Stamford, England—Sept. 3

Christopher Burton and Nobilis 18 were pure class at the end of a challenging cross-country day at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, finishing just 8 seconds over the optimum time of 11 minutes 11 seconds—and they now have two fences in hand to win tomorrow.

Burton had to wait until nearly the end of the day and admitted to nerves. 

“Sitting watching in the riders’ tent didn’t help,” he confessed. “But I’m delighted now; the horse gave me a great feel.”

Christopher Burton and Nobilis 18. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Experienced antipodean riders dominated an exciting day and now fill seven of the top 10 places. Last year’s runners-up Tim Price (New Zealand) and Ringwood Sky Boy are in second place again, with the third fastest round of the day (6 time penalties), and five-time winner Andrew Nicholson (New Zealand) is lying third on the 16-year-old Nereo, collecting 12 time penalties.

“Nereo doesn’t really like it at Burghley because he’s a long-striding horse and finds the undulations difficult, but he always does the job,” said Nicholson. “I’ve got a soft spot for him. I’ve taken him all round the world, and he always comes up with the goods.”

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Andrew Nicholson and Nereo. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Jonelle Price, also from New Zealand, is now in fourth place and was quickest of all with only 4 seconds over the time on Classic Moet, but she was cross with herself for having to take a muddled line through the fence dressings at the Dairy Farm (fence 14). But time penalties in double figures were more the order of the day even before the heavy rain started to fall around lunchtime.

Germany’s Bettina Hoy, the dressage runner-up on Designer 10, admitted to feeling “intimidated” and set off tentatively, but the further she went the more polished she looked, and she finished strongly with 19.2 time penalties to take fifth place at this stage.

“It was tough, and I was a bit backwards to start with and had to give myself a good talking to, but what a horse!” she said. “I’m so pleased. I don’t have many horses nowadays, so I think I am able to have a good relationship with them, and they help me out.”

Mark Todd has risen four places to sixth with NZB Campino, having feared that the German-bred 14-year-old would not like the undulating ground.

Crowds on cross-country. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Andrew Hoy, who had been in sixth place after dressage on The Blue Frontier, took a ducking in the Trout Hatchery, but he is in 15th place after a good ride on Rutherglen. Australia’s Sam Griffiths, eighth after dressage on Happy Times, made a valiant effort to continue after a stirrup broke, but he was forced to pull up.

Paul Tapner was taken to hospital for a precautionary check-up after a fall with Up In the Air at the rails at Herbert’s Hollow (fence 22).

Holly Payne Caravella and Never Outfoxed. Photo by Libby Law Photography. 

Overall, 40 riders completed with 28 clear rounds; U.S. rider Holly Payne-Caravella is best of the 16 Burghley first-timers in 17th place on Never Outfoxed. They picked up just 18.4 time penalties. Elisa Wallace isn’t far behind her on Simply Priceless (in 20th) after their clear trip with 30.4 time.

“It’s Burghley, and so everyone is like, ‘Burghley is big!’ and there are all the top riders here, so it was a little tinge of scared when we left the box, but I just really have a lot of supporters behind me—Karen and David O’Connor and all my supporters and home and here—so it was like, ‘Oh my God, we’ve got to go get this done, buddy!’

“It was fun. It was hard, but it was an amazing feeling to start knocking out these famous areas,” she continued. “One of my favorite ones was when we came to the Cottesmore Leap, and I was petrified to that, and I was worried we weren’t going to get the turn, and I kind of sliced it and angled it, and he pinged right over. I heard the crowd. It’s amazing.”

Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Phillip Dutton sits right outside of the top 20 on Fernhill Fugitive, currently in 24th after adding 38.8 time. 

“This was much tougher for Jack than an event like Rolex,” he said. “The terrain is very up and down, and he doesn’t accelerate very quickly, so on uneven terrain it’s hard to get him going. He doesn’t go across the ground like a Thoroughbred would, but he tried his heart out. He jumped beautifully and stayed brave, and he was always looking for the flags. Jack put in an incredible effort today, and we’re looking forward to show jumping tomorrow.”

The rest of the U.S. riders failed to finish today. Bunnie Sexton’s day ended near the end of the course when Rise Against refused to drop down the Leaf Pit. 

“ ‘Ecko’ gave all he had, but after losing a front shoe and his confidence in the slippery footing, we weren’t able to convince him to conquer the drop down,” Sexton wrote on her Facebook page. “Regardless of the outcome, I am so grateful for this experience and even more grateful for all of the support that I have received. Most of all, I am happy to be home safe with a horse that will fight another day. Thank you for the well wishes, and we look forward to what is to come!”

Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Fugitive. Photo by Libby Law Photography. 

Libby Head and Sir Rockstar fell at fence 25.

“Well Burghley didn’t go exactly as planned today!” she wrote. “It was a tough course, and it wasn’t easy even on my rockstar of a horse. We were tackling it well until an oxer late in the course where we took a tumble. We are both OK, which is the most important thing, and while I’m gutted we didn’t make it around I’ll always tell him he’s a Burghley pony!” 

A rainy day didn’t deter spectators. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

See full results from the day. 

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