Not everything went according to plan for some of the highest-placed pairs after dressage during the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country today, with a range of problems ending their chances.
The world number one and this experienced 17-year-old horse started out well – the striding had proven difficult in the first combination on course, the Boodles Raindance (fence 7abc) and Falco neatly patted the ground in the short one stride from the step up to the first angled house and then stretched out for the two strides.
They continued on through the tricky complexes at the Defender Dairy Mound (fence 9abc) and Joules at the Maltings (fences 15ab and 16abc) without penalty.
Tim had spoken before the competition about the Trout Hatchery water question (fence 19abcdef) being a big question, but had already ridden it on his first horse Global Quest – who sits second overnight – without any issues.
But Falco came round the left-hand turn to the hanging log at 19bc on the direct route and simply stopped dead.
“He’s spectacular in the way he goes about his job, but he has had quite a few wobbles as he’s gone through the grades, but once he’s learnt and rehearsed something he goes and executes it,” said Tim.
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“He was beautiful to that point. I turned up tight, a bit of a cheeky line, and he looked down through the fence at the water. He just took his eye off what he had to jump, which in his mind was an excuse to stop like a cheeky little pony.
“He was gracious as he had his head low and I was coming off, but he did put his head up and push me back in saddle, otherwise it was going to be like when you’re 12 years old on a Shetland – so that was nice of him not to deposit me.
“He’s not a proper authentic event horse and certainly not a Burghley horse. It was not anything except not a perfect ride for him in that moment.”
Tim retired after this problem and confirmed that Falco had “bounced home”.
The hanging log at the Trout Hatchery (fence 19bc) where Falco refused
(Image credit: Pippa Roome)
Tom Jackson and United 36’s Burghley cross-country fall
The same complex put paid to the hopes of British pair Tom Jackson and United 36. Like Tim, Tom had two rides and had enjoyed a good round on his first ride, Hawk Eye (now ninth).
He was going swimmingly on the 10-year-old Burghley debutant United 36, owned by Michael Stenning, until swimmingly turned to swimming when the pair fell over the brush corner which formed the final element of the Trout Hatchery.
Fence 19f, the final element of the Trout Hatchery, where Tom Jackson and United 36 fell
US rider Tiana Coudray held 11th at the end of dressage, with D’Artagnan. Her bid for a top placing ended at fence 9abcd, the Defender Dairy Mound.
This complex – consisting of a run up the mound, a log trailer, then a log on the brink of the mound, followed by a curved left-hand downhill line to a right-hand brush corner – caused problems through the day. The favoured striding was four and four strides, but some tried to squeeze five into the first distance while Nadja Minder managed to go to the corner successfully on three.
By the time Tiana went, the bright sun was adding shade into the mix of questions for the horses.
D’Artagnan jumped the log very boldly and cleanly, but this perhaps was to his detriment as he then ran out of space and slipped out the side of the corner.
The pair continued, but their competition came to an end when the horse ended up jumping into the middle of the first open oxer at the LeMieux Stable Gates (fence 12ab).
The open oxer at fence 12a where D’Artagnan’s competition came to an end
(Image credit: Pippa Roome)
Those placed 12th, 14th and 15th after the first phase also failed to finish the course.
Caroline Powell and High Time, 12th, were another pair to fall foul of the Defender Dairy Mound. High Time jumped out of her hand at the initial trailer, which had a knock on effect through the combination and they had a run-out at the corner, after which Caroline retired.
Another Caroline, Pamukcu, was the pathfinder on HSH Tolan King, who had been 14th after dressage. She was fighting for control by the time she got to Joules at the Maltings (fence 15ab and 16abc) and had to take the long route through fence 16abc as she didn’t have enough control to make the turn to the direct route triple bar at fence 16a.
She then also went to the long route in the Trout Hatchery after jumping into the second pond directly – but ended up jumping the string and retired.
Caroline does sit fifth on her other ride, HSH Blake, who went round with eight time-faults.
New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone, 15th after dressage on Domasco, made it to the last combination, the MARS Equestrian Stables in the arena (fence 26abc), but couldn’t get it together to jump the angled house forming part c and retired there.
There were no serious injuries to horses or riders during today’s cross-country action.
Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
