With one rail down, Jock Paget and Clifton Promise won the Land Rover Burghley CCI**** (England) on Sept. 8. Not since 1989, when Ginny Leng and Master Craftsman triumphed at both Land Rover Burghley and the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, has a combination claimed both titles in the same calendar year. This extraordinary feat also sets Paget up for a crack at the Rolex Grand Slam if he can win Rolex Kentucky next spring.

Jock Paget has a double-handed grip on proceedings at the end of cross-country day at the Land Rover Burghley CCI**** (England) on Sept. 7. Occupying the top two spots with Clifton Promise and Clifton Lush, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (England) winner has given himself every chance of adding the Burghley trophy to his expanding collection of silverware.

Last May all eyes were on Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson as they battled for the Rolex Eventing Grand Slam at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI**** (England).

But it was Kiwi rider Jock Paget who took the top placing, and no one will underestimate him this time, as he leads the dressage at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (England) on Sept. 6 aboard his Badminton winner Clifton Promise.

Could a horse win the Land Rover Burghley CCI**** (England) at 17? How about compete in the Olympic Games for New Zealand and capture team bronze at 19? The answer is yes, and after a long and storied career, rider Caroline Powell and owner Lexi Jackson have decided to retire event horse Lenamore at the age of 20.

The charismatic 15.3-hand Irish Sport Horse gelding (Sea Crest—Karinella, Valiyar) began eventing in 1999 as a 6-year-old and was produced through the advanced level by owner Jackson, who gave the ride to Powell in 2004.

I walked around the cross-country warm-up trying to stay calm and focused. I felt at home on the familiar four legs that were carrying me, but there was a smell of nerves and of the unknown so thick you could almost see it sifting in and around the red and white flags.