange a free, totally no-obligation fitting for you and your horse, or indulge in the Deal of the Day. Put a deposit on a new saddle during the event, and you’ll receive a matching bridle – free! Looking for a bargain? Head to Voltaire Design’s sister stand, EquiTack, to check out their premium pre-loved saddles at rock-bottom prices.