Olympic gold medallist and 2022 Badminton winner Laura Collett shares her thoughts on the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course 2022 as she walks the five-star track exclusively for H&H.
This is designer Derek di Grazia’s first Burghley course – 2020 was supposed to be long-standing Burghley course-designer Mark Phillips’ swansong at the Lincolnshire five-star. But the pandemic forced the cancellation of that event and 2021, which would have been Derek’s first year in post.
In H&H’s Burghley preview issue, out today (Thursday, 25 August), Laura reflects on her memories of competing here, including feeling “quite sick” on seeing the Leaf Pit for the first time on the weekend that marked both her five-star debut and 21st birthday in 2010.
Laura describes the 2022 Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course as a track that is clear and fair to horses, while challenging riders’ reactions.
“What he is asking is can the rider react to what is happening underneath them, rather than just being able to stick to a plan,” says Laura.
“That’s where the ground plays such a big part, because you can’t totally predict the striding. It’s how the horses land, take a stride and read the ground. That’s what makes it a five-star.”
She adds she can see similarities to Tokyo, where Derek designed the Olympic cross-country course for last summer’s Games, particularly in its intensity and how quickly jumps will come up at each questions.
“It’s a brilliant track that will require proper cross-country riding, which is what the sport should be,” says Laura.
“Best of luck to everyone giving it a crack this year, there is no other feeling like coming through the finish at a five-star.”
Watch Laura discuss key combinations on the Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course below and read her full thoughts on the track in H&H’s Burghley preview, out today (25 August).
Fence 7abcdef: Holland Cooper Leaf Pit
“The Leaf Pit is where you recognise that you are at a proper five-star,” says Laura, who walks the direct route on the video above.
“Even just jumping down the drop is a serious question and then what’s to follow for me is as complicated and as intense as I’ve ever seen the Leaf Pit.
“I think that’s where the first batch of riders are going to have to show us how it’s done.”
She adds: “Riders don’t want to come too fast [to the drop at 7ab], but will have to keep your leg to the horse as they suddenly realise that the ground disappears away from them.
“There is then a curving line to a brush fence [7cd] – I wouldn’t be worrying about the distance here, as you don’t know how the horses are going to jump down. I think the most important thing is to make sure you are accelerating up to the brush, as the landing stride needs to be forward and moving to the corner [7ef] – I think the ground is going to play a really big part here.”
There is a lengthy alternative that avoids the drop at 7ab.
“If you want to win Burghley, you’re going to have to commit to the straight route,” she adds.
Fence 10abcdef: Trout Hatchery
“The ground in front of the first element rises slightly, so you can be really positive to it,” says Laura.
The direct line takes riders down into a corner brush in the water, before swinging left-handed out onto dry land and then over another roll-top trailer back into the second water. A related distance to the final skinny fence in the second water completes the direct route at the Trout Hatchery. There is a lengthy alternative at this fence.
“You need to land in balance, come down the ramp and into the water,” Laura explains. “Riders will want to stay on their line and be pretty square on at this corner, as they will be turning left afterwards.
“I think horses will be landing pretty much in the water after the second trailer and then there is a very skinny triple-brush. It is in a straight line – riders will have a gauge of how their horse went into the first water and over the corner, so they will then know how positive they need to be on the landing side of this, to get the distance to the final skinny triple-brush.”
Fences 13 & 14abc: Joules at the Maltings
“Competitors have a long run up the hill here before they jump the white gate, which is very cleverly positioned slightly on an angle. The direct line makes the gate quite angled, and it’s a case of respecting that,” she says, adding it might cost half a second or so to square it off, but that may prevent other problems at this fence.
“Horses can sometimes get a bit disorientated at the Maltings, as they are essentially doing a full circle, which you don’t often do on cross-country. Riders have to make sure the horse’s mind is focused on the job.
“[The direct route at fence 14] is the very large white parallel, followed by the curving right-hand turn to the bc-element, which is the corner. It walks a nice level five strides.
“If the track was going off to the left, or straight on, afterwards, I think you would definitely see people coming on the inside line on four strides. But because the course heads right after this, I don’t think you would gain anything by doing that as you would lose it on the turn afterwards.
“I think we will see some people staying slightly wider and coming a little bit squarer at this corner to prevent a run-out, maybe going on the six strides.”
How long is the Burghley cross-country course?
The Land Rover Burghley cross-country course is just over 4 miles in length (6,445 meters) and makes its way around the beautiful Burghley parkland, which was designed by famous 18th century landscape architect Capability Brown. The course is renowned for its use of the natural terrain so a horse that is able to gallop fluently with excellent stamina and rideability for more than 11 minutes (the optimum time is 11min19sec) is needed for to the task. This year the course runs through the main arena early on, before heading out the Leaf Pit, then back to the Trout Hatchery. Riders are then sent out to the Waterloo Plain and have to negotiate the big banks at the Dairy Farm before heading up to the famous Cottesmore Leap and coming down Winners’ Avenue towards the Lion Bridge.
What day is cross country at Burghley 2022?
As usual, the cross-country phase of the five-star competition will be held on Saturday (3 September), with the action expected to get underway at 11am. If you’re planning to attend on Saturday, it is recommended that you arrive in plenty of time before the cross-country gets underway as with many thousands of spectators expected, there may be some delays in gaining access to the site. By arriving early you can take the opportunity to browse the extensive shopping village, and pick your favourite point to view the cross-country course.
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