Classic Eventing Nation

A ‘Smart’ Family Affair for Tara Dixon at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 2:40 pm -

Tara Dixon and Master Smart. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Tara Dixon’s 5* debut has been a long time coming. Eventing runs in her family: her mother, Karen Dixon MBE (née Straker), is a four-time Olympian who has jumped around some of the biggest tracks in the world many times over. That in-house education has served Tara well as she’s risen the ranks. In 2016, Tara told Your Horse UK that she wanted to become an Olympian in her own right, and compete at the top level for as long as she can.

Now, nine years later, she finds herself on the cusp of making that top-level debut a big reality, with one phase down and two to go aboard the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Master Smart, by Master Imp.

Horses in the Dixon family have to “earn their stripes” in order to obtain a “Smart” in their name. Karen, for her part, partnered with two big-time horses during her career, Get Smart and Too Smart. That tradition has carried on — and Master Smart earned his name nearly right off the bat as a talented young horse.

“He earned it in his first year with us, literally just as a five-year-old—he got it straight away,” Tara said. “And he’s got Master Imp in him, so we got Master Smart.”

To be sure, Tara’s lead-up to Defender Burghley was less than ideal. At Bramham in June, Tara fell with her other horse, Global Narco, and sustained multiple injuries and broken bones that set her back in her training for this week. Fortunately, she had enough time to make a turnaround (being plied with gin by some well-meaning friends always helps the cause, also) and get back for this debut.

“I broke my wrist, my knuckle, and my eye—-I cracked my eye socket, so my eye was all swollen,” Tara told us after her dressage test on Friday, where she scored a 37.5. Arriving here, her primary goal for dressage was to get into the 30s with a horse that’s been tending more to score in the low-40s. “I’m absolutely over the moon, to be honest with you. I’ve said to Mum for weeks and weeks, if I got a dressage score that started with a three—even if it was 39.9—I would be delirious. And to get a 37? Yeah, I’m absolutely elated.”

It’s actually quite a circuitous path she’s taken with “Fred” to get here. In fact, Tara and her mom found the horse while on a trip to watch Burghley in 2018. “The last time I came here was seven years ago with Mum, just to watch,” she said. “En route we were looking for horses, and that’s when I found Fred. So we’ve done full circle, and now we’ve returned with him in the competition.”

Tara admits it hasn’t been the easiest to produce this horse (are Master Imps ever easy?), but Tara says the time has been well spent. “He was always very special, but he’s very sharp,” she elaborated. “When he was younger, and I first got him, I’d fall off just doing dressage. He’s been a really tough horse to produce; you’d feel like you were getting somewhere, and then he’d fiddle his feet and you’d be on the floor. But now we’ve built a relationship and a connection. It took a good couple of years for us to be really close, and now we’re inseparable. I love him.”

What’s it like having such a well-accomplished mom to help guide her? Tara says it’s been incredibly special, and the amount of knowledge Karen stores in her brain is expansive. “She just has all those small details, and she just says it all without thinking and I just listen and take it all in. I’ll take every bit of advice I can get, all the help. She’s amazing, she’s always with me by my side. Yeah, I mean her help, her knowledge, her connections, even just to people sometimes who need a third opinion. And she just doesn’t even have to raise a finger and she’s got friends there that are willing to help with huge amounts of knowledge.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s challenge, Tara says she’s feeling up for it. She’s been well-prepared: she’s spent a solid three or so seasons at the 4* level, and she knows she’s put in the work necessary to ride here at Burghley.

“You need a lot of concentration all the way through, and it’s going to be a long way around,” she said of the course. “But I think we’re ready to tackle it, and I’m really excited.”

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

ICYMI: Friday at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 12:47 pm -

Eyes on EN for the full dressage report coming soon. Rest assured, Tilly is typing her fingers down to bloody stumps as we speak, aided by Sally and hindered by Chinch, who’s (probably) napping off a day spent schmoozing his way round the Pol Roger tent. It’s a mammoth task so patience, please, while they pull off the impossible. It’ll drop just as soon as super-humanly possible.

Until then, here’s a quick re-cap of what the scores look like as we head into tomorrow’s cross country:

1️⃣ 🇬🇧 In pole position as the best day beckons is Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent who are sitting just 0.4 ahead of the defending champions on a score of 22.

2️⃣ 🇬🇧 Chasing them down is Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo who are on a score of 22.4.

3️⃣ 🇳🇿 Less than a point behind, rounding out the top three after the first phase is Tim Price and Vitali on a score of 23.1.

You’ll find the full scoreboard right here.

But scores aside, eventing at heart really isn’t just a numbers game (apologies to our friends at EquiRatings for that bold declaration, although as fellow eventing superfans, we think they’ll secretly agree). Here’s a run-down of some of the other points of interest from today’s dressage at Burghley threw our way today:

🎇 Fireworks Fizzled – We had explosive potential in today’s line up, with known firecrackers Icarus X and Finduss PFB in the mix. However, despite a smidge of looky-looky, joggy-joggy, determined side eye at the judges, both Emma Thomas and Sammi Birch did masterful jobs of using their partnership with their horses to keep things under wraps. Emma’s face went from super serious to huge grin as she saluted, with happy tears and huge neck scratchies for Icarus for their score of 37.3. Sammi was equally pleased with Finduss, saying “We learn about him all the time… Maybe when he’s 20 we’ll be on a 25!”. Today they scored 35.7. Another pair we watched with our breath held was Jesse Campbell and Cooley Lafitte, due to their tricky time in the first phase at Badminton. “Good boy,” Jesse whispered on the way out of the ring after a much improved test from them saw them land on 34.6.

📸 Picture of the Day – This surely goes to Alice Casburn for the look of pure disbelief on her face when she saw the scoreboard at the end of her test with family fave Topspin. “I looked up at the score and was like, Oh wow!” she tearfully said in her interview. They’re on 31.4.

🧑‍🎤 Woah Boy! Tom Crisp’s expression went from cool, calm and collected to OMG! in 0.1 of a second as Dassett Rockstar took the final salute as his cue to take off towards the cross country. Rockstar vibes all round for this pair as they put down a huge PB, with Tom pointing up to the scoreboard as he left the ring. “I like defying the odds,” he said afterwards. A first sub-30 at 5* for them – 28.5.

🫶 Sweet Story – Cool Jack and Alexander Tordoff may be making their 5* debut but they’ve been to Burghley before – for a Pony Club one-day event. Alex looked a little disappointed with his score but actually, cantering down the centre line at Burghley’s pinnacle event, that’s totally a win in itself. They scored 41.7.

🥃 Cheers Mate! The two Jacks were having a proper chat as they jogged out of the ring on the lookout for the cross country fences, the Burghley sun shining on the checkerboard adorning Jack Daniels’ bum while Jack Mantel talked to his pal the whole way out. They put down a score of 38.

👏 Biggest Cheer – Tim Price and Vitali for sure scored the biggest cheer of the day for a test that was justly appreciated by the crowd with clapping, cheers, whistles and waving flags. Vitali’s happy ears were surely a highlight of their test. 9s in the harmony marks for them and a score of 23.4.

😁 Funny Guy – Sam Lissington’s Lord Seekonig gave the crowd something to giggle about as he flicked his top lip and grinned at them on the way out of the ring, clearly pleased with his score of 24.

🐴 Fun Fact – William Fox-Pitt rode Emily King’s horse Valmy Biats at Novice level but struggled to gel with the gelding, which just goes to show how there’s different people for different horses no matter how talented a rider you are. Emily and Valmy sit on a score of 26.1.

🏆 Sporting Hero – The sportsmanship award goes to Arthur Marx who not only gave his homebred pal Church’ile a huge hug and a munch of grass after their test but also wished Austin O’Connor luck as he rode past on the way to start his with Colorado Blue. That’s exactly what we like to see. He scored 36.2.

😊 Mind Your Manners – Tara Dixon smiled and seemed to say good morning to the camera operators around the ring as she waited for the bell before her test. After a sweet test from both horse and rider she let us in on her plan for tomorrow: “Out of the start box – stay attached over the first couple – then let him run”. They start their 5* debut off on a score of 37.5.

⭐ Winning at Burghley – Another pair of 5* rookies, Elspeth Bryce and Lacoste made a lovely picture of a pair trying their best together. The horse was super relaxed and looked like he was smiling on his way out of the ring. Really, that’s winning at Burghley. They scored 39.9.

🐶 Man’s Best Friend – And finally, there was a four-legged addition to the commentary team this afternoon when one of William Fox-Pitt’s wolfpack joined in with the action. On a leash, of course.

Keep it locked onto EN for the full report coming your way and join me tomorrow for EN’s classic live blog, where I’ll be bringing you every single scrap of the cross country action. Ice those fingers ready for a day of refreshing ENers. It’s going to be a good one.

It all kicks off at 11am BST / 6am ET.

Until then…
Go eventing!

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

An Official Rider: Valerie Pride’s Judging Journey to the Heights of European Eventing

By on Sep 5, 2025 12:00 pm -

Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride and Favian at the Maryland 5 Star. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Halfway through a bustling eventing season, Valerie Pride has barely had a moment to breathe — let alone pause to reflect. The year kicked off, as it often does, under the hot Florida sun, where she and her horses trained and competed non-stop through the early spring. Now back at her home base in Maryland, she’s catching a “second wind” — reconnecting with clients who stayed north and stepping into a slightly quieter (but no less focused) phase of her year.

Her current string of horses includes promising six-year-old Irish gelding Excel Star Je T’Aime, who is “huge and still growing”. He recently made a statement with a second-place finish in his first CCI2*. Valerie is aiming him at a 2*-L this fall, believing that it’s an essential step for a big-framed horse like him before climbing up the levels.

Meanwhile, her nine-year-old gelding Kiss My Jambo M is at the top of the national leaderboards at the Preliminary and 2* levels, though they’ve momentarily stepped back from an Intermediate move up. “He’s so game, but gets tired on the cross-country. I don’t want to rush it,” she says. “When you’ve been in the sport as long as I have, you can look back and see all the mistakes you made before you knew better. Now I want to take the time to get it right.”

It’s a perspective that only time and horses can teach. “When you’re younger, taking time off from competing feels counterproductive. Now I know that patience is progress. Waiting is hard, but it’s worth it.”

This fall, however, Valerie isn’t just focused on the horses in her barn. She’s heading to Europe as a judge, instead of as a rider. And not just anywhere: she’s judging at the Burghley 5*, the British Eventing Young Horse Championships at Cornbury, and the European Eventing Championships at Blenheim — some of the most prestigious events in the sport. It’s a milestone moment in her judging career, and perhaps even a turning point for her future.

Valerie judged her first 5* at Maryland last year, followed by the 4*-S at Kentucky. She describes both with a kind of reverent excitement. “When you judge the 3*-L at Maryland, you hang out with the 5* judges and hope that’ll be you one day. Then suddenly it is.”

Her selection for Burghley, one of the biggest and boldest events in the world, was a moment of disbelief. “I’ve never even been to Burghley. To walk that course in person? I’m going to get goosebumps. It’s massive, technical, and iconic.”

Shortly after came another invitation: to judge the European Championships at Blenheim. It felt full circle. “I competed at Blenheim years ago, but the Queen had just passed away, so the event had a somber tone. This year I get to go back as an official, and I’m hoping it’s more celebratory, more festive.”

Then comes Cornbury, where she’ll judge the seven-year-old British Championships, many of whom will be the future stars bound for Burghley, the European Championships, or even the Olympics.

Each weekend she’ll work with a different team of talented judges and officials, and she’s looking forward to the variety. “I’m going to learn so much and come back completely inspired,” she said, “and I’ll definitely be bringing that energy back to my own program.” Between the three events, she might stay at longtime friend and coach William Fox-Pitt’s farm and catch up with other riders as well as their young horses. When Val gets home though, the rest won’t last long: Fall Area II Championships and local three-day events will be right around the corner for her and her team.

Valerie Pride and Favian competed at Blenheim Palace in 2022. Valerie will return this year — but this time as a judge. Photo by The Jockey Club.

Despite the excitement, Valerie knows that judging at this level requires serious preparation. As the junior judge at each event, she’s determined not to be the weak link. “I’ve been watching old Burghley videos, trying to understand where the horses struggle,” she said. “For Blenheim, they’re running the 4* Test D, so I’m practicing it myself at home to really know it inside out.”

Cornbury is expected to be overwhelming just due to the sheer size of the event, with hundreds of horses competing. Valerie is relying on experience from other large events like Blair Castle to keep her focused. “You have to be ready for the first horse in the ring to be the best one of the day.”

Valerie believes her experience as a 5* rider is what makes her such a strong judge. “It’s my biggest asset. I know what it feels like to be in the ring — I know when something goes wrong, how hard it is to recover, and how much you want the judging to feel fair.” That rider perspective also helps her notice patterns others might miss. Judging show jumping especially, she sees where the majority of competitors struggle in a course and takes that knowledge home to her own horses and students. “I’m not afraid to ask questions. These course designers are geniuses. Understanding why they do what they do makes you a better horseman.”

She’s also extremely aware of the standards she holds herself to, both in and out of the arena. “Because I’m an official, I expect more from myself and my staff. Everything we do is done with care and intention. There are no shortcuts. Legs are checked at each walk to and from the field, and our cool down routine is established and extensive.” Her team uses systems like Stable Secretary to stay on top of every detail, and she keeps them sharp with pop quizzes. “We know what a normal heart rate is because our horses wear monitors. We know how many strides are in a line, what canter we need, and how to prep before it happens.”

Valerie Pride served on the ground jury at the Blair Castle Horse Trials. Photo courtesy of Valerie Pride.

Valerie’s judging “Tune-Up Tips” video series on social media has also been growing in popularity. The series started out as a way to answer the same questions she kept getting over and over again at shows. “People would come to my trailer and ask things, and I’m always happy to share. Then I realized I was writing the same thing on 27 dressage tests, so I thought, why not make a video about it?”

The videos cover everything from new rules to common mistakes, usually filmed on the fly during her rides. One early video about dressage whip use remains a favorite. “I threw the whip at my groom so many times I actually spooked my horse,” she laughed. “It kind of sabotaged the training for a second, but it got the point across.” Feedback for her series has been overwhelmingly positive, with riders saying they didn’t know that certain things were in the rule book. “I view it as good karma. If I can help people ride better and stay within the rules, it’s worth it.”

This judging tour is just the beginning of what Valerie hopes will be a long-term journey. She’s eager to judge in more countries, including Germany and Japan, and dreams of going to more major championships and iconic venues like Aachen. “I’m a total eventing nerd,” she admits. “I’ve judged in Poland already, which was really different, and I’d love to see more of the world through this role.” To keep her home program running smoothly while she travels, she’s currently hiring for an assistant trainer. Most of her current horses are up-and-coming, so they need someone who can keep the training consistent when she’s away.

While Valerie isn’t naming any specific Olympic goals just yet, she acknowledges that her role as a judge may one day be the way she contributes to the sport at the highest level. “My horses are young. They won’t be ready in time for some of the major events on the horizon, but maybe judging is the role I can play on the world stage.”

For now, Valerie is happy balancing both parts of her career. She plans competition schedules around judging commitments and vice versa; sometimes she’ll judge an event one year and return to ride in it the next. “I don’t have eight advanced horses, and that’s by design. I want to do both well.”

Valerie Pride and Favian salute the judge at the inaugural Maryland 5 Star. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

QUICK TAKES WITH VAL

Best judging advice she’s ever received:
“Don’t second guess yourself. Trust your gut, and be fair.”

One rule riders consistently misunderstand:
“The flag rule. What you see on video or feel when riding isn’t always what the officials see from the ground.”

Favorite venue to judge at:
“Kentucky. It’s just magic.”

Dressage ring pet peeves:
“Late flying changes. Riders going into the corners on serpentines. People switching their whip during a direction change — how do the horses not just run off??”

by Anya Ostrovsky for Athletux

The ‘Chimp Paradox’: Simon Grieve Silences the Inner Critic at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 10:30 am -

Simon Grieve and Autograf. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

It’s a topic that plagues us all: we experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, even at the smallest levels of the sport, but the drug that is eventing keeps us coming back, dogged try after dogged try — even when our inner dialogue tells us it’s the last thing we should be doing. Simon Grieve knows this feeling all too well, but thanks to, frankly, being open and candid about it and finding his sentiments echoed back to him, he’s starting to conquer that ever-chatty monkey on his back. Inside his own journey through mental hurdles lies inspiration for us all to take with us.

It wasn’t a specific incident that knocked Simon, but he’ll be the first to tell you that he struggled with a bit of a “crisis of confidence” earlier this season.

“I don’t know why it happened,” he mused. “I’ve had lots of crashes and lots of falls in the past, and I’ve got straight back on, cracked on, and been absolutely fine. This time I don’t know why it happened — it was just suddenly in my brain.”

He’d retired on cross country in the 4*-S at Thoresby’s Spring Carnival in March with his Burghley mount, Autograf. Straight after, Simon went to consult a sports psychologist. “It was all me,” he said, noting that he also enlisted the help of Chris Bartle for some lessons to help set him back on the right track.

Simon put the help he got from that support team to practice at Burnham Market the following month: “I rode like a demon,” he laughed. “And he was amazing. We were amazing. You know when you finish, you’re like, ‘my God, that was brilliant’? That was us that day.”

Simon Grieve and Autograf. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Momentum is a very real thing in sport, and Simon’s been able to take that momentum forward to now, on the cusp of Autograf’s first 5* cross country and his rider’s first Burghley since 2019.

“It started off a little bit not so great, but we’ve blossomed together,” Simon said. “He was fabulous around Hartpury last time out. So yeah, I’m feeling like we’re prepared in a good way, and really happy about Saturday.”

As with any elite pursuit, it can sometimes become difficult to silence the inner critic, the “chimp” on your back who tells you that you’re total shit, that you shouldn’t even be trying, that if things aren’t perfect, they aren’t good.

“It’s the Chimp Paradox, isn’t it? My chimp was definitely having a chat back then,” Simon said. “He was saying, ‘You’re rubbish, you can’t do this.’ So I had to shut him up.”

He says that changing his inner dialogue has made a world of a difference.

“A few years ago, I was riding a horse I wasn’t confident on, and I remember having a conversation with myself: ‘Right, you’re allowed to be as scared as you like all week, up until Saturday morning. Friday night, you can ring everyone and say, Oh God, this is terrifying, I’m so scared. But on Saturday morning, you’re going to wake up and you’re going to be professional. You’re going to say, This is my job, I’m going to do a good job, and I’m just going to get on with it.'”

That, he says, “is exactly what happened. I was talking to my sports psychologist this week, and I said that that’s what had happened, and I was like, ‘it’s really random!’ She was like, ‘yeah, that’s actually a thing — you’ve got to keep your chimp really busy and get it tired, and then off you go!'”

 

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Simon, who recently started a YouTube channel and also co-hosts the Shut Up and Ride Podcast, started to share these struggles with his followers, and what he found validated the notion that this was not a unique struggle. “I think the more I talk to people about it — and actually I’ve put a lot of it online, on my YouTube channel and that kind of stuff — lots of people have messaged me about it. It’s exactly the same for them, from all levels. Whether it’s from doing a 70cm all the way up to top level, I’ve had people saying, ‘Oh my God, I’ve had exactly the same thing.’ We don’t really talk about it, and it’s really important that we do.”

As for his tactics to keep that chimp quiet? After that Burghley, and that chat with his sports psychologist, he knows that he’s got to tire him out for the next couple of days. “I’m going to try and do just that this week — talk about how scared I am!”

While a five-star debut, as this week is for thirteen-year-old Autograf,  is always a voyage into the unknown, there’s a little bit of familiarity he’s bringing with him that feels like something of a lucky charm, too.

“I was hacking out with Will Rawlin on Wednesday and he said, ‘you definitely have a type, don’t you?’ Because Autograf is a little brown horse who’s so like Drumbilla Metro, who went around here a couple of times,” he smiled.

We’re wishing Simon and Autograf the best of weekends. They’ve started off with a 37.8 in the dressage yesterday and will now look ahead to tackling cross country tomorrow — with any luck, without any extra primate passengers.

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

The Power of Patience: Alexander Tordoff Comes Full Circle at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 10:13 am -

Alexander Tordoff and Cool Jack. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

When Alexander Tordoff was 15, he wrote in to Pony Magazine. “I am hoping to be an eventer when I grow up,” he wrote, submitting a photo of himself and his horse, Luigi, on cross country along with bit.

Alex grew up right in the area around the famed Burghley House. He’d come to watch Burghley each year, and also rode in Pony Club, which brought him to the grounds with a horse that was…challenging, to say the least, for the first time over a decade ago.

Now, in 2025, he’s brought Cool Jack (a horse purchased for less than £4,000) back here for his Burghley debut, and even with two phases to go, Alex admits: “What a weird week it’s been.”

It hasn’t been a straight road to this debut, not by a long shot. In fact, Alex, shared with me, he almost quit riding at one point altogether because he’d had so much trouble with Cool Jack — a horse very much with a mind of his own.

“When I was about 15 or 16, I couldn’t ride him,” Alex said. “I’d be at home on my own, and every time I got him, he’d walk 10 meters, and he’d throw me on the floor. I remember coming inside saying, ‘Mum, you’ve bought this horse and I can’t ride it. I just keep falling off him.’ Mum basically said, ‘Tough cookie—crack on. I’m not buying you another one.'”

Alex enlisted the help of multiple local professionals, most of whom also couldn’t get a tune out of the lanky gray gelding. “They’d come in, get on him, fall off, and just immediately leave the arena,” Alex chuckled ruefully. It was a discouraging time, and for a rider who held lofty ambitions of one day reaching the top of the sport, the hill to climb looked the size of Mt. Everest.

“I mean, I used to get up, one day I’d lunge, one day I’d ride,” he recalled. “I’d wake up on the days I’d have to ride him, and I’d have a knot in my stomach. On lunging days, I’d think, ‘Oh my God, this is a great day!'”

Manifestation: Exhibit A. And also a great branding opportunity for “Boy Eventer,” which, yes, is still Alex’s Twitter handle.

Then, Alex went out to work for Ros Canter. It was before Ros Canter was THE Ros Canter — “it was more just her and I riding in a field, before she became World Champion.” Here, Alex and Cool Jack finally found their stride together.

“Ros was the one who got him going, and also said, ‘Don’t stress—he’s actually quite good,'” Alex said. “She’s just the most incredible horseman. Just the amount of time and patience it took. Once he trusts you, he’s on your side. He’d throw himself off a cliff, he’d jump the Grand Canyon if you asked him too. And he even wouldn’t be the most scopey horse, but he just tries so hard. She was the one who taught me the most about just giving him opportunities and take it really slow, like really slowly. Eventually, I managed to get on, stay on, and then he was great. He still has those traits, though.”

It wasn’t magic or a secret sauce, working with Ros. It was simply an emphasis on patience, and on taking things back to basics and going as slow as needed to make even the smallest modicum of progress. In all, it represented a turning point. The horse was six when Alex brought him to Ros; he’s now 17, preparing for his second 5* start. And while he’s come on impressively, Alex warns, he’s still not an easy ride. He’s still sharp as a tack.

“It’s been a case of slowly, slowly. I still fall off him all the time!” Alex continued. “Like, even at Burgham, the show before this, I got on him, and within 30 seconds in the stables, I was on the floor. He’s so quick. Some days in the stable, you look at him and you’re about to tack him up, and he just gives you a look, and you know, ‘Oh, I’ll ride you later.’ You can’t even catch him in the stables sometimes. He’s the sharpest horse in the world.”

And so it comes to this: a debut at Burghley, so many years after the dream first germinated, and not without its own stress. Most riders come to Burghley with plenty of anticipatory anxiety about the cross country. For Alex, the stress was front-loaded with the first phase. He’s been eliminated in the dressage before, and with all of the aforementioned sharpness, it’s easy to guess why the pair would have some anxiety associated with this phase.

Alexander Tordoff and Cool Jack. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

“I’ve been more nervous to do that than I will be tomorrow!” a relieved Alex said, talking to the media after scoring a 41.7. “That’s how much he finds it so hard. Like yesterday, when I was riding in here, you couldn’t get a tune out of him. So yeah, we’re not at the front, and obviously it’s frustrating for me—-I like to be competitive.”

As his journey “back” to Burghley comes full circle, Alex is trying to take it all in (while also doing his best to stay seated on his horse). “I’m trying to keep him in one piece in there, and at the same time trying to take it all in. And the sun’s out, so it couldn’t be any better. It’s my first time being here. I’ve grown up here. I’ve come every day of every year since I can remember. So yeah, mixed emotions—more relief.”

Near the stables for the 5* competitors are the jumps Alex used to chuck himself over with Cool Jack back in the day. It’s been a week full of feelings already, and should they get the cross country done tomorrow, the floodgates will likely open. “It’s so weird hacking out past all the little knee-high fences I was trying to throw myself over on him years ago,” Jack chuckled. “And he’s not been back here since. It’s the weirdest thing-—being here in the same field where we camped our lorries, where we did our show jumping. So bizarre. Every morning I wake up and have to remind myself. It’s just been the weirdest week. It’s brilliant though.”

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

“I’m Here to Win”: Tim Price Leads Friday Morning at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 8:45 am -

Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Before the start of Friday’s morning dressage session at Defender Burghley, pockets of the media centre buzzed with chatter about what we might see before the lunch break. Yesterday’s competition, after all, had delivered a not insignificant spate of personal bests and happy surprises – and if the judges continued on their jolly form and carried on rewarding the good work they saw in front of them, what might they do when Burghley record-holders Tim Price and Vitali entered the arena? Could we see something better even than the 18.7 that secured them that accolade in 2023? Would anyone put their money on a 16? 

If they had, they might be smarting a bit right now – but although Tim and the whippety Vitali weren’t among the group of PB-earners this morning, they still easily stole the lead from Thursday frontrunners Piggy March and MCS Maverick (25.7) with their 23.1. 

“He’s super. We know he’s a class dressage horse, and he has all the ingredients for a really, really hot test,” says Tim. “It’s funny, because sometimes he’s been quite unrideable and scores really well. Sometimes really rideable and scores not so well—and vice versa. So it’s all over the place. It’s a little bit down to what the judges are looking for on the day. But from my point of view: rideability, super. Relaxation, lovely. Just a great partnership on display, and he went through all the motions.”

The clincher for their score? That ease of rideability and togetherness, which isn’t always the case with the talented but quirky fifteen-year-old. The barrier to an even lower score? Primarily, that rested on one near-mistake in the first shoulder-in, which only pulled their marks down as low as a 6.5, but, perhaps, held the judges back from flinging big earners at them for a moment or two thereafter.

That temporary loss of momentum in the movement is one that Tim didn’t expect to experience today – but it’s not a wholly unfamiliar one.

“That first shoulder-in, he was thinking of halting,” he explains. “He’s been doing that a bit at the one-day events, but he doesn’t typically bring that to the bigger shows when you spend quite a bit of time on the centre line in the week. But at the one-days, I’ll come up the centre line and he’s like, ‘are we stopping? Are we stopping?’ I’m like, ‘No, I will tell you when we stop!’ So I came to the shoulder in, and he was sort of going to stop – I’m like, ‘mate, we’ve only just started!’ Anyway, other than that, it was fine and really nice and really fun.”

Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Elsewhere in the test, there was plenty to like from the extravagant little horse – but, says Tim with a grin, “no course errors is always the first highlight! Turn right, turn left, stop, go – after you’ve got that, it’s just about being able to deliver in the ring what I know he’s capable of, which isn’t always what we get at the end of the day.”

After nearly five years, seven five-stars, and an Olympics together, Tim came into today’s test knowing he couldn’t be complacent, even though the lead-up to his performance had gone smoothly. 

“He’s been lovely all week, but at Badminton he was lovely all week and then I went in and he flipped out, and I just had to sit there and be a bit of a passenger,” he says. “But here, he was rideable – he kinked a little and had a look at the atmosphere, and then he came back to me.”

Though Vitali’s CV is stacked with major competitions and successes, including second place here last year, he’s a horse that’s been run relatively sparingly with a focus on his major goals. That’s a system that Tim has honed to suit the gelding, but his attention to detail, and keeping Vitali at his best, extends beyond just his calendar of competitions into each run’s preparation. One thing that’s worked particularly well for the Holsteiner? Cutting right back on his flatwork in the lead-up to a big occasion.

“I just try to have him really fit and healthy in his body,” says Tim. “It’s something that’s often overlooked, but I try to back off them in the last couple of weeks just to freshen their bodies up. When everything’s in there [training-wise] you’ve got to trust in that – then you can hop back on and they feel good and healthy and happy to work. Every horse is different, and we just work away and try to figure out the keys to every individual.”

Tim comes to Burghley having win the world’s foremost CCI4*-S, CHIO Aachen, with Vitali this summer – and though the gelding has signed away several five-star victories in the final phase, his rider is laser-focused on getting it all to come together this week, one stride at a time. 

“I’m here to win,” he says. “It’s not by accident that we get ourselves in a position to win every time. You can flip [the notion of heartbreak] on its head and say that we have heartbreak because we’re in a position to win the competition numerous times now, so there are a lot of good things happening. I just need to perfect the final phase, but I think we’ve been coming on strength and strength with that. I don’t get philosophical; I just need a bit of time to recover from the disappointment of the one before, and then when I come back, I’m ready for it. I’m up for it and confident that we’re going to do a good job.”

Tom Crisp and Dassett Rock Star. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

 

So perhaps we didn’t get the record-breaking score that had been casually prophesied in this morning’s competition – but we did get the privilege of continuing to witness horses and riders who aren’t always first-phase contenders reversing their own fortunes. Foremost among them? Burghley old hand Tom Crisp, who slotted neatly into provisional fourth place behind Piggy March and MCS Maverick and Alex Bragg and Ardeo Premier after delivering a 28.5 with Dassett Rock Star – the eleven-year-old’s five-star personal best by six penalties, and Tom’s own Burghley best after a career full of great runs here. 

“We’re very rarely at this end of the leaderboard after dressage,” laughs Tom, who finished ninth here in 2022 with Liberty and Glory. “It feels a bit strange, but I could get used to it!”

Though Dassett Rock Star only has one prior CCI5* test under his belt – a 34.9 at Badminton this spring – his four-star form has shown tantalising glimpses of what could be in this phase. The pair went sub-30 at Blenheim CCI4*-L last year, and in the eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S there the year prior, but otherwise, they’ve explored the full range of the 30s. Today, though, it all fell into place.

“I knew we could do it, and I’ve been working hard at home with Sune Hansen at Spring Hill Dressage,” says Tom. “He’s helped me a lot, just to be a bit more confident and really go for it, and if you make a mistake, you make a mistake. But I think you’re better off setting off thinking you can go for it and make a mistake than just being a bit too careful, which is probably what I’ve been guilty of for a few years. But this horse is very capable of doing a good test, and today it came together. So we’re really, really chuffed.”

As he was warming up for his test, Tom felt that his young horse was performing at his best – but he was quick to temper his own enthusiasm. 

“The mistake sometimes is you can just do too much [when they feel good],” he says. “So I just took a walk. I thought, ‘this guy can do it, and I don’t want to make him tired,’ because he’s still a bit big and weak in places. So we just tried it, and today we pulled it off. He was with me the whole way; kept his head in the game. He nailed all of his changes — and it’s so easy just to miss one of them, and that’s a mark gone, isn’t it? So yeah, we’ll take it this time.”

The confidence that Sune has been helping to instill in Tom is the key to the huge difference in those two five-star scores.

“I think at Badminton I was just a bit careful, and he missed a couple of changes. He wasn’t far off, actually. Here I was just a little bit more like, ‘let’s just go for it.’  You only have to get one leg off in a halt and miss a change, and you’re in the 30s straight away. So it’s just having the confidence. So I think rounds like that, and tests like that, they’re all going to help with both mine and the horse’s confidence on the flat, I’m sure.”

Max Warburton and Deerpairc Revelry. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy now sit fifth on their score of 28.8, while newcomers to the top ten in Max Warburton and Deerpairc Revelry take sixth at this stage on a smart 29.1 – a return to the first-phase form that saw them smash out an international personal best (at that stage) of 28.9 here last year. While we didn’t get a chance to grab Max for a catch-up – yet! – it’s worth noting that he and the rangy eleven-year-old posted their new international PB of 24.2 en route to winning the Aston-le-Walls CCI4*-S in July, and we expect we’ll see plenty more of them this week. 

Katie Magee and Treworra. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Just behind Max in seventh place is, perhaps, the most hotly-tipped Burghley debutant of this year’s field. Katie Magee has had her head down working away quietly – and successfully – on building up her eventing career and string over the last couple of decades, and although she had an entry in at Burghley back in 2019 with another horse, a series of setbacks meant that she wouldn’t make her five-star debut until 2024, when she finished thirteenth at Pau with a then-ten-year-old Treworra. This spring, they headed to Badminton, and went two better for a hugely impressive eleventh place. En route to Burghley, they fulfilled an entry in the British Open Championship Advanced class at Hartpury, which historically serves as an excellent prep run for this event, and handily won the whole thing and that coveted British title. 

Now, they find themselves soaking up the sunshine and the thrill of finding themselves in the top ten after their dressage test, which earned them a 29.3 – their first five-star sub-30 and further evidence that their upward trajectory isn’t anywhere close to slowing down. 

“It felt amazing!” beams Katie, who trains with fellow Northern good egg Nicola Wilson. “It’s a very special arena to ride into, and the crowd gives it that extra bit of atmosphere in there. I’ve watched Badminton and Burghley every year, from as young as I can remember. When a partnership goes as well as it possibly can, it’s quite emotional. And I think that’s what I wanted — probably more than success – it’s that, when you really have done your very best, and the horse has too, it’s pretty special.”

Like Tom ahead of her, Katie’s success today comes down to a newfound resolve to tackle the test with confidence, rather than just trying to get it done. 

“I’m really pleased that I managed not to faff about in the changes,” she laughs. “I’m a little protective at times, and it’s about trying to go for those higher marks and be more positive instead of just surviving the test. That’s a new mentality for me, riding a horse of this caliber.”

That horse, the affable and enormous Wilf, is more than just a competition partner for Katie – he’s part of the family, and has always been someone she’s believed immensely in. 

“To be honest, he’s just one of those horses,” she smiles. “He walked onto the yard and I just thought, ‘wow, you’re something!’ It’s all just been time for him. We always knew how smart he was on the flat, but he needed to strengthen, and that can’t be rushed, so it’s been a patience game.

“He’s funny – he’s quite chilled, but he has his odd little spook just to remind you he’s a superstar,” she continues. “He just has a sense of humour, but he’s lovely. He goes out with my old 16-year-old in the field and snoozes most of the day. My son can lead him around. He’s a lovely horse, and he’s beautiful to look at, which helps. He’s a good 17.2, so he’s tall and we’ve just let him strengthen this last year, and it’s made such a difference to him.”

The partnership she’s built with him is her primary focus this week – much more important than the noise and chatter about her recent form or what the leaderboard might look like on Sunday. 

“To be honest, I’m just forgetting about it as best I can,” she says. “It is a bit of a different feeling, but at the end of the day, it’s me and Wilf against the course tomorrow, and that’s all that matters, and I hope I can do him justice. He’s amazing, so I wouldn’t want to be on anything else. I said to my husband Kieran, I wouldn’t want to come here if I didn’t have that. This is no place to come if you don’t have an amazing partnership and an amazing horse — and he ticks all the boxes, so I’m a very lucky person.”

Laura Collett and Bling. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Thursday morning’s leaders David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed hold eighth place on their 29.6, and tenth is the domain of Harry Meade and his second of three rides, yesterday afternoon’s Cavalier Crystal (30.5), sandwiching new arrivals Laura Collett and Bling into ninth on 30.2. This is another enormous five-star personal best for the twelve-year-old: in her sole previous test at the level at Badminton this spring, she posted a 37.8.

“I’m absolutely over the moon with her,” says Laura. “She doesn’t find dressage easy — she’s not built to do dressage — but she really tried, and she really stayed with me in there. How much she’s improved in the few months since Badminton is amazing, really. And it’s exciting, because she’s still nowhere near the finished article, so if we can keep going in this way and keep improving, then it’s very exciting for the future.”

Bling was initially bred by her owner, Yvonne Ferguson, to be her husband’s hunter – “she went out as a four-year-old and that was the end of her career,” laughs Laura – but has gone from strength to strength in her second career, despite, or perhaps because of, some educational mistakes along the way.

“She’s been a brilliant horse so far,” says Laura, who took her on as a seven-year-old. “I always thought she had it in there. She’s so scopey, she loves cross country. It’s just been about getting the rideability on her. Any mistakes she’s had cross country have purely been through her just grabbing a bit and thinking she knows best.

“But she’s beginning — touch wood! — to think that maybe I tell her to turn for a reason. She was phenomenal around Badminton. She had one little green moment at the step, which was totally genuine — a green mistake from her. The way she turned around and jumped off it the next time for me was almost more exciting, because she trusted me. It just took her by surprise. It wasn’t anything naughty, she just didn’t quite understand how she got from the top to the bottom. She’s come on so much, and in her two runs since then, she’s been fantastic. Fingers crossed she’s up for it tomorrow!”

We’ll be heading back to the main arena for the final hurrah between the boards at 14.00 local time (9.00 a.m. EST), with New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell and Cooley Lafitte getting us back underway. We’ll be back at the close of play with another jam-packed report, and in the meantime, head over to our Ultimate Guide for plenty more stories from beyond the top ten. Go Eventing!

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

Friday News & Notes from Stable View

By on Sep 5, 2025 12:01 am -

The Defender Burghley cross country course is now live on CrossCountry App for viewing! This year, Derek di Grazia has reversed the direction of the course for the first time since 2017, and it certainly has riders buzzing. We’ll have a full round-up of rider reactions coming your way later today, and of course stay tuned for our traditional cross country live blog from Burghley tomorrow. In the meantime, we’ll embed the full course below (and you can also watch a preview on Burghley TV), or you can click here to view it on CrossCountry App.

Major International Events

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

Strzegom Autumn Show (Poland): [Website] [Timetable] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

U.S. Weekend Preview

Five Points H.T. (NC): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Flora Lea Fall H.T. (NJ): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Stone Gate Farm Mini H.T. (OH): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Honey Run H.T. (MI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

CDCTA Fall H.T. (VA): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

News & Reading

You can be like U.S. coach and Olympic medalist Leslie Law and use just seven jumps for your show jumping warm-up! It’s a fact that overdoing it in warm-up can be a real thing, and rather than tire your horse (and yourself!) out before you even get in the ring, use Leslie’s tried and true strategy, outlined here, to set yourself up for success.

The challenge of keeping lesson programs financially viable is a real thing. One program in Pittsburg, PA, has begun to think outside the box, implementing a semester system and offering unmounted make-up lessons to help move towards a more sustainable future. Read up on how it’s been working and perhaps find some tips for your own program here.

We’re just a few days removed from USEA American Eventing Championships, but we’re still wistfully dreaming of eventing in sunny California and you can look back through some of the best photos from an epic week here.

Sponsor Corner: Stable View

Catch up on some news from Stable View, and don’t forget that the CCI1*-S level has been added to this year’s Oktoberfest event, happening September 26-28 in Aiken, SC. More information + entries are available here.

Video Break

Hear from a very happy David Doel after his star of a Burghley dressage test yesterday with Galileo Nieuwmoed:

“We’ve Got a Future to Build”: Piggy March Takes Burghley Thursday Lead

By on Sep 4, 2025 2:04 pm -

Piggy March and MCS Maverick. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

[To catch up on this morning’s action, head to our full lunch break report here.]

Nobody can ever say that Piggy March swept into the Thursday dressage lead having simply hopped on the product of somebody else’s hard work: the quirky MCS Maverick, who won Bramham in 2023 with Pippa Funnell aboard, is a unique sort of character who requires an outsized amount of mental management to stop his clever brain from turning an eventing week into a series of complicated conspiracy theories delineated with bits of red string. That’s a commitment that Piggy has happily devoted countless hours to since the horse joined her stable. 

Well, just about nobody would ever say that – Piggy herself is, of course, the notable exception. 

“He’s a beautiful horse, and he’s got it all there. He’s had the best training in the world; he’s come from Mrs. Funnell, so I haven’t got any excuses,” she says. 

There were no excuses needed today: the pair posted a 25.7 after delivering the standout test of the day, earning them the lead by a margin of nearly three penalties. 

“The big thing with this horse is getting his brain,” says Piggy, who made her debut with ‘Eric’ earlier this year, finishing eighth in the CCI4*-S at Bramham, their first FEI event together. All the way through, Piggy’s stayed in close contact with her great friend Pippa, unpacking how best to tackle the constant busyness that the horse craves without overdoing it. 

“That’s just what the two days have been here — riding, lunging, riding, lunging. He’s not the finished article yet, and his body isn’t really as strong as where I’d like it to be — it’s still going to develop a lot over the next couple of years. You can’t work him too hard, otherwise he’ll get sore and fragile in his body. So it’s a bit of work, a bit of loose lunging, grazing, seeing people. That was brilliant for him. His mind is going to be little bits and pieces, and of course, it’s going to get better. But I’d say for our early stages of us being together, and in an atmosphere like that, I’ll take it all day long. I don’t want another go to go in and try to do it any better!”

Piggy March and MCS Maverick. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

For Piggy, even just being back at Burghley is something special. This week is her first appearance here – young horse classes notwithstanding – since 2022, when she won with the now-retired Vanir Kamira. Since then, she’s been in something of a rebuilding process for the top levels – and now, she’s got one for the big tracks and one for the championships in the excellent Halo, who will head to the European Championships later this month. 

“Burghley is really special, and it’s been a buzz all summer thinking, ‘I’ve got a horse I can go back to Burghley on,’” she says with a smile. “That buzz disappeared with absolute sick butterflies the last three days, though! But I think for everyone who events and likes riding at the top of the sport, it’s the pinnacle of it. I think it’s the ultimate test of horse and rider for me personally, because the terrain is demanding, so it takes a lot of brain work for riders as well.”

Would it be beyond the realm of possibility to imagine that this very new partnership could win the whole thing this week? Not at all – but for Piggy, the focus and the priority is wholly on finishing the week with a happy, healthy horse and an even stronger understanding in one another, and if that goes hand in hand with a placing, then so much the merrier. 

“I’ve got a lot to figure out with my guy on Saturday, with a very new relationship,” she says. “I’ll be very interested in learning an awful lot on the way round. Walking the course, I’ve been like, ‘I wonder what he’s going to do — what he’ll think of this or that.’ It’s very different from coming here with Vanir Kamira, who was my last horse here, that I sort of knew her inside out and knew how she’d think about things. With him, I’ve got a lot to learn myself, personally, out there. But I’m going to have a go. I just want him to finish; I’d love him to have a good experience this week. He’s only 12, and there’s lots to come with him, with his body, physically. I think I’d just love for him to have a happy week. And we’ve got a future to build.”

Alex Bragg and Ardeo Premier. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

A cursory glance at Alex Bragg’s competition record with Ardeo Premier would give you the overall impression of a very good cross-country horse – one whose grit and game nature gives him the chance to climb after a less competitive first phase. At five-star, that’s been a 35.5, a 39.7, a 35.2 – and, today, a 28.4 and overnight second place. 

“You can never say I’m not full of surprises,” he quips. “I’m thrilled with that. Eddie, as we know him, can be a little bit anxious and goes within himself sometimes. He doesn’t express himself by rearing, bucking, and all that. He just sort of tries to hide.”

That, he says, has been the focal point of their training for this phase. 

“I’m trying to initiate that belief in him and trust him — just ride him forward and say, ‘be brave. I’m feeling brave, so you can be brave too!’ I feel more comfortable doing that when I’m in a jumping arena and cross country. But in the dressage, it’s never been maybe my strongest phase, especially when I started, and I guess I’ve got to get over that a little bit.

“I think today I had to lead, and I did, and he was really, really honest and followed me,” he continues. “His highlight, the thing he’s good at, is the canter, and so today I really went for it. He’s not a big-trotting horse, so we just tried to be correct. In those 8-metre circles, if you’re not accurate, these judges — especially at the side, in the corner — can see everything, and they just hammer you for it. So I tried to be accurate there.”

As the test progressed, Alex got the feeling he was sitting on something special – but, he says, “you’re never brave enough to look up at the screen! But you’re kind of tempted to be like, ‘how am I getting on?’ You don’t want to lose concentration – it’s the atmosphere, and the adrenaline, and your own nerves that you’re dealing with. So to actually execute a test like that… I’m really, really pleased.”

The final result is something that he’s been quietly confident would come at some point. 

Alex Bragg celebrates a seriously good day in the office. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

“I’ve always believed he was capable of a 70% test. He can do everything very, very accurately. It’s the same in his jumping — he’s technically very accurate, very good. He doesn’t have heaps and heaps of talent and capability, but the trainability of him and his heart makes up for that. So yes, I did believe he could do that. I think I always knew where his strengths and weaknesses are, and I think knowing that helps you to get the marks where you can, and to not lose the marks.”

Now, he’s looking forward to keeping up the good fight – this time, from a front-loaded position. 

“The mark is really great,” he says. “I always seem to be chasing the leaderboard; my jumping is probably my strength, and I probably find jump horses more than I look for those classic dressage types, which probably shines through in that.”

Even more than that, though, he’s brimming with pride in what the twelve-year-old gelding has already accomplished this week.

“Obviously, the score is so important, but for me, inside the performance, how much the horse really tried — and I think he tried really, really hard. It’s him, not me, it’s him. He did a great job. I mean, he exceeded my expectations.”

Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

The fourth time was the charm for Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy, who set their five-star personal best of 28.8 to sit third overnight – their first time going sub-30 after two Badmintons and last year’s Burghley. 

“I’m really, really chuffed with that,” says Will. “We’ve worked very hard over the last year, since we were at Burghley last year, and even in the last couple of weeks – it’s just all coming into place. Leading up [to this week] I haven’t done very long training sessions, because I’ve done what I’ve needed to, and he’s felt so good, and I don’t see any point making the horse do any more than that.”

At thirteen, Ballycoog Breaker Boy – also called William at home – is stepping into his prime, but even he had a starstruck moment as he headed into the ring today.

“He definitely went in there and sort of lit up, and I was a bit like, ‘oh God!’ He’s not generally a horse that would get stage fright, but it was definitely the most atmospheric arena I’ve been in, having done Badminton twice and been here last year as well – so it was interesting. But he was with me all the way through. I was just kicking myself because his changes have been so spot on this year, and then I just didn’t quite execute them like we could. But it can’t be perfect all the time.”

The pair’s sterling effort catapulted them to the top of the leaderboard, though their tenure there was short-lived – they were followed into the arena by Piggy and Eric, who swiftly took over. But, laughs Will, “a few years ago [at Bicton’s pop-up CCI5*] I took the dressage lead on another horse, and then was immediately followed and beaten by Piggy – but she’s not a bad person to find yourself behind!”

That proliferation of competitive scores means that our morning leaders, David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed, find themselves in overnight fourth position on their 29.6, just ahead of another new entry into the top ten. 

Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

That came from Harry Meade on his second ride of the day, Crystal Cavalier, with whom he finished fourth at Badminton this spring. On that occasion, we saw them start – and finish – on a score of 33.8, and last year, they were third here (for the second time) when starting – and again, finishing – on a 31.3. 

Today, though, they confidently put their best-ever five-star dressage score on the board: a smart 30.5 that sees them take fifth at the halfway point of this phase.

“I’m thrilled with her,” Harry says. “She’s a really game horse. She’s a proper five-star contender: she finds jumping pretty easy, but she’s always been quite affected by crowds and things, and today I was delighted with her. Sometimes, if you try too hard on her, she begins to go a little bit sour, almost, so it was very much just about keeping her sweet and keeping her enjoying it.”

Today, he says, “she felt very happy in there. It was a really lovely, soft test, and it was very much a clear-round test, but also the way of going was soft and open, and that allowed the freedom, rather than going a little bit tight.”

Though Harry’s lead-up hasn’t been totally conventional – he had to spend a stint out of the saddle after sustaining injuries falling off a bicycle earlier this season – he and his horses alike have been feeling better and better in their lead-up to this week. 

“I’ve felt she’s been in a really sweet place the last few weeks, and then that’s been maintained since we got here,” he says. That ended up being something of a saving grace: they headed into the arena as the crowd burst into cheers for new leaders Piggy and Eric, but rather than freezing up against the sudden outpouring of atmosphere, the fifteen-year-old stayed well in the zone.

“I probably shouldn’t have gone in so early,” laughs Harry. “But she’s always been one who just, when you hold, she stares into the distance, and actually, today I had a genuine softness in her and it was lovely.”

Caroline Powell and High Time V. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Ireland’s Joseph Murphy, second this morning with Belline Fighting Spirit on 30.9, now hold sixth place overnight, while former Burghley champion Caroline Powell steps into seventh place with the thirteen-year-old High Time on a 31.1. 

That score represents a serious upward trajectory for the gelding this season: at Badminton, we saw the pair post a 36.6, and in 2024, they went as high as 39.2 at four-star. 

“[The partnership has developed] quickly,” says Caroline. “He’s changed a lot from Badminton. The first time I rode him, I was like ‘oh – is there something wrong with him?’ But I think he just grew up. [Dressage coach] Tracie Robinson has worked really, really hard on him, and it’s lovely, because he’s coming back to me now. It’s nice when they do that.

“I thought he would heat up a little bit [in the ring], but he was great. I wanted to just do as good as we can. We can do very, very good work, and we can do some very, very sparky work. So what he did there today, I’m pretty chuffed with.”

Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza II. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

British-based Frenchman Gaspard Maksud finished sixth here last year with the twelve-year-old Zaragoza, “but we were five marks better in the dressage,” he laughs. And yes, sure: on that occasion, it was a 26.8 to get their week started, and today’s test saw them put up a still-very-respectable 31.8, but it’s all relative, isn’t it? Especially when you consider that the British-bred mare, who’s also previously finished sixth at the 2022 World Championships, has been lightly run since Badminton, and frankly, she’s been delighted to be back out. 

“She did a three-star ten days ago, and that’s about what she’s done – and she was feeling very, very fresh there, but she’s been very good here — really listening,” says Gaspard, who’ll be delighted not to have repeated the sparkly 39.7 they scored in that prep test. 

“Maybe we could ask a little bit more in the test [today], but I think she did a nice test, no really big mistakes or anything. I was quite happy with her. She was very relaxed, and yes, I probably want to be in the 20s, but she hasn’t done much, to be fair.  She’s done pretty much nothing. But she came here, she knows why she’s here, and she enjoys it. She actually kept it all together in the test, and she was very focused on me, so there’s lots of positives.”

Holly Richarson and Ballyneety Silver Service. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

The pair will close out day one in eighth place, while Great Britain’s Holly Richardson and Ballyneety Silver Service are our final new additions to the top ten, moving into ninth on a 32.4 – the same score as US representatives Grace Taylor and Game Changer, who delivered their test in this morning’s session. 

“His medium trot is his strength,” says Holly of her ten-year-old level debutant. “So it was really good to pull off those mediums and the extended work, and his walk, as well, is amazing. So it was good that he stayed calm enough to actually produce a good walk.”

Though Holly herself has a couple of Burghleys behind her, a first five-star for a horse is always a fact-finding mission, and today was no exception.

“He hasn’t done a lot of these huge [competitions], so I wouldn’t really know [if he gets hot]. I didn’t really know how much to work on ahead of it. But actually, he stayed really level. He’s quite spooky, and he went around the outside spooking. I thought, ‘Oh no, here we go!’ But he actually really stayed with me.” 

We’ll return to the main arena tomorrow morning at 10.00 a.m. local time (5.00 a.m. EST) with fan favourites Alice Casburn and Topspin first up to bat – and some serious heavy-hitters sprinkled throughout the day, including the return of Aachen winners Tim Price and Vitali, who hold the Burghley dressage record (a nice and normal 18.7, in case you missed that one) and former winners Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo among them. Until then: Go Eventing!

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

ICYMI: Thursday at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 4, 2025 12:26 pm -

We are full swing into Defender Burghley, and we’re experimenting with a new “coffee break” style wrap-up of the day for those of you who want the bits and bobs to fill the gap between reports.

Our classic full round-up of the best of today’s tests will be along as soon as riders have been wrangled for their reactions, Chinch has been consulted, and the whole thing’s been edited down from 6 million words to a more digestible 5.5 million – eyes on the website for that dropping just as soon as two eventing nerds and an obnoxious chinchilla can make that possible.

Until then, here’s a quick recap of what went down between the white boards today…

1️⃣ 🇬🇧 Heading the charge and leading Burghley overnight is Piggy March and MCS Maverick who are sitting pretty on a score of 25.7.

2️⃣ 🇬🇧 In second spot is Alex Bragg and Ardeo Premier who are on a score of 28.4.

3️⃣ 🇬🇧 Rounding out the podium as things stand is Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy on a score of 28.8.

You’ll find the full scoreboard right here.

Whilst the scores are obviously important in the grand scheme of like, winning the whole dang thing, we all know that eventing is about so much more than just numbers. So here’s a run-down of some of the other goings on in the dressage ring at Burghley:

☔ Preamble Predicament – The weather’s already been a talking point at Burghley, with a storm delaying the first horse inspection yesterday and the rain turning on and off, off and on, like it doesn’t know which way’s up. Poor Nick Luck and Tina Cook were caught in a proper downpour during the preamble while we waited for the competition to start. Props to whoever had an umbrella handy.

🎤 Insider Insight – We were treated to dressage judge Nick Burton and dressage king Carl Hester in the commentary box. So cool to have such insight.

🎶 Spa Day? The snoozy music being streamed like, all day, elicited some yawns in the crowd, where the fashion of the day was raincoats-a-go-go all round. It sure seemed to seep into the horses too, with more ambling out of the ring than jig-a-jogging, on the whole. Very cool to see such relaxed and happy horses.

😁 Mr Charming – Trailblazer and World No. 1 Harry Meade looked like a man on a mission as he kicked off the action with Kentucky third-placer Et Hop Du Matz this morning. Sadly, he’d opted to swap out his pink horse inspection pants for more traditional white breeches. It was leg day for Harry as his gelding seemed particularly affected by the sleepy soundtrack. That didn’t stop him turning on the charm for the judge at C though, giving his best and most beautiful smile as he walked past on his way out after his test. Yup, we clocked that, Harry. They scored 32.7.

🧸 “Warm Fuzzies” – Samantha Lissington may have had a tricky day at the office with her 5* debutant Billy Alberto, who was busy playing with his bit rather than focusing on the job at hand for a lot of his test. Sam gave a great display of tactful riding and nursed him through. “Hey ho!” she said afterwards, showing just the right attitude when it comes to horses and admitting that dressage is “not his forte”. They’re not here to rival the leaders on the first day and she was pleased the horse kept it together. On a delightful note, her parents have flown over from New Zealand to watch which Sam says has given her lots of “warm fuzzies”. Aw. She sits on a score of 39.5.

🌱 Snack Time – Aimee Penny’s PSH Encore took the opportunity of rewarding herself for a PB with a bite of the Burghley grass on the way out of the ring. The mare made her Burghley debut with a first sub-35 score at 5*, so that snack was well-deserved. It was 34.4 for them.

🐮 Cow Kicks – Game Changer took slight offence in a couple of flying changes and let Grace Taylor know just how he felt, kicking out before delivering what turned out to be clean changes. Perhaps he wanted to make sure everyone had clocked his very attractive quarter marks across his bum and down his flanks – for sure the most stylish so far. The gelding was the picture of relaxation on the way out of the ring. “He was a good boy,” said Grace. They landed on a score of 32.4.

🤫 Fireworks Avoided (kind of) – Global Fision M was hot, hot, hot at the first horse inspection yesterday, literally running rings around Lauren Innes as she tried to trot him up. The announcer today asked the crowd to stay silent as the pair made their way round the arena, and the spicy gelding seemed to have things under wraps. A couple of snorts and some masterful riding from Lauren had us holding our breath. The walk was OK. But then… the rodeo came calling after the reinback and ‘Flipper’ showed off some of his snazzy dance moves. Full props to Lauren for getting him back and continuing on with the test. This guy has oodles of ability and talent and it’s an absolute testament to Lauren’s horsemanship and knowing her horse that she’s able to keep him as together as she does. She shushed the crowd as she halted to finish the test, almost before she saluted. They did the classic jig-jog on the way out but Lauren looked delighted – a first sub-40 result for them at 5* – 38.7.

👍 Thumbs Up – FOD specialist Galileo Nieuwmoed “absolutely nailed it today,” said a delighted David Doel after they scored a PB, with every chance that’ll be their finishing score. The rain poured down but that didn’t dampen David’s enormous grin as he delivered a test which trended sub-30 almost throughout and put him into the lead at the lunch break. David says the gelding’s “feeling the best he’s ever felt in his body”, which has gotta have him feeling good about the prospect of a first 5* win – maybe? Look out for them on Saturday, “He’s an absolute weapon cross country,” David grinned. Galileo gave us a taste of what’s to come as he added a little jump to the end of his test, thankfully after the halt and salute. David gave an elated thumbs up as he jogged out of the ring. The first sub-30 of Burghley – 29.6 and 4th place overnight.

👣 He’s Got the Walk – Holly Richardson’s 5* debutant Ballyneety Silver Service excelled himself with a gorgeous walk section deserving of a 9 for the extended from the judge at C, in what was an impressive showing for the gelding’s first time at the top level. Riding in a snaffle bridle with no spurs, Holly really helped her guy to build in confidence throughout his test and there’s more to come as he establishes himself at the level, for sure. They scored 32.4 to sit in the top 10 after the first day’s competition.

🌶️ Hot Shot – Caroline Powell says herself that her Burghley guy, High Time, is a bit of a hot dude and he showed that in the ring today, although Caroline gave us an absolute masterclass in settling a horse that’s feeling a big atmosphere, really bringing out the best in the gelding and getting him straight back on track after a whoopsie in the extended trot saw him canter a few strides, so much so they scored a 9 in the shoulder in just afterwards. Caroline was beaming at the end of the test, with the hugest pats for the horse for a job, on the whole, very well done. They scored 31.1.

👻 Spooky Central – Spookiest horse of the day was certainly Simon Grieve’s 5* first-timer Autograf, whose tail got higher and higher the further he got through his test. The huge breath out from Simon as he saluted at the end said it all. He said the horse was “a little bit starstruck” but “we’ve got to try these things” and overall he was pleased with the gelding’s efforts. They landed on a 37.4.

🐴 Hey, Buddies? Ballycoog Breaker Boy called out for his buddies while he was in the ring, although the only help he needed was from his very tall pal on board, Will Rawlin. Together they produced a correct and classy test which trended sub-30 throughout and elicited a huge cheer from the crowd as it went into the lead, albeit temporarily. Will’s clearly got some fans out there. Will was “absolutely thrilled,” saying the horse “really pulled it out the bag”. Indeed he did. He sits in 3rd on 28.8.

💩 Bathroom Break – Alex Bragg’ll have been relieved Ardeo Premier got his bathroom break out of the way before entering the ring today. Squinting in the sudden burst of sunshine, Alex set up his test with a beautiful halt for three 8s and so it continued. Striking and bold work, particularly in the canter (I’m looking forward to seeing this guy go on Saturday), the test was impressive throughout with Carl Hester commenting that “the potential is huge” for the partnership. Total showman and fan fave Alex gave a huge double thumbs up and a punch of the air as the crowd gave the biggest cheer of the day for the pair’s best international score of their career, which rocketed them into 2nd place. Afterwards Alex said, “You’ve got to go in there believing,” which he clearly did. Don’t stop, Alex. They’re on 28.4.

🩰 Best Foot Forward – Relatively new, incredibly elegant, pairing Piggy March and MCS Maverick got off to a super start with two 8s and their test continued to impress the judges and Nick Burton in the commentary box. Piggy’s taken over the ride from great mate and legend Pippa Funnel and says the gelding’s been “trained by the best in the world”. It’s no secret that this guy can be a tricky customer and getting into his mind has been a priority for Piggy, and they sure seemed to be of one mind between the boards today. Correct and classy, they went straight into the lead with a score of 25.7.

🫶 Cute Guys – It’s so great to see horses that are obviously in the game for the cross country delivering sweet tests in the first phase, and we had two cute examples of such this morning, courtesy of two Toms. 5* debutant Tom Strawson’s Public Address really showed he was on his Tom’s side, being rideable and working hard to do what he was being asked, despite dressage not being the easiest for the former point-to-pointer. Huge pats for him as he ambled out of the ring looking very relaxed on his big day at Burghley. They squeaked sub-40 with a 39.8. And Tom Bird’s Cowling Hot Gossip really tried for his Tom and showed an improvement on his previous scores at the level, which is what it’s all about at the end of the day – partnership, love of the sport, and building on each performance. They scored 43.2.

🫡 Best Salute – The prize for the most extravagant salute for sure goes to Gaspard Maksud, with Carl Hester awarding the accolade, which was clearly appreciated by the E judge who gave it an 8. The mare was a little cheeky in the ring today, sticking her tongue out at the judges for a lot of the way round in what was a bit of a hit and miss kind of test. Watch out for them on Saturday though – blink and you’ll miss this incredibly quick duo. They finished up the day’s sport with a score of 31.8.

I’ll leave you with some wise words from World No. 1 Harry Meade, which he shared after his 5th place test with Cavalier Crystal: “It’s about understanding the horse, knowing what they’re capable of and accepting certain things and working with them to try and get the best performance you can, but not forcing them to be something they’re not”. Yessir.

Stay tuned for the full report coming your way on the website. We’ve got a classic EN live blog in the offing on Saturday too. EN’s where it’s at.

The action resumes tomorrow at 10am BST / 5am ET with every test live on Burghley TV (subscription required) – don’t miss it!

Go eventing!

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

Good Habits: Joseph Murphy on Learning from Michael Jung

By on Sep 4, 2025 9:20 am -

Joseph Murphy and Belline Fighting Spirit. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Joseph Murphy will be the first to tell you to hold your proverbial horses, that there are two phases left to come, after a good dressage performance. But to come in to Defender Burghley and lay down a personal best for a horse that’s not slipped into the low 30s often, if at all, in the past, deserves some exploration.

Belline Fighting Spirit, a 10-year-old Anglo European gelding by Freeman VDL, is contesting his third CCI5*, first Burghley, this week. Prior to this, the horse’s personal best in FEI competition was a 31.8, earned at the 3*-S level back in 2022. Today, despite some touch and go weather, the Irish Olympian piloted “Spirit” (love that barn name) to a 30.9, shaving nearly four points off his previous best 5* mark earned at Pau (his debut at the level) last year.

“It wasn’t perfect in there,” Joseph, ever the realist, said after the test. But should his weekend finish according to plan, it will be the accumulation of Joseph’s pursuit of betterment, and some extra education he’s gained from none other than triple Olympic champion Michael Jung of Germany.

Joseph’s maintained a friendly relationship with Michael through the years, helping to source horses for him and asking for some assistance. Michael has earned a reputation for his meticulous preparation of his horses, and Joseph shared that those “good habits” are paying off in his own way now.

Joseph Murphy and Belline Fighting Spirit. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

“There’s the accumulation of a lot of things—-what makes him such a brilliant horseman, and how he works with his horses, and how compassionate he is with them,” he explained. “But the competition side, for me, is how disciplined he is in his preparation and what he expects from the horses. I think that’s the biggest thing. If I had this conversation with him now, he’d be probably shaking his head, thinking, ‘Well, that’s just what I do.’ But from the outside, it’s incredible, really—-how he prepares for an event and how he expects the horses to be right at the right time, for the dressage and for all phases.”

Joseph maintains a level of self-awareness that allows him to have an open mind, even so far into his own eventing career as he is, about the ongoing education of the event rider and horse.

“I think that, you know, I hold my hands up: I haven’t been riding good enough. I haven’t been preparing good enough. I haven’t probably been disciplined,” he continued. “The riding, in one way, came quite natural to me. But that’s not a great thing either, because then you tend to ride a little bit off the seat of your pants. And that’s what I was doing until I really now started knuckling down…I’ve got feedback from judges. I’ve watched videos. I’ve been more disciplined in my preparation and training with the horses every day. And I think that’s the thing that’s now starting to show.”

He’s coming off a banner preparation run at Lisgarven in Ireland, where all of his horses finished inside the the top 7 or better across divisions; for him, that’s the proof that some of these good habits are beginning to show and pay off in a big way.

“For me, that’s incredible. My goals are starting to come off. To come here with this horse and it’s another personal best—it’s a goal for me,” he said. “So I think that with a change of mindset, that’s really what I’m talking about. I have to focus on that and believe in it, and not let the outside world dictate a little bit what I do. We all can get drawn into teams and championships and trying to rush horses and so on. But I’m in a lucky position. I have some fantastic owners who are very supportive. They more or less give me free rein, and I want to get the results for them now. I feel I can, as a rider, I feel like I can do it, but I need to put it together now. In a way, I’m probably my own worst critic, but that’s how it has to be now.”

It can be difficult to tangibly state what it is a rider has learned from someone like Michael Jung. Really, even Michael himself can’t really put it into words, but Joseph tried: “The preparation events—-he would always bring the horses to a place where they’re going to be prepared properly, whether it be in the dressage ring or a jumping ring. Everything is thought of—-it’s just not on a whim. And that’s why the good results come. He’d be definitely made a different way than most people, but he knows his horses so well. So I think for me, the takeaway is the good habits that creates in the competition environment and before it.”

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]