Neville Bardos smells the crisp English air
Getting to a three-day, particularly a four-star like Burghley, is the process of dodging the thousands of things that can can go wrong and derail your quest while trying as hard as possible to focus on the event itself. You never can be sure that you have survived the gauntlet until you trot down that centerline. But for the North American pairs headed to Burghley, landing in England is a big step in the right direction and if the riders have any time between clearing customs, battling British traffic, and getting settled in their new barns, hopefully they will take a few moments to breath a half sigh of relief. Here is a quick look at the travels of all of the North American horses headed to Burghley:
Exponential and Neville Bardos landed at Stansted Airport, which is about 20 miles north of London, this morning after flying out of Newark, New Jersey at 4am ET. Jessica Phoenix and Boyd Martin rode along with the horses and Boyd told me that the horses landed in good spirits. Neville will spend the last week before shipping to Bughley at Julian Stiller’s Headley Stud. Exponential will stay with the other two Canadian Burghely horses at Jacky Green’s Maizey Manor Farm, so we can look forward to the inside scoop on all the maple leaf action.
Jessica Phoenix with Nev and Tucker on the trailer
As for the other North American Burghley horses, all but three are already in England. Julian Stiller’s ride, Chapel Amble, is of course based in England full time at Jules’ yard. Twizzel has also been staying at Headley Stud since the Olympic test event in July. Andromaque and Will Faudree have been training at Maizey Manor since their trip to Luhmuhlen.
Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville flew over to England two weeks ago. They competed successfully at Hartpury two weekends ago and are staying at Maizey Manor. Colleen Rutledge and Shiraz flew to England last week and they are living it up at Ann Taylor’s Washbrook Farm until Burghley. Colleen has just posted her latest Burghley blog on her website this morning. Stay tuned fore more on Sinead and “Tate” later today.
The only remaining Burghley bound US horse in North America is Michael Pollard’s Icarus. Michael is riding at the Pan American selection trials this weekend and Icarus will fly out of Atlanta with Canada’s Madison Park on Wednesday. They will also fly into Stansted. Icarus will spend a few days before Burghley at Headley Stud. Madison Park and Hawley Bennett’s Gin & Juice, who flies out from the west coast on Thursday, will meet up with Exponential at Maizey Manor Farm. Keep the fundraising going for Kyle and Parker here.
And now you know the rest of the story. As is always the case in eventing, just getting to the event is half the battle. Good luck to the horses and riders with the rest of their travels and their final gallops.
So I get to fly this thing right mates?
Go eventing.
