GV Billy Elliot has his rug put back on as Tim Boland and his crew make a decision to withdraw and compete at Blenheim next week
The last time we caught up with Tim Boland was at the Melbourne International Three Day Event where he and GV Billy Elliot were the worthy winners of the CCI 3* class. Since then Tim and Billy, along with their support crew, have been based in the UK as the Olympic team reserves and preparing for the next big event – the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials CCI 4*.
Our hearts sank at the trot up today (but I’m sure nowhere near as much as Tim’s) when Billy Elliot was held for a second inspection and Tim then made the decision to withdraw. As Tim explains in this video interview he kindly gave us straight after the trot up, Billy was competed at Wellington two days ago as a preparation for Burghley and pulled off a shoe during that event, taking a small portion of foot with it. This is a very minor injury which hopefully will be mean that Billy and Tim will be able to compete at Blenheim next weekend (which luckily Tim entered “just in case”) but obviously it is a terrible shame. However, Tim is being amazingly stoic about the situation and we wish him all the luck for Blenheim.
Paul Tapner models the latest in footwear for trot ups
During the trot up, we also had a quick chat with Paul Tapner who is riding his 2010 Badminton winner, Inonothing, who looks in fantastic shape. Paul is also very excited about his new business venture, HorseHub, which we’ll tell you more about in the near future.
The very stylish Mary King was one of the winners of the best turned out rider prize
We also had a quick chat with the lovely Mary King who also only has one horse this year, her home-bred King’s Temptress who was third here last year. Mary says that it will be a quiet few days for her with only one horse, especially as King’s Temptress is a quiet horse who doesn’t need a lot of work, unlike her other horses such as the now retired Apache Sauce (who she also rode here last year) or Imperial Cavalier who are much more ‘go, go, go’.
The rest of the Australian contingent - Sam Griffiths (Happy Times), Megan Jones (Kirby Park Allofasudden), Bill Levett (Hippolyte), Paul Tapner (Inonothing) and Clayton Fredericks (Waltersdown Don) all passed the first horse inspection. 85 riders from 10 nations are now on the start list of this year’s event; apart from GV Billy Elliot being withdrawn, Rumour Has It (Merel Blom – NED) was eliminated while Paddy’s Gold (Rebecca Crosbie-Starling GBR) and Pricewise (James Adams – GBR) both passed on re-inspection.
Sam's horse Happy Times patiently has his shoes checked
British Olympic team silver medallists, Mary King and William Fox-Pitt were the winners of the ‘best turned out’ rider prizes, judged by Mandy Thomas. Both riders are included in the six former winners that are among the starters vying for the Land Rover perpetual challenge trophy and the £55,000 first prize.
William and last year’s winning horse Parklane Hawk, will be one of the favourites for the Burghley title. Another win this year would be an unprecedented seventh victory however as yet no horse has won Burghley in consecutive years and only one horse Priceless – and Ginnie Elliott (nee Holgate) – has ever won twice, in 1983 and ’85.
William is one of eight riders with two horses; others are Andrew Nicholson (NZL) Jeanette Brakewell (GBR) Oliver Townend (GBR) Sarah Bullimore (GBR), Lucy Wiegersma (GBR), Georgie Spence (GBR) and Burghley first-timer Lucy Jackson (NZL).
New Zealand's Jock Paget was another one sporting some good footwear with a suit
Mary King's Kings Temptress is one of just five mares that are on the start list with only two mares ever having won Burghley (Headley Britannia 2006 and Maid Marion 1973).
Nineteen-year-old Comanche will be the oldest horse this year and making a record tenth consecutive appearance on the start list with Herefordshire-based vet and rider James Robinson who has owned Comanche for 14-years.
French rider and former World Champion Jean Teulere (58) will be the oldest rider, while first timer Rebecca Crosbie Starling is the youngest at 22 years old, although both Peter Hannigan (IRL) and Lincolnshire based Emily Parker (GBR) are also both aged 22.
Another 22-year-old is Young Rider gold medallist Harry Dzenis from Surrey who with Xam will be the guinea pig dressage test rider this year. The first competitive rider in the dressage arena will be Louise Lyons (IRL) and Watership Down who will come before the Ground Jury at 09.30am tomorrow.
CLICK HERE for the photo gallery from Day One First Horse Inspection
