Countdown on to the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

Arguably the toughest eventing competition in the world, Burghley is one of the bench mark events leading into next year’s Olympic Games. 

88 entries from 11 countries have been received and as expected the field is very strong.  Great Britain naturally has the largest representation including five-time Burghley winner,Olympic and World Championship medallist William Fox-Pitt. William is entered on four horses including Cool Mountain on which he won the 2010 Kentucky CCI4* winner and the individual silver medal at the 2010 World Equestrian Games.

Fellow British eventing icon Mary King, a four- time Olympian will be riding 2011 Kentucky CCI4* winner Kings Temptress as well as Apache Sauce.

Oliver Townend has three rides including Carousel Quest, on which he won the Burghley title in 2009. 

The Kiwi’s are sending 15 combinations including the inform Andrew Nicholson who will ride Nero, Avebury and Armada. Nero and Avebury were 1^st and 2^nd at the recent British Open at Gatcombe. Nero was the also horse on which Andrew won individual bronze at last year’s World Games.  Clarke Johnstone, the 2011 FEI World Cup Eventing winner and 2010 World Equestrian Games Team Bronze medallist will be fronting up on Orient Express. Rider of the Century, five-time Burghley champion and 2011 Badminton winner Mark Todd, will be aboard Major Milestone. Together this pair finished 2010 Badminton in 11^th place.

In an extraordinary come-back ex-Aussie Boyd Martin who now represents America, will be riding his Australian thoroughbred Neville Bardos. Neville was critically injured in a barn fire that killed 6 horses in May this year. It was not expected that Neville would live, let alone ever compete again and yet after a miraculous recovery he will now front-up to Burghley.  Martin rode this horse to 10^th place at the World Championship in 2010. This is an experienced combination with a very good jumping record.  Boyd will be joined by five other Americans competitng at Burghley.

Canada will be represented by three combinations, two of whom, Kyle Carter and Hawley Bennett-Awad were on the 2010 WEG silver medal winning team.

Australia will be represented by five combinations at this year’s Burghley. Sam Griffiths will ride Happy Times. After a 3^rd place at Badminton earlier this year they will be looking for a spot on the podium.

Chris Burton has hit the ground running since landing on British soil earlier this year, most recently finishing 2^nd overall in the 2011 FEI World Cup series.  Burton will ride his 2010 World Games mount 15yo mare Holstein Park Leilani.   

Lucinda Fredericks, a team silver medallist from the 2008 Olympic Games will ride the 11-year-old mare Prada. After a solid 16^th place finish at the horse’s first CCI4* this year at Badminton, Lucinda will be aiming to make her mark at Burghley.

Bill Levett is riding Political Trump, a 16yo Irish Sport Horse. Political Trump has completed four CCI4*s, three of them with his former rider. Bill acquired the ride on this horse in 2010 and together they completed 2010 Badminton CCI4* (they unfortunately missed out on a start at this year’s Badminton). After developing a partnership over the past year this pair has the combined experience to put in a good performance.

28-year-old Hamish Cargill will compete at his first Burghley. In April Hamish and Sandhills Tiger completed Kentucky CCI4*.  Hamish, normally based in Glen Haven on the outskirts of Sydney, has honed his craft on the Australian circuit. Hamish will be looking to jump a clear round and gain valuable international experience.

To get all the up-to-the minute news go to the Burghley website to down load the free Land Rover Burghley iphone App and view the course walk with Captain Mark Phillips.

Quick Links:

• Burghley Horse Trials website

 

Source: Equestrian Australia