Brace yourselves eventing fans because Burghley starts TODAY! With top-class entries from 11 different nations, including equine and human Olympic gold medalists, Pam-Am gold medalists, World Champions, European Champions, a Rolex Grand Slam winner, the children of Olympic gold medalists, multiple-time 5* winners, and the daughter of parents who both won Burghley, the field is STACKED and we couldn’t be looking forward to a more exciting competition.
The USA’s Burghley hopes come in the form of Boyd Martin (who has two rides), Jennie Saville, Will Faudree, Tiana Coudray and Grace Taylor. As the chilly non-summer continues here in the UK, let’s hope Boyd’s packed something especially cozy to slip into after his ice bath.
All of the action will be broadcast on Burghley TV, which is available as a subscription (£20 per year/approx. $25) that gives you access to the whole event as well as a range of behind the scenes content and the daily round-up show. The Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final, judged by Andrew Nicholson, will also be available, as will the awesome Main Arena demonstrations. For die-hard fans, there’s even a comprehensive collection of Burghleys past, which I find handy for feeding my eventing need through the long winter when I’m hunkered down counting the days ‘til the season starts again. Find out how to subscribe here.
The Burghley action trots off today with the first horse inspection starting at 4pm BST / 11am EDT / 8am PDT. Which horses will show off their 5* fitness? How many of them will lock onto the flower decorations as though their lives depend on it? What color will Harry Meade’s pants be? We’ll have the answers to these all-important questions, and more, as Burghley 2023 officially gets underway.
The center line plays its part on Thursday and Friday with all the dressage you can handle starting at 9am BST / 4am EDT / 1am PDT each day. And if all that 5* talent has you feeling inspired to improve your own riding, there’s the chance to learn from some of the best during the Thursday breaks, when we’ll be treated to demonstrations by Yogi Breisner and Dickie Waygood, focusing on how to improve your cross country without having to hire a course, and how to use your dressage training in your cross country lines, respectively. On Friday, Carl Hester and a – as yet unnamed – “superstar equine guest” will grace the Main Arena, and later on, eventers will try their butts at sidesaddle.
Set your reminders to 11am BST / 6am EDT / 3am PDT on Saturday when our Burghley 2023 pathfinder, Britain’s Harry Meade, will kick off what’s sure to be a great day of sport, and when we’ll get to see what horses think about jumping hares. It’s a 9am BST / 4am EDT / 1am PDT start the following day for the final horse inspection, before everything is wrapped up with the show jumping – the morning session starts at 10:30am BST / 5:30am EDT / 2:30am PDT, with the top-24 going at 2:30pm BST / 9:30am EDT / 6:30am PDT.
That’s Burghley, and it’s going to be brilliant!
Keep it locked onto EN – we have all sorts of awesome content headed your way…
Defender Burghley: [Website] [Entries] [Program] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]
EN is going eventing Stateside too this week, with the American Eventing Championships happening in Lexington, Kentucky. We’ll be bringing you all you need to know – so stay tuned, and go eventing!
#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Official Program] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]
U.S. Weekend Preview
#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Official Program] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]
Bucks County Horse Park H.T. (Revere, PA) [Website]
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA) [Website] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Equestrians’ Institute H.T. (Cle Elum, WA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Seneca Valley PC H.T. (Poolesville, MD) [Website] [Volunteer]
Silverwood Farm Fall H.T. (Trevor, WI) [Website] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Wednesday News and Reading
Follow along with us on Instagram TODAY for a takeover from AEC with Liz Halliday, in partnership with Ocala Horse Properties! Liz has a busy day ahead of her, with Miks Master C and Deniro Z getting their competition underway in the Adequan Advanced Final, Shanroe Cooley running cross country in the Intermediate championships, and Newmarket Cooley and Maybach running cross country in the Preliminary Horse championship. Tag along throughout the day over on @goeventing!
Nominations are open for The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year awards. Categories include a Changemaker award celebrating sportswomen who have used their platforms for the greatest good, an award for an outstanding performer in a disability sport, a Team of the Year award, a special award for recognising inspirational endeavor, and more. Here’s your chance to get behind the awesome women equestrians who do horse girls everywhere proud. [Cast Your Votes]
As we gear up for the two great events happening this week, here’s a some essential listening. Eventing Weekly make their Burghley picks in their preview show, and Nicole Brown talks all things AEC in this week’s USEA Podcast. [It’s Burghley Week, Baby!] [AEC Are Go!]
Fancy yourself a bit of a judge as you watch the horses trot-up at the Horse Inspection? Well you can hone your skills with this cool find – an interactive online game which teaches you how to not only assess a horse for lameness, but progresses through levels of difficulty where you get to determine the specific point of lameness and practice on varying degrees of subtlety in the presentation of the problem. (Aside: Turn your volume up before you click on the link.) [And Trot]
And here’s a new resource from Equus with everything you need to know about horse ownership. Designed for new horse owners and people coming back into horse ownership after a break, there’s everything from saddle fitting and finances to farriers and feeding. It’s all laid out so that the information’s easy to access and is just what I’ll need when I finally bring my new baby home after a too-long hiatus from having a horse. [What To Expect… The Horsing Edition]
And whilst we’re on the subject of horsecare, it’s only fitting we cover sheath cleaning, really. If you take on an animal of any kind (or baby human), you’re responsible for meeting its needs. It goes for babies and diapers, and also for boy horses and sheaths. As horse owners, we rely on having a network of experts to deliver the areas of care which are outside our expertise – teeth, feet, and yes, sheaths. Until recently there was little in the way of specific training for this intimate care, and the industry was unregulated. It’s good news then, that Harris Equine Intimate Health Specialists has launched an accredited training program and registered The Equine Intimate Health Foundation as an industry body. [Good News on the Sheath Cleaning Front]
Check out these saddle paintings which are designed to inspire you to “saddle up for your own journey”. Artist Florelle Rodenberg was prompted to put paint to paper by the John Wayne quote, “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway”. She’s created a series of saddle paintings about not waiting until you’re ready to show up, but to saddle up right now. [No Time Like the Present]
Sponsor Corner
Graphic via US Equestrian.
Did you hear the news?! Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C, owned by Ocala Horse Properties, were just named to the US Eventing Team for the Pan American Games!
Video Break
Last week I shared the Burghley alternative course walk from a dog’s eye-view and spotted lil’ cutie William keeping up with the big guys as they hared round the course. Well, here’s William enjoying everything Burghley has to offer – from a quick chill with a bottle of Pol Roger, to cajoling a tasty sausage roll from one of the food vendors, and taking an off-road ride in a Defender. William sure knows how to do Burghley.
