Oliver, Tim, Piggy and Mark Phillips at the press conference
An Eventful Life filmed all competitors on cross country at
Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials - find out more here
“Fortune favours the brave” said Chris Bartle today and indeed it seemed that bravery increased on cross country at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials as the day went on and it was reflected in the results
Oliver Townend is traditionally a trail blazer who sets the pace so when he came home on his first horse, MHS King Joules, with 10.4 time penalties and was followed by Sir Mark Todd on his first horse NZB Campino, also coming home with 14.8 time, there were certainly questions as to whether anyone would make the time.
“It walked massive and rode bigger” said Oliver after his first ride “It’s as big as any course I’ve ever jumped around and then you add the terrain, the trickiest terrain for any course anywhere in the world and it’s going to take some getting around”
When asked if he could get around under time on his next two rides, Oliver said “Who knows? I’ll try”
Andrew Nicholson, was the first to almost make the time with 2.4 time penalties on Jet Set IV but he too wondered if the time could be made while two other Kiwis, Caroline Powell and Ginny Thompson both had very different rides
Caroline completed the course despite becoming entangled in the course stringing after jumping the two egg boxes at Clarence Court. On The Brash was a little strong coming down to the narrow brush (a fence that definitely won’t be there next year says Captain Mark Phillips) and, as Caroline tried to pull him up, he managed to get half way through the stringing at the side of the track. They jumped clear but their problem added plenty of time penalties and they finished the day in 36th place (70.70)
Caroline Powell
Ginny Thompson and Star Nouveau picked up 20 penalties at Fence 8, the Leaf Pit, which proved to be the most influential fence on course today. They head into the show jumping tomorrow in 40th (76.90)
Piggy French - plenty to smile about
After her ride Piggy French modestly said that you “could strap a monkey to her (Vanir Kamira) and she would go round” but Piggy’s wonderful piloting of the mare that tends to run very much on the forehand brought them home with a fast, clear round, adding just 1.2 time penalties for an overall third place on 31.1.
Piggy watched the first few go ‘which didn’t help my confidence at all’ and then the lady, who has been on top form since having her son Max, went out and blitzed around
Esib Power and Soladoun
Two other determined ladies made it into the top ten today; Sarah Bullimore was rueing going too slowly, picking up 7.6 time penalties to finish in sixth place (34.9) but Esib Power was true to her name and powered around for one of the four double clear rounds on board Soladoun, who recently won the Advanced Championship at Festival of British Eventing
Tina Cook and Star Witness
Tina Cook was another who put in a fantastic performance for a double clear on Star Witness and, although earlier in the day some riders had been cautioning against setting out too fast, it was Tina’s strategy to start as she intended to finish – strongly. Rising from 62nd after dressage, this pair are now in 12th place (39.1) and poised for another CCI4* top 10 finish
Willa Newton and Pippa Funnell also put in two great rounds to move into the top 20
Pippa came up with one of the great quotes of the day when Clare Balding said “You look in shock” after finishing her cross country ride
“Well I always do” replied Pippa, not missing a beat and with a wry smile “I almost hate the sport! On Saturday morning I always wonder why on earth I’m doing this at my age and then you see Toddy, Nicholson and all those old, decrepit people doing well and I think, well I’d better keep going a bit longer!”
Willa Newton about to enter the Start Box
Pippa and her 4* first-timer Maja’s Hope are currently in 14th place (40) while Willa Newton, just recovered from a broken collar bone moved up from 24th to 11th after a clear round with just 5.6 time penalties
Another young British rider Richard Jones also moved up the leader board from 33rd place into ninth place (37) with a very impressive ride on Alfie’s Clover who just missed out on his goal of a double clear when he went to Plan B coming out of the Tout Hatchery
“I saw a stride I shouldn’t have seen going in which meant I couldn’t get my line coming out. I think that’s where we lost time and ended up with 2.8 time penalties”
Even more impressive is that Richard has had to change his riding in the past year due to having lost a finger on his left hand, leaving him with less grip but ‘luckily Alfie’s Choice doesn’t pull’
Harry Meade and Away Cruising
Harry Meade may have been slightly concerned about Away Cruising ‘staying the trip’ after last year’s run around Burghley but the big grey horse had no such trouble, cruising around with just 1.6 time penalties for fourth place (31.1)
There were of course others whose ride didn’t quite go to plan that resulted in significant impact. The overnight leader Sir Mark Todd came to grief at Fence 10 where Kiltubrid Rhapsody fell but walked back to his stable unharmed; Sir Mark had survived an earlier moment at Leaf Pit where he showed amazing stickability but sadly their run ended soon after
Germany’s Andreas Dibowski also tumbled out of the top ten with elimination at Fence 6 and the crowd needed to have their wits about them today with several horses joining the spectators on the wrong side of the fence
Sadly Australia only had one competitor completing today with Lissa Green withdrawing Hollyfield II before the start of cross country due to concerns regarding her horses fitness following a small but recent injury
“The likelihood is that he'd be fine to run today, but I could and would never forgive myself IF something happened to him, he is my best friend. He feels SO well in himself, so fit and up for it, it makes it all the more difficult” says Lissa on her Facebook adding “After a few hugs and tears we will accept our fate and re-route to Pau”
Bill Levett didn’t have the best day with Improvise running out at Fence 9 and Bill opting to retire but no doubt they will be back next year and Bill now heads to WEG.
Warren Lamperd and Silvia may have finished down the leader board in 42nd place but they are on their way to another Burghley completion and the little grey mare just pricked her ears and flew over every jump even if she went quite sedately between them!
Oliver Townend relinquished the lead today however his last ride, Ballaghmor Class, came home double clear for second place. It was an impressive performance to finish all three horses so well with MHS King Joules in 10th and also 13th on Cooley SRS.
His friend and five-time Burghley winner Andrew Nicholson also produced two classy rounds to have both his horses in the top 10. Jet Set IV finished on 36.2 after adding just 2.4 time penalties. bounding up 21 slots on the leader board and Swallow Springs – a horse many are pegging as his next star – is in fifth place after jumping double clear around the big track
“He’s young but very classy and always a bit cheeky, so it is up to me to ride him properly,” said Andrew “He’s a bit like (hat-trick Burghley winner) Avebury too – you’ve got to ride him like you stole him.”
Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy
However, the man of the day was another Kiwi with the leader after cross country being Tim Price on Ringwood Sky Boy. Their round was smooth and rhythmical, finishing just one second over the optimum time of 11 minutes and 11 seconds on a score of 27.3 but, with less than a rail across the top four, there will be plenty of pressure at tomorrow’s show jumping.
“He’s not the world’s best showjumper,” admits Tim of Ringwood Sky Boy “But he is the world’s greatest trier. I think both my horses have come into this competition as good as you could have hoped . . . and we hope for good day tomorrow”
At Badminton, his wife Jonelle went into the final phase on a horse that didn’t have the best show jumping history but produced a clear round to win …… can Tim and Ringwood Sky Boy do the same?
Watch the Saturday press conference here
Another bumper day at Burghley
