Piggy v. Oliver v. Izzy: British Eventing’s Top Three to Contest Burgham International

Photo by Rupert Gibson Photography, courtesy of Burgham Horse Trials.

The hot ticket on the British eventing calendar this week is Burgham International Horse Trials, taking place July 26-28 in Northumberland, and this year’s competition looks to be smoking. The top three riders in Britain so far in 2019 – Piggy French, Oliver Townend and Izzy Taylor – are all coming north for a crack at the win.

Last year at Burgham, Piggy French produced the best finishing score at a British international event since 2015 when winning the CCI2*-S on Emerald Jonny, according to Equiratings. Since then, she has won a team gold medal at the World Equestrian Games and a wowed us with her brilliant victory at Badminton Horse Trials. She returns to Burgham this week with a five horses to compete in Burgham’s three international classes – what records can the popular Northamptonshire rider break this time?

Oliver Townend brings forth both of his very top horses to Burgham: Cooley Master Class, winner of the CCI5* event at Kentucky for the second successive year this April, and Ballaghmor Class. The latter, winner of the CCI4*-S class at Burgham last year, is the most successful CCI5* horse currently competing, having won Burghley in 2017 and finished second at both Badminton and Burghley in the past 12 months. Between them, Piggy and Oliver won all three of Burgham’s international classes in 2018; can they do so again? Britain’s current #3 Izzy Taylor, on the other hand, will be looking for her first Burgham win.

Other British stars on show at Burgham include Harry Meade, Izzy Taylor, local hero Ben Hobday and Olympian Kitty King, who is riding her recent Bramham CCI4*-L winner and British team hope Vendredi Biats. In all 10 nations will be represented – Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Finland, The Netherlands, Hong Kong and Japan.

Burgham’s cross country courses, designed by former World and Olympic champion Blyth Tait and David Evans, who is responsible for building the cross-country courses for both the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2019 European Championships, are bound to provide thrilling action for spectators.

Burgham Director Martyn Johnson says, “Our entries are better than ever this year, which is great testament to the team for putting on an event which has very quickly become known as one of the best in the UK, providing great ground conditions and courses in a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Burgham gives eventing fans an incredible opportunity to see the heroes of the sport at close quarters, away from the pressures of, say, Badminton or Burghley. We have some of the most famous horses in the world coming to Burgham – come and see them and enjoy a really good day out.”

Burgham 2019 begins with the dressage phase of the international classes on Friday, July 26. On Saturday the national competitors will take their turn, with classes ranging from BE90 to Open Intermediate. The jumping phases of the three international classes (the Newton Hall CCI4*-S, the Howard Russell Construction CCI3*-S and the Metnor Group CCI2*-S) take place on Sunday, July 26.

Burgham also hosts Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse classes on Friday, July 26 and British Riding Clubs area showjumping qualifiers on Sunday, July 28.

Tickets for Burgham International Horse Trials may be booked online at www.burghaminternationalhorsetrials.co.uk or bought at the gate.

This report is edited from a press release. 

[BRITAIN’S TOP THREE RIDERS TO COMPETE AT BURGHAM]