Ruth Edge maintained her lead for the rest of the first day of dressage here at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials by a slender margin over Jock Paget and Clifton Lush. Ruth told us her horse Rogersdale really enjoyed himself today, and is loving being here; she plans to give him a bit of a jump and a canter tomorrow but nothing too strenuous. About her winning test, she elaborated, “Rogersdale is a really kind horse and he’s really genuine and generous; he’s very easy to prepare for a test, I trust him not to get lit up in the atmosphere and things like that. He doesn’t take long to warm up so that makes my trainer Judy Harvey’s job really easy, and I was really pleased with his test. It was just a shame that towards the end he got a bit tired and I couldn’t quite keep him together for the changes, but with strength and maturity that will come better, but he’s got a really lovely rhythm and cadence and paints a nice picture so that makes my job easier.”
[Results]
Ruth will be helping Polly Stockton with her dressage Friday morning, underlining the camaraderie in the sport, and she also has a four year old in the Young Event Horse Class. When she came to the press conference on Thursday afternoon she had just finished her second walk of the cross country and told us, “I think Captain Mark Phillips has built us a really good track, there’s no room for error the whole way round really, there’s always something you’ve got to think about. I think that the Rolex fence up at the top is a big question (Rolex Combination, #16 & #17), the first skinny to the corner is a really forward distance, and then you’ve got the second skinny which is quite short and it’s on that bit of a curve, it doesn’t all quite line up in a straight line so that for me will be interesting to see how it rides. Rogersdale, although he’s really big is easy to turn, and he always looks for his jumps and he’s pretty brave so touch wood he’ll enjoy himself.”
Jock Paget edged into second place on Clifton Lush after only arriving back in the UK on Saturday night from his whistlestop celebrity tour of New Zealand. However, his horse, he told us, has had a much better lead up to the big event, “Lush was prepared for the Olympics anyway so he was in the right frame of mind, and I think because the Olympics went quite well for us it was easy to stay positive and re-focus. We sent Lush away to Andrew Gould for a couple of days while I was away; luckily Lush is the same every day, he doesn’t get that tricky so it’s just a matter of keeping him ticking over. I was really happy with him today, he did what I thought was his best test. Everything felt good from the very beginning, I just made sure he was in front of my leg, on the aids and straight; I took him into the arena and did one lap and he was with me so it was just a matter of riding the test.” Jock’s plans for tomorrow are to “just go for a bit of a hack and have some fun on him, freshen him up a little bit and make sure I know the course as well as I can.”
William Fox-Pitt confirmed that he and Jock and all the other Olympic riders will have no real advantage because they happen to have already jumped three of the cross country jumps, “I think that’s the only similarity between Greenwich and Burghley, apart from that it’s a different sport. Places like Burghley are very precious and very special and really what three day eventing is all about. The course here is big and bold and there’s a lot to jump. The ground is superb but it could easily get a little soft, who knows? I think when we walk on it we feel one thing and when a horse gallops on it we see quite another.” Seacookie has had a limited preparation for Burghley; after missing 2011 due to injury, he was ready to run at Badminton this spring, which of course never happened. “We decided not to take him to Luhmuhlen in lieu of having an Autumn campaign and he’s had a few runs, he’s in a very good frame of mind. Considering that he has been a bit short he was very good in the dressage, he was very concentrated, he wasn’t spooky and probably the most rideable he’s been, so so far so good.”
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star were the second Americans to go today, and were in the midst of a lovely test when instead of doing her extended canter down the long side, Kristi started doing a second serpentine, albeit very nicely, and was so engrossed in her work that she didn’t hear the bell ring a number of times. Finally the judge at C stopped her and explained to her where she should be going, and with remarkable composure she picked up where she left off and continued just as nicely.
I caught up with her immediately afterwards and was surprised at how well she was taking it all
Bruce Davidson who has been training Kristi this year, is over here supporting her and was thrilled with her test.
Dirk Schrade and the aptly named Hop and Skip – some of their work was breathtaking, but bucks and leaps into the changes spoilt an otherwise stunning test.
Joy Dawes rode through the strong winds and looks to have such a great partnership with this lovely horse Finisterre. Trained by Ian Woodhead, it was a forward test with nice rhythm and I have a soft spot for this horse, can’t wait to see him jump round this track on Saturday.
Likewise Comanche and vet James Robinson, except I would have to add that Comanche looks half his age!
Nicolas Wettstein for Ecuador rode a very nice test. The weather – a strong breeze, cool and intermittent rain meant for some fresh horses today, and perhaps those tomorrow will have an advantage if the forecast for slightly warmer temps is correct. Lots more to look forward to here on Eventing Nation, thanks for being a part of the fun, and Go Land Rover Burghley Three Day Eventing!
