It’s Burghley time!

Tim Price and last year’s winner, Ringwood Sky Boy (image: Peter Nixon)

Can eventing world number-one Tim Price continue his amazing form and defend his Burghley crown? Can his wife Jonelle add Burghley to her list of five-star titles? Will Ginny Thompson and Star Nouveau live up to the thrilling promise they showed at Badminton in May? Will Sam Lissington make the step up to the serious big time?

So many questions, so many reasons for New Zealand fans to take an even more keen interest than usual in the 2019 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, which kick off with the first horse inspection on Wednesday afternoon (UK time).

There will be no Andrew Nicholson riding under the iconic bridge at Burghley this year (Image: Libby Law)

It’s the first Burghley in many years at which neither Sir Mark Todd nor Andrew Nicholson will compete, but New Zealand is very well represented, with Tim Price spearheading the campaign with three of his top rides: Xavier Faer, Bango and last year’s winner, Ringwood Sky Boy.

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy, were foot perfect in 2018 (image: Libby Law)

Jonelle is disappointed to have withdrawn Classic Moet, who picked up a small cross-country injury on her way to winning at Gatcombe, but still has her Luhmuhlen winner and Rio Olympic partner, Faerie Dianimo, on the start list.

Can Jonelle and Faerie Dianimo add Burghley to their Luhmuhlen crown? (Image: Libby Law)

It’s the second time at Burghley for Ginny Thompson, and she’ll be aiming not only to complete this year (in 2018, she withdrew Star Nouveau before the show jumping) but to make amends for that heart-breaker of a show jumping round at Badminton in May. Ginny has been training hard, and she and ‘Paige’ have some good show jumping performances recently. Their dressage has steadily improved since their move to the UK, and after their blistering Badminton cross-country round, we will be expecting a similar stunning performance!

Ginny Thompson and Star Nouveau at last year’s Burghley (image: Libby Law)

Ginny will be boosted further by having her best mate Sam Lissington at her side this year; it’s Sam’s Northern Hemisphere five-star debut, and she is lining up with her Kihikihi winner, Ricker Ridge Rui. Sam says it was a pretty surreal feeling seeing her name on the Burghley draw, and says she feels: “Such a mix of excitement, nervousness and grit all at once!”

Sam Lissington and Ricker Ridge Rui (Image: Libby Law)

Rounding up the New Zealand contingent are Caroline Powell, with On the Brash, and Dan Jocelyn, with Blackthorn Cruise.

Sir Mark might have put his riding days behind him, but couldn’t resist a walk of the cross-country track, for his review in the latest Horse & Hound magazine, and says it will test every aspect of training and ability.

Sir Mark Todd is happy to be a spectator at this year’s Burghley! (image: Libby Law)

Course designer Capt Mark Phillips says it’s one of the biggest Burghleys he’s built, and Sir Mark agrees: “It’s very big, all the way from the beginning, and the cumulative effect of that on horses shouldn’t be under-estimated. They can be overwhelmed by the relentless size of the fences, and the difficulty of the terrain between them.”

Notably, there are five combinations in a row, from fences four to eight. These include a new complex, the Land Rover Fountain at 4ABC, which is a half circle of two wooden-topped walls with a water cascade between them, and the Rolex Grand Slam Triple Brush at 6AB, which Sir Mark says is a true five-star question, with the option of either a skinny brush arrowhead over a ditch, or two narrow brushes with an unmarked ditch between them. Then there is no let-up before the notorious Leaf Pit, at 7ABCD, which is a test of bravey, trust and control and makes for some seat-of-the-pants rider reactions as they navigate the huge drop to a brush oxer, then a choice of skinnies. As Sir Mark says, nobody is completely in control plunging off the drop!

But Sir Mark believes fence 13ABC, Joules at the Maltings, is perhaps the toughest combination on the course, and he rates it 9/10 in difficulty. He told Horse & Hound that riders will need to be prepared to change their plans if they lose momentum at the three massive white oxers on bending lines. “Horses will need power, confidence and pace, and I can see the less experienced choosing the winding long route,” he says.

In its 57-year history, Burghley has been won 14 times by New Zealand riders: Mark Todd was the first, with Wilton Fair in 1987, and went on to win it another four times (Face the Music, Welton Greylag, Broadcast News and Diamond Hall Red). Andrew Nicholson famously won it three years in a row from 2012 to 2014, with the wonderful Avebury, and first won the title in 2000 with Mr Smiffy. Blyth Tait won it twice, in 1998 (Chesterfield) and 2001 (Ready Teddy). Caroline Powell remains the only New Zealand woman to win, with that thriller in 2010 on Lenamore.

Caroline Powell and the legendary Lenamore (NZHP library)

There are 78 runners this year, in a field that is perhaps not quite as strong as in some previous years, due to the FEI European Eventing Championships, which concluded yesterday, taking priority for many leading combinations. But the home side still has some formidable pairs, including Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class, who won Burghley on debut in 2017, were second last year, and second at Badminton in May.

Oliver Townend and Ballagmor Class hung on for second in 2018 (Image: Libby Law)

The current Badminton title holders, Piggy French with Vanir Kamira, are also lining up – a win at Burghley would see her two-thirds of the way to taking out the Rolex Grand Slam.

Unusually, there are only two Australian entries – Isabel English with Feldale Mouse, and Dominic Schramm with Bolytair B. But there is a large US contingent, including Liz Halliday-Sharp, Lauren Kieffer, Will Coleman and Buck Davidson.

Tim Price and Bango kick off Burghley 2019, as the first pair into the dressage arena. The only other Kiwi on the first day of dressage is Caroline Powell, who is number 33.

Tim and Xavier Faer have drawn number 42, followed soon after by Sam and Rui at #47, and Ginny and Star Nouveau at #54. Dan Jocelyn is number 64 in the draw, Jonelle is 68, and Tim is one of the last riders to go, number 82 with Ringwood Sky Boy. The riding times will be confirmed after the first horse inspection.

The dressage will be livestreamed on www.burghley-horse.co.uk  but unfortunately for New Zealand viewers, only those with Sky Sport subsciptions will be able to watch the cross-country and show jumping.

Go Kiwis!

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