PrintThe cross-country phase of any three-day event is influential, but the results today at the Burghley CCI**** took that concept to a new level. And it's created a bit of controversy. Over a course that the world's best termed "very tough" after walking it, only 48 of 90 starters finished, with only 33 clean rounds, and none within the time. At the end of the day, Andrew Hoy jumped back into the lead aboard his dressage leader the first day, Moon Fleet. He had the fastest round of the day--only 10 seconds slow for 4.0 time faults. He followed that up with a clean round only 11 seconds slow (for 4.4 time faults) on Master Monarch. He's now first with Moon Fleet and third on Master Monarch. Andrew Nicholson kept his second place with a clean round on Lord Killinghurst, after picking up 13.2 time faults to add to his 40.2 dressage score.
The dressage leader, Pippa Funnell, retired Cornerman at the first water jump, 14AB. Cornerman had been jumping badly up to that point, and she'd gone to the whip after the fence before, a gate. Cornerman then stopped at the A element of the bounce into water. Funnell circled around, jumped the A element, then Cornerman crawled over the B element, taking down the white flag. Funnell pulled up, and it was later discovered that Cornerman was tying up.
William Fox-Pitt, who was third after dressage, came to grief at the final water, 26ABC, when Ballincoola lost impulsion galloping through the water and stopped at the C element, a table in the water. They've dropped to 19th place. Marie-Louise Thomas--tied for 15th after dressage--rode The Psephologist to a fast clean round (7.6 time penalties) to move up to fourth. And Olympic gold medalist Leslie Law and Shear H20, tied for sixth after dressage, picked up 15.6 time faults on their clean trip around, and are now in fifth.
The day was overshadowed by the serious fall of Caroline Pratt, whose Primitive Streak flipped at the final element of the last water, 26ABC, and landed on her. Official word is that she's being treated at a nearby hospital.
American fortunes weren't the best today. Nina Fout and John Williams were the only clean rounds. Fout and 3 Magic Beans tooled around the course and finished with 34.4 time faults to claim 29th place. Williams andSloopy ran fast, with just 20 time faults for 20th place. Jan Thompson, the highest-placed American after dressage, looked to be on her way to a clear round, with Task Force jumping very well. But a fall of horse and rider at the next-to-last fence, the combination at 27ABC, eliminated them. Ashley MacVaugh and All's Fair were jumping brilliantly until that same combination, but All's Fair just touched a leg to the second narrow fence of the turning question, and MacVaugh didn't think she could do the three strides to the brush picture frame, so she pulled out of the C element. They only finished with 34.4 time faults, though, and now are in 40th.
