Five-star event rider Izzy Taylor has broken her left leg in a fall schooling at home.

“This is quite a hard path for me to tread – basically any injury or challenge I’ve had before, I could physically battle through. That’s not the case with this so it’s very new and quite challenging. I can do some things, some rehab, and I’m doing as much as I can do and hopefully that will pay off in the long run,” Izzy told H&H.

The accident happened on Wednesday 11 March.

“The girls on the yard kindly took me into hospital and I am lucky I live very close to the John Radcliffe Hospital. They were very good and very quick. I was obviously convinced it wasn’t broken but the doctors came round with a smiling face to tell me it was,” said Izzy.

The broken leg was operated on the next day and Izzy Taylor returned home on Friday.

“As an athlete, our relationship with most of our people – vets, horse and human physios – is quite close and familiar. Then suddenly, you are in a situation where someone you don’t know is dealing with something quite major and you have no control whatsoever, which is unnerving,” said Izzy.

“But they were fantastic and very reassuring. I was very lucky that my location meant the consultants were some of the best about and other experts who have seen the post-operation X-rays say they have done a really good job.”

Izzy does not know how long it will be before she’s back riding.

“The doctors are not that keen on telling you because everyone likes to sue and equally I haven’t pushed for an answer because if I’m told a date, I’m going to beat it, which is possibly not the most sensible thing to be doing,” she said.

Izzy said she is very grateful to her owners for “staying loyal and being understanding” as well as paying tribute to her team at home who are keeping the yard running.

She said: “I have built up a very good team around me and this is a new challenge for them. They are not used to me not riding and the first couple of weeks, I wasn’t out on the yard, but I’m filtering back out there now – I’m not sure if they are pleased about that!

“I am hugely lucky and grateful for their support. It’s hard on them too because they’re with me because they like to be on a competitive yard which takes horses out competing and we’re not doing that right now.”

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Bubby Upton has taken the lead in the CCI4*-L at the conclusion of the Defender Bramham Horse Trials dressage. The young British rider scored 24.4 for her test on the smart 10-year-old grey Its Cooley Time, owned by his rider and the Five Time Syndicate.

“The one trait he’s never lacked is talent, but it’s taken a long, long time to get his head in the game. He was unbelievably sharp as a youngster,” said Bubby.

Bubby added: “He led the seven-year-old championships at Osberton after dressage and that was the first time I thought we were actually getting somewhere. His focus with the cross-country came from that point onwards too.

“But I always took him very steady; I never wanted to expose him to too much of an atmosphere too young, because I thought he could go back the other way. I didn’t want to undo all the time and patience that we’d given him and go 10 steps back.”

Its Cooley Time missed the autumn season last year as he contracted a skin infection which took time to clear up and Bubby said she had a blip in the dressage at Belsay – “I sat like a lemon for my changes” – where the pair finished fourth in the CCI4*-S.

After today’s Bramham Horse Trials dressage, Bubby Upton added: “He’s forced me to improve and adapt as a rider more than any other horse. He goes in a completely different way to all my other horses.

“When you watch him go across country, you think, that horse goes so low, how does he keep any poles up? And when you watch him showjump, he goes so high that you think he’s a freak that can’t go across country.

“Touch wood, now he knows what the job is, and so I don’t care if he messes around at home, because when he goes in there and focuses like that, you can’t ask much more.”

Ugly duckling comes good

It was a morning when grey 10-year-olds excelled, as Izzy Taylor and SBH Big Wall, owned by Jane Timmis, slipped into third on 25.4, behind overnight leaders Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro.

Izzy said: “I’ve always loved this horse. I’ve had him since a four-year-old, which makes it very special for me, and actually makes the job easier, because you know each other so well. He was very rideable the whole way through. He had a little spook, but that’s part of his character.”

Izzy added the SBH Big Wall was “a very ugly duckling”, whose looks have improved with age.

“He’s always had just a great brain and very much wants to do right. He gets annoyed with himself, sometimes with you, when it’s not quite what you want, but that’s a very rare occasion,” she said. “He’s really chilled and just loves his job.”

Caroline Harris was the best of this afternoon’s competitors in the Bramham Horse Trials CCI4*-L dressage and sits sixth on Cooley Mosstown. Sweden’s Louise Romeike (Caspian 15) and Britain’s Barnie Brotherton (DHI King Nelson), who both competed yesterday, hold fourth and fifth ahead of tomorrow’s cross-country.

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Bayaanaat, the ride of Izzy Taylor, was the winner of the British Eventing retrained racehorse championship at the Gatcombe Festival of British Eventing replacement, the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials today (11 August).

Although this class only attracted nine entries this year, it was a competitive section. Izzy and the eight-year-old, who she co-owns with Lavinia Taylor and Caroline Goodwin, led from start to finish to complete on their 28.3 dressage.

“He’s very cool. He came to me as a four-year-old and he has a really lovely brain,” said Izzy of the gelding who ran a handful of times on the Flat and over hurdles with little success. “He’ll do an autumn CCI3*-L and I think he’s a proper one. He’s mega across country, he’s got the showjumping now and he’s cool on the flat.”

Oscar Fitzgerald and the sparky little grey Our Old Fella were second in the British Eventing retrained racehorse championship on 28.8, while Jack Randall, ridden by Alexander Tordoff, was third on 32.9.

Corinthian Cup result

The Fairfax Saddles Corinthian Cup, a novice championship for amateur riders, was a competitive affair with Victoria Gregg and Langson Governor the eventual winners, just .1 of a penalty ahead of second placed Freya Partridge and the diminutive Candy Flight. Victoria and the son of Larduc led the dressage on 23.5 then added four faults in the showjumping before climbing back up to the top of the leaderboard with a clear cross-country round, picking up just .4 of a time-fault.

Langson Governor, a 13-year-old owned by the rider, has proven himself to be very consistent at this level, with this championship remaining the aim for the past three years over a limited number of runs.

“It comes down to finances,” explained Victoria, who was in second after the first two phases in this class last year before it was forced to abandon owing to wet weather. “I run a busy livery yard and it’s a case of being able to get the time away. He’s a big fella, so we’re very careful with him ground-wise and we only run him when the conditions are perfect. He’s good at his job, so from a financial and time point of view, we have to pinpoint what we need to do to qualify in the championships we want to aim for. We’d have loved to have been at Gatcombe, but it is what it is.

“My best friend bred him – she’s only 4’11, but he was born 14.2hh and he’s 18.1hh now. But I think because he’s only ever had me ride him since day dot, he doesn’t know how big he is. We’ll stick to competitions like this rather than progressing up the levels.”

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The British team led from start to finish to take top honours in the prestigious SAP-Cup at CHIO Aachen.

The squad, made up of Kirsty Chabert (Classic VI), Izzy Taylor (SBH Big Wall), Laura Collett (Dacapo) and Emily King (Valmy Biats), proved unassailable, finishing on 112.8, ahead of the USA in second on 123.7 and Ireland in third on 138. The German team were fourth on 147.5.

Laura, who finished best of the Brits in third individually aboard Dacapo, a 15-year-old owned by Diana Chappell, Gillian Morris-Adams and Michael Smedley, said: “Everything here is so special – the atmosphere, the crowds. We don’t get to jump in a stadium like this anywhere else in the world.”

There had been musings among competitors that the cross-country track, designed by Rüdiger Schwarz for the final time after many years holding the role here, was softer than in previous seasons. However, from 44 cross-country starters, 28 jumped clear, with two making the optimum time of 6min50sec.

British chef d’equipe Philip Surl commented of the CHIO Aachen result: “It was a great result and an interesting competition in the end looking at the statistics after the cross-country – it was maybe not what everyone thought it would be after walking it earlier in the week.”

Laura said of the track: “It was a go-cart course, one obstacle followed the next – it’s always demanding here but Dacapo loves the crowds – he switches off around long, galloping tracks, so he loves Aachen.”

This is the fourth time since 2011 that the British team have won here – previously in 2011, 2021 and 2022 – proving their strength in depth in terms of the riders the nation has in their arsenal.

The USA team, consisting of James Alliston and Karma, whose speedy cross-country round meant they finished ninth individually, having been 33rd after the dressage, plus Alyssa Phillips and Oskar, Hallie Coon and Cute Girl and Liz Halliday with Shanroe Cooley, proved they have firepower for the future, both in equine and human form, given that the former three combinations were making their first visits to Aachen.

“For three of our team never to have competed here before and to step up and jump four clear rounds in the showjumping was incredible,” said Liz. “Plus a lot of great cross-country rounds from us today is very exciting, especially as some of us are on younger horses. It was great that we could fight until the end.”

Bar Joseph Murphy’s Calmaro, the Irish team were also fielding a team of less experienced horses in the shape of Millridge Atlantis (Ian Cassells), Ballyneety Rocketman (Sam Watson) and Isazsa (Austin O’Connor).

“To finish third against two big nations with big budgets is very pleasing – sometimes we have to go to the charity shop, but we’re coming for you,” joked Sam Watson.

“Our owners that support us and our personal sponsors make a big difference, but for me, it’s my team mates and Dag Albert, who is our eventing team manager, and the attitude of the likes of Lucy Latta, who was second at Badminton this year, Austin, who won the five-star at Maryland in 2023, and the team winning the Nations Cup at Millstreet earlier this year; Ireland keeps chipping away and when we can get the support to be as professional and have a system around us – we couldn’t afford to have our team coaches here – we have the attitude and we’ll always be here.”

There was a shake up in the individual competition when two-phase leader Michael Jung withdrew FischerChipmunk FRH before cross-country.

“It was always the plan not to run him across country,” said Michael of the 16-year-old, owned by the German Olympic committee for equestrian sport, Michael’s father Joachim and Klaus and Sabine Fischer, who is named on the German team for the looming Paris Olympics. “FischerChipmunk is in such great shape at the moment and better than ever, but we need two or three more gallops before Paris.”

CHIO Aachen: individual shake-up

Germany’s Paris-bound combinations of Chistoph Wahler and Carjatan S, who were third after two phases, and Sandra Auffarth and Viamant Du Matz, who were seventh before the cross-country, both retired two-thirds of the way round the cross-country – as was always the plan.

Christoph and Carjatan S made what they jumped look incredibly easy, however Viamant Du Matz flew past a narrow triple brush at fence 10ab.

“I think I got my line wrong and wasn’t totally focused so my horse was never totally focused on the fence,” said Sandra.

Their compatriot Julia Krajewski ultimately took individual honours with an incredibly consistent Nickel 21, who is still only a 10-year-old. She added 6.4 cross-country time-faults to her 23.9 dressage.

“Winning in Aachen is, of course, always very, very special,” said Julia, who last won here on Chipmunk FRH in 2018, before he was sold to Michael Jung to ride. “It is almost like a championships. But there is so much between hoping to win and actually winning. I wasn’t predicted to win, which makes it all the better when it is a surprise. I still can’t really believe that it actually happened.”

Germany’s Calvin Böckmann, who is 23 years old, was second with The Phantom Of The Opera. Calvin becomes the youngest rider to finish on his dressage score in this class at CHIO Aachen, and was one of the two to finish inside the optimum time across country – the other being Australia’s Chris Burton, who was fourth with Clever Louis.

“I think my horse and I have grown together incredibly over the last two-and-a-half-years,” explained Calvin, who took on this 13-year-old, who he co-owns with Jason, Liam, Roger and Simone Böckmann, from Sandra Auffarth. “We were at the five-star in Kentucky at the beginning of this year and I think that has bonded us even closer together – I trust him totally and he trusts me, which makes it possible to take the first distance and cut turns.”

Emily King and the consistent Valmy Biats had the win at their mercy when setting off on course, with a buffer of 2.3 penalties to finish ahead of Julia. However the 15-year-old gelding finished 12 seconds over the optimum time to complete on 32.8 in fifth, 2.5 penalties adrift of Julia.

“With the intensity of the course, he definitely felt different, which he never had before – we were up on our minutes at the beginning but he went a bit foggy in his brain, but he was still amazing and is such a big, bold, strong horse, so it took a bit more time for me to set him up,” explained Emily of her first-time Aachen performance with this gelding, who is owned by her father David King, his breeder Philippe Brivois and the Valmy Biats Syndicate.

Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, who is fresh from her five-star victory at Luhmühlen, once again impressed, finishing sixth and seventh aboard Ducati D’Arville and Hermione D’Arville respectively at CHIO Aachen.

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One horse was withdrawn from the holding box at the Defender Bramham Horse Trials first trot-up this afternoon.

Izzy Taylor was the last rider to come forward, with Sarah Van Vegchel’s Ringwood Madras, and the ground jury sent her to the holding box. Izzy then opted to withdraw rather than re-present.

The same ground jury – president Nick Burton (GBR), plus Angela Tucker (GBR) and Xavier La Sauce (FRA) – officiate over the senior Defender CCI4*-L and the under-25 CCI4*-L so they judged the horses in both sections at this Bramham Horse Trials first trot-up.

Thirty-two horses came forward in the senior section and just nine in the under-25 class. Aside from Ringwood Madras, all were accepted into the competition.

The dressage for the senior CCI4*-L starts at 11am tomorrow, with Aaron Millar and Cooley Exchange first into the arena. The under-25 class kicks off with Emma Thomas (The Buzz Factor) at 4.10pm.

The horses in the Defender CCI4*-S class do not have to trot up, but will also start the competition with dressage tomorrow in the main arena, with that section beginning at 9.20am. This is a bigger class, with just over 80 set to go to post, and will be judged by president Andrew Bennie (NZL), Anne-Marie Taylor (GBR) and Robert Stevenson (USA).

The CCI4*-S includes two horses on Britain’s Olympic shortlist – European champion Lordships Graffalo, who starts at 11.45am on Friday with Ros Canter, and Vendredi Biats, who is at 4pm on Friday under Kitty King.

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Top eventer Izzy Taylor said she hopes her prosecution for breaching fire safety regulations will make the industry more aware of the law, adding that she regrets mistakes she made.

Izzy was sentenced at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on 2 January for failure to ensure there was an adequate risk assessment of fire, failure to protect escape routes in case of fire, failure to provide a working fire alarm and detection system, and breach of a prohibition notice. She was given a conditional discharge for three of the charges and fined £5,000 for the other.

“This has been an incredibly difficult and worrying period but I am grateful to all those who have supported me, including my loyal staff, owners and sponsors, as well as my wonderful family,” Izzy told H&H. “I regret the mistakes I made and hope we as an industry can use this to become more aware.”

A spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council said fire safety officers visited Izzy’s yard in October 2020.

“The equestrian yard was operating on the ground floor and had two flats provided for staff accommodation above on the first floor,” the spokesman said. “Following a fire at the site, a fire safety audit was conducted… and inspectors found the premises were so dangerous they were left with no alternative but to prohibit the use of the building for sleeping until safety measures were improved.

“As a consequence, they ordered the immediate removal of the occupants of the flats on safety grounds by use of a prohibition notice, so that it could not be used for sleeping.”

The council’s fire and rescue service carried out another inspection in December 2022, and found Izzy had breached the prohibition notice as staff were being allowed to sleep in the building. An investigation led to the court case.

Councillor Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for community safety, said: “Business owners have a legal duty to put fire safety measures in place, and we will not hesitate to take action to ensure the safety of occupants, residents and customers.”

The spokesman added: “Responsible persons must accept that they have a duty of care to ensure the accommodation they provide is safe and suitable.”

Lucy Katan, executive director of the British Grooms Association and Equestrian Employers Association (EEA), told H&H that compliance with the law is not a choice.

“This applies to everything in the workplace including employment, health and safety and fire legislation,” she said. “As an employer, it is your own strict liability and responsibility to research and provide what is required for your staff. There are no excuses. There is a mountain of general guidance online, and the EEA offers bespoke equestrian-setting support and documents.”

Izzy added: “I am pleased to be able to put this chapter behind me now and I’m making exciting plans for the future. In the meantime, I’ve got some fabulous horses to compete and am looking forward to focusing on the start of the eventing season.”

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There was a tense moment for two Brits as two horses were sent to the holding box at the Pau Horse Trials first trot-up this morning (26 October).

Fifty-five horses were presented to ground jury president Nikki Herbert for Great Britain, and members Helen Christie of New Zealand, and Emmanuelle Olier of France.

New Zealand’s James Avery was briefly asked to trot up 10-year-old MBF Connection for a second time, but was accepted.

The Brits dominate the entries with 24 combinations on the list, and there was a tense moment for two riders during the Pau Horse Trials first trot-up.

Gelmer, the 12-year-old gelding who is making his five-star debut with Selina Milnes, was sent to the holding box – as was Happy Days, the 11-year-old ride of Izzy Taylor. Both horses were accepted when they re-presented so all horses were accepted at the exceptionally wet Pau Horse Trials first trot-up.

A number of horses from the British contingent are making their five-star debut including Izilot DHI with Ros Canter, Piggy March’s ride Coolparks Sarco, and Pippa Funnell’s ride MCS Maverick, who was particularly exuberant during the trot-up. Former young rider and junior team gold medallist Bella Innes Ker and Highway will also make their five-star debut together.

US combination Katherine Coleman and RLE Limbo Kaiser were a late withdrawal. Katherine announced on social media on Tuesday that “Kaiser” had rolled on a stone in his field and the stitching had not held during the pair’s final preparations for the event.

The dressage starts this afternoon at 2.30pm (1.30pm BST).

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Previous winners of Pau Horse Trials: Olympic medallists, the sire of a five-star horse and a French female first

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Guy Avis has paid tribute to his “wonderful” five-star mare KBIS Briarlands Matilda, who has died aged 23.

The 15.2hh mare and Izzy Taylor twice finished seventh at Burghley in 2012 and 2014, and competed for Britain as an individual at two Europeans, finishing sixth at the Blair-hosted championships in 2015.

Mr Avis and the late Lorna Schuster bred Matilda out of Briarlands Appleby, by the stallion Miley, and the mare lived with Guy her whole life. He did the early work with her, as he is now with her four-year-old Eden Park D’Argan son, as well as her exercising and fitness work throughout her life.

“She was wonderful,” said Mr Avis, who also rode Matilda’s dam and grand-dam.

“She was so sensible. I could get off to open a gate, then climb up the gate to get back on. I backed her and hunted her as a four-year-old with the Heythrop, and she went on from there.”

Matilda started her eventing career with Tristram Owers, before Izzy gained the ride in 2008. She had a string of runner-up places during her two-star (now three-star) campaign and finished third in her first CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) at Blenheim in 2009.

Her other top results included third at Bramham in 2012, multiple places at three-star (now four-star), as well as her Blair Europeans result and two seventh place finishes at Burghley.

“To look at her, she wasn’t outstanding to look at. She didn’t have a tremendous amount of presence, which is why she struggled a bit with the dressage,” said Mr Avis, remembering being brought to tears of pride when she produced “an amazing test” at the 2013 Europeans in Malmo (“she beat most of the Germans!”).

“It was her jumping [that made her so good] – to watch her showjump would take your breath away. She was like a dancer, so light on her feet and so well balanced.

“She competed until she was about 18 – she was a very sound and tough mare.”

Matilda had three foals. The eldest of these is Briarlands Sweetango, who was an embryo transfer by Jumbo as part of the best mare prize she won at Burghley and whom Izzy competed to intermediate.

Guy has her two part-bred offspring at home – a filly who “looks just like Matilda” and the four-year-old, who is starting his education and already showing an aptitude for jumping.

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Izzy Taylor leads the CCI4*-L after the first day of Bramham Horse Trials dressage today (8 June).

Izzy, who won this class last year on Monkeying Around, was the only competitor to break the 30 barrier when she piloted Happy Days, owned by Alex Colquhoun, Caroline Wilson and Lavinia Taylor, to a mark of 29.9.

“I’m very pleased with him,” said Izzy after the 11-year-old’s performance. “He’s a very cool horse. He’s taken a while to come – no, that’s not really fair, he’s still quite young. But he’s grown in confidence. Usually he’s actually quite an introvert and this week he has been full of himself so far.

“He is happy, as his name would suggest, and he just stayed with me all the time today. Bramham is very different to say Badminton – it’s much closer to the crowd and we seem to be very close to the members’ marquee this year. So it’s much more of a close feeling atmosphere so I’m really pleased that he didn’t get over excited by that.

“He’s super laid back, but I think in a way, everyone expresses their worries differently. He’s super laid back and then he gets worried and he goes too laid back. But now he’s beginning to realise that he is alright, so he might show a few people a few things. But he’s very cool, very low maintenance in terms of he likes to be loved and fed. Food is key to Happy’s life!”

Bramham Horse Trials dressage: Piggy March holds second

Piggy March set the standard in the first session with a score of 30.8, riding Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry’s 10-year-old Thoresby CCI4*-S winner Brookfield Cavalier Cruise. Probably to her own surprise – as she was a little disappointed with the score, which is considerably worse than for the horse’s other recent tests – she held onto a strong placing, second, at the end of the day.

Brookfield Cavalier Cruise has returned to Piggy this year, having been ridden by her for a season as a seven-year-old but since been successful with Sophie Callard and Tom McEwen. He also won with Harry Meade before Piggy’s first stint riding him.

His previous two four-star tests with Piggy this year have netted marks in the mid 20s. At times today the horse’s head was a little in front of the vertical, which may have accounted for the lower marks.

Piggy said: “I’m very pleased with him – I’m just looking forward to watching it back because he felt like he did not a lot wrong and that’s definitely his worst mark for quite a while. So I’ll be interested to see and learn from that and try and pick the bits to be better next time, but he was pretty mistake free and showed himself off nicely.

“There’s still bits of his flatwork that could come more supple and be off the floor, but on the whole, his general attitude and way of going I thought was very nice, which is what matters.”

This is Brookfield Cavalier Cruise’s first CCI4*-L.

“He’s a big boy and just a lovely horse,” said Piggy. “This week is a big week for him. It’s a serious, serious cross-country track. So we’ll take each bit as it comes, but I’ve come here to be competitive and that mark for him, for what he’s been doing, seems quite off his pace. Hopefully, if the judges are grumpy, they stay grumpy for two days!”

Aaron Millar holds third in the CCI4*-L Bramham Horse Trials dressage with Heidi Bates’ KEC Deakon on a score of 32.4. They have re-routed to Bramham from Badminton, where Aaron fell off at fence 13. Canada’s Michael Winter sits fouth on El Mundo (33.3), his mount at last year’s eventing World Championships.

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It’s early days, but third-to-go Oliver Townend and Swallow Springs, who is owned by Paul and Diana Ridgeon, still sit at the top of the leaderboard on 23.1 on day one of Badminton Horse Trials dressage, presented by Mars Equestrian (5 May).

The Burghley runners-up, Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift, who is owned by Sarah Webb, Patricia Davenport and Milly Simmie, got their Badminton campaign off to an excellent start with 28. This puts them third at this stage behind Oliver and Tim Price (Vitali). The flying changes let them down, but nines for the collected canter lifted the score to their personal best at the level.

“I know there were a couple of little mistakes in there, but on the whole, I felt he was going better than he’s ever gone, I couldn’t ask much more,” said Tom, who has been working on the horse’s cadence over the winter. “He’s improving all the time. The changes on one rein have been difficult but they were clean this time, just a little bit exuberant in places. He’s a lovely mover and very rideable, just not the biggest and flashiest mover, but he felt very smart in there today. He’s still a relatively young horse so hopefully we can keep edging closer.

“With the ground conditions, I hope that going early on Sunday is going to be an advantage for me.”

Badminton final scores

Watch Tom reflect on his test

Harry Meade conjured a huge personal best out of the Irish Sport Horse Away Cruising, scoring 29 after the first coffee break. The long-striding grey looked relaxed and focused, with his exceptional canter drawing plenty of eights from the judges. He finished with a nine for his halt.

“He’s a lovely Irish old-fashioned type, not a warmblood dressage horse, and he produced a really solid test; he didn’t miss a beat,” said Harry of the 16-year-old, who is owned by Charlotte Opperman and Janie Dear. “Last year I kicked myself because I wanted him fresh and shortened the warm-up and he was too fresh. This year, I worked him for longer, and possibly he lost a fraction of his sparkle, but it was a good clear round of a test. Job done and on to the next phase.”

Watch Harry speak about his test with Away Cruising

Greys monopolise the Badminton Horse Trials dressage

It was a good morning for greys, who seem to have dominated the morning’s proceedings. Izzy Taylor and the Cevin Z-sired Happy Days produced some eye-catching work, but will just be ruing their flying changes. They were on target for a mark of around 25, but scores of twos for the changes dragged the mark down to 29.2, just behind Harry.

“It’s only his fourth three-day, so to come here and keep his brain as well as he did I was so pleased,” said Izzy of the 11-year-old owned by Caroline Wilson, Lavinia Taylor and Alex Colquhorn. “He’s a lovely horse who tries so hard, a little bit too hard as he demonstrated with his second changes, but I’m delighted with him. He’s got loads more to come so to score that without doing a clear round is very exciting.

“It’s definitely not going to be a dressage competition, there has been a lot of rain and we’ll be riding the horses we’re sat on at that minute.”

Kirsty Chabert also squeaked under the 30 barrier on Opposition Loire, who is making her five-star debut. Her canter work looked particularly strong.

“I’m chuffed to bits as it’s her first time in any sort of atmosphere like this,” said Kirsty, who was competing another horse in Kentucky last weekend.

“It will mean the cross-country morning will be familiar, which is better for the nerves than if you’ve just popped round some open intermediates. But we’ll take the cross-country step by step.”

Watch Kirsty talk after her test

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

If you are interested in watching Badminton Horse Trials live from the comfort of your home, wherever you are in the world, you will need to subscribe to Badminton TV. To sign up, visit watch.badminton-horse.tv – click the “Sign Up” link in the top right corner of your screen, then follow the instructions. An annual subscription to Badminton TV costs £19.99 and gives you 365 days of access to all of the content in the Badminton TV library, the ability to watch the action live, and the option to replay all of this year’s action later.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up to date with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in Horse & Hound magazine (on sale 11 May). 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Who are the favourites among the Badminton Horse Trials riders and horses at this week’s competition, presented by Mars Equestrian?

Here are 11 pairs you should keep a close eye on as the Gloucestershire five-star gets underway…

Badminton Horse Trials riders and horses: the top 13 contenders

List in number order, with info presented as follows:

Number. Rider name

Rider age, nationality

Badminton final scores

Horse name, horse age, horse colour, horse gender, horse sire x horse damsire, horse owner(s)

Form assessment

5. Oliver Townend

40, GBR

Swallow Springs, 15 gr g, Chillout x Cult Hero, Paul & Diana Ridgeon

Shropshire-based Oliver won Badminton in 2009 on Flint Curtis and this horse represents his best chance of repeating that victory this year, assuming he can put a fall at Burghley Horse Trials last year behind him. Oliver took on the ride in the autumn of 2021, after he’d been fifth at Badminton and third at Burghley with Andrew Nicholson, and they were third here last year.

11. Tim Price

44, NZL

Vitali, 13 b g, Contender x Heraldik xx, Alexander & Joseph Giannamore & rider

This horse, who was Tim’s Tokyo Olympic ride, finished 10th at Luhmühlen Horse Trials and third at Burghley last year. He had three showjumps down on both occasions, so it’s likely he’d need to improve in that phase for a top placing here, but he can be super-competitive in the first two phases. Dorset-based Tim’s best Badminton result is third in 2017 on Xavier Faer.

18. Tom Jackson

30, GBR

Capels Hollow Drift, 12 gr g, Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Lucky Gift, Patricia Davenport, Milly Simmie & Sarah Webb

This horse started 2022 as a relatively inexperienced Badminton hopeful and had a stellar year, following 16th here with second at Burghley. They won’t lead the dressage but should be handily placed to capitalise on good jumping performances and improve on last year’s placing. Surrey-based Tom is a three-time junior and young rider team medallist.

30. Gemma Stevens

38, GBR

Jalapeno, 15 ch m, Chilli Morning x Shaab, Christopher Stone

Jalapeno was produced to four-star by Belgium’s Karin Donckers, with Gemma taking over in 2019. Their many good four-star results include two wins and they have completed Pau’s cross-country with 20 jumping penalties, so could be very competitive. West Sussex-based Gemma won the Bicton five-star in 2021. Her best result here is third on Arctic Soul in 2016.

48. Tom McEwen

31, GBR

Toledo De Kerser, 16 b g, Diamant De Semilly x Papillon Rouge, Fred & Penny Barker, Jane Inns & rider’s mother Ali

Olympic team gold and individual silver medallists, who had a rocky start to 2022 when they fell here. They ended the year with 12th at the World Championships – not bad, but they know they’re capable of more. Five-star winners at Pau 2019, they’ve been in the top 11 here three times and could go all the way if back at their best. Tom lives in Gloucestershire.

49. Kitty King

40, GBR

Vendredi Biats, 14 gr g, Winningmood x Camelia De Ruelles, Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd Baker, Samantha Wilson, & the late Sally Eyre

Kitty has a serious chance of her first five-star title here. She and Vendredi Biats are European team gold medallists (twice individual top 10 at Europeans), were seventh here last year and then sixth at Burghley, where they led the dressage and had a very unfortunate frangible penalty across country. They’ve also been in the top 10 at four-star 13 times.

71. Ros Canter

37, GBR

Lordships Graffalo, 11 b g, Birkhof’s Grafenstolz x Rock King, Michele Saul

This pair were second here last year on Lordships Graffalo’s five-star debut and went on to finish fourth individually at the World Championships, so they are very much contenders for the top spot this time. Nothing much seems to faze “Walter” or his rider. Ros has also been third here on Allstar B – can she complete the set of podium positions this time?

75. Oliver Townend

40, GBR

Ballaghmor Class, 16 gr g, Courage x unlisted, Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop & Val Ryan

The grand old man of Oliver’s entries and a true all-time great – Olympic team gold medallist (and fifth individually), double five-star winner and the holder of five other top-five placings at the level. The final phase is his potential Achilles’ heel – he had four down at the worlds last year – so Monday will be exciting if he runs as he should be right up there until then.

78. Laura Collett

33, GBR

Dacapo, 14 d br g, Diarado x Canturo, Diana Chappell, Gillian Morris-Adams, Alison & Michael Smedley and Carolyn Taylor

Laura was last year’s winner on London 52 and says this horse is as talented, but so opinionated you have to make him think it’s his idea. He was retired across country on his only previous five-star start, at Pau 2021, but was in the top five on all four of his four-star runs last year, including winning Millfield CCI4*-L, and recently won at Burnham Market so could be very competitive.

84. Pippa Funnell

54, GBR

Billy Walk On, 14 b g, Billy Mexico x Golden Bash, Barbara & Nicholas Walkinshaw

Badminton hasn’t yet been the happiest hunting ground for Billy Walk On, who has been pulled up twice here across country, but he was second in the one-off five-star at Bicton in 2021 and eighth at Burghley last year with a double jumping clear. Pippa is rarely competitive at one-day events, but she can spring a surprise at the big ones.

85. Tim Price

44, NZL

Coup De Coeur Dudevin, 11 b g, Top Gun Semilly x Leprince Des Bois, Jean-Louis Stauffer

Originally produced by Chris Burton, this horse was then ridden by Tim’s wife Jonelle, with Tim taking over last year. The pair were second at Millstreet CCI4*-L and then won Maryland on the horse’s five-star debut. He’s still inexperienced, but no five-star winner should be ruled out of contention and world number one Tim is on the form of his life.

For similar details on every Badminton Horse Trials rider and horse, plus score sheets to fill in as the week progresses, buy this week’s magazine, out Thursday 4 May or pick up a free copy from the organisers’s office or on site box office at Badminton.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

If you are interested in watching Badminton Horse Trials live from the comfort of your home, wherever you are in the world, you will need to subscribe to Badminton TV. To sign up, visit watch.badminton-horse.tv – click the “Sign Up” link in the top right corner of your screen, then follow the instructions. An annual subscription to Badminton TV costs £19.99 and gives you 365 days of access to all of the content in the Badminton TV library, the ability to watch the action live, and the option to replay all of this year’s action later.

You might also be interested in:

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up to date with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in Horse & Hound magazine (on sale 11 May).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Switzerland’s Felix Vogg and Colero have powered to the top of the Pau Horse Trials dressage results after their test this afternoon (28 October). The duo, who were triumphant in the five-star at Luhmühlen in June this year scored 24.2 to sit just 0.2 of a penalty ahead of Britain’s Izzy Taylor, who is riding Monkeying Around.

“I was quite nervous because after Luhmühlen he was always a bit nervous in tests and he showed that two weeks ago in Strzegom too – I think it’s because he had the prize-giving when he won in Luhmühlen,” explained 32-year-old Felix. “Yesterday he completely freaked out in here when we were doing the arena familiarisation.”

Felix said that at home Colero is usually very level.

“Usually he’s a bit too calm, but all the way through his test today he was quite okay and I think the walk was quite good for him in there. He was maybe a tiny bit nervous, but his medium canter was really nice.”

Britain’s Izzy Taylor was delighted with Monkeying Around, who she co-owns with Mark Sartori. The 11-year-old, who won the CCI4*-L at Bramham this year, is currently in second place in the Pau Horse Trials dressage results.

“He is a character and you have to work with him. Everything is very easy for him. and when I prepare him correctly, he thinks, ‘This is easy’, and he’s happy and smiley and ultimately he does love life,” said Izzy. “He’s a big character, so if I can bring that into the ring, then it’s great.”

Izzy then explained that Monkeying Around, for whom this is a first five-star but who has some exceptional four-star form, hasn’t seen huge crowds throughout his career to date.

“There was an atmosphere at Bramham, but he’s never really been anywhere with crowds because of Covid and life, I suppose,” she said. “He did come in here initially and was like, ‘Ooh’, and I told him he needed to breathe. Then he grew and smiled so I’m very happy with it.”

Izzy was particularly pleased with how Monkeying Around coped in the atmosphere at the end of the second day of dressage here.

“I’m very pleased with his brain – it was annoying with the mistake in his second flying change as he went early in front as he was too eager to please, but we can’t fault him for that. He is a beautiful horse and I’m really very proud of him, especially as I’ve had him from the word go.”

The cross-country gets underway at 1pm tomorrow (12pm British time) and just 4.7 penalties separate the top 10.

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Watch Pau Horse Trials 2025 live from wherever you are

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Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Pau Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full magazine report on Pau Horse Trials in the magazine dated 3 November. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Izzy Taylor is among the latest Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials withdrawals, ahead of the first horse inspection this afternoon (31 August).

British championship rider Izzy was due to start on Sarah Van Vegchel’s Ringwood Madras, but said the horse has picked up an injury during training.

“Five-stars are what motivates us and it’s so tough for the owners and the whole team who look after these horses on a daily basis to get this close but not quite! She’ll be back and I’m excited for when she is,” said Izzy.

Cheshire-based Dutch rider Andrew Heffernan has also pulled out Gideon after “a small setback”.

“A huge thanks to my fabulous staff who have looked after him meticulously, and super understanding owners Gill Shea and Yvonne Watson,” said Andrew.

US rider Tiana Coudray is also among the latest Burghley Horse Trials withdrawals, because she is injured so cannot ride Cancaras Girl.

“Sadly Tiana took a tumble in the cross-country warm-up at Hartpury, leaving her a little worse for wear and forcing her and Cara to miss their necessary final Burghley preparations,” said a post on the rider’s Instagram.

“With Tiana not yet back to full fitness, the very difficult decision was made to withdraw from Burghley. Despite every effort and all the wishing in the world, time was not on our side and Tiana is not up to giving Cara the ride she deserves around her first five-star. It is a fairly overwhelming disappointment at this point in time but we know the right decision in the end. Time to pick ourselves up, regroup and reroute.”

Selina Milnes has also withdrawn Angela and William Rucker’s Iron.

“To gallop around the terrain at Burghley they need to be at peak fitness and I just feel we aren’t quite there yet,” she said. “We have changed plans and re-routed. Gutted for everyone involved, but he is a horse of a lifetime and there is always another five-star around the corner.”

British rider Morven Pringle has also withdrawn her own Dunbog Gypsy Rose. The pair were due to make their five-star debuts at Burghley.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September). 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The eventing World Championships nominated entries (14-18 September) have been announced.

British Equestrian and the British Eventing selectors have confirmed the 15 horse and rider combinations from which the squad travelling to Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, will be drawn.

In alphabetical order, the combinations are:

Sarah Bullimore with 11-year-old gelding Corouet

Owner: Sarah, her husband Brett, and the Kew Jumping Syndicate

Breeder: Sarah Buillimore (GBR)

Breeding: by Balou du Rouet, out of Lilly Corinne by Lovis Corinth

Ros Canter with 17-year-old gelding Allstar B

Owner: Ros and Caroline Moore

Breeder: FAJ Van der Burg (NED)

Breeding: by Ephebe For Ever, out of a mare by Erkstein

Ros Canter with 10-year-old gelding Lordships Graffalo

Owner: Michele Saul

Breeder: Lordships Stud Writtle College (GBR)

Breeding: by Grafenstolz, out of a mare by Rock King

Ros Canter with 13-year-old mare Pencos Crown Jewel

Owner: Kate James and Annie Mackin

Breeder: Pennie Wallace (GBR)

Breeding: by Jumbo, out of a mare by Rock King

Kirsty Chabert with 13-year-old mare Classic IV

Owner: John Johnston and Carole Somers

Breeder: Peter Charles (GBR)

Breeding: by Calvaro FC

Laura Collett with 13-yearold gelding London 52

Owner: Laura, Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott

Breeder: Ocke Riewerts (GER)

Breeding: by Landos, out of a mare by Quinar

William Fox- Pitt with 13-year-old gelding Little Fire

Owner: William and Jennifer Dowling

Breeder: Dr. Volker Steinkraus (GER)

Breeding: by Graf Top, out of a mare by Heraldik

Pippa Funnell with 15-year-old gelding Majas Hope

Owner: Pippa and Marek Sebestak

Breeder: Jack Murphy (IRL)

Breeding: by Porter Rhodes, out of a mare by Flagmount King

Yasmin Ingham with 11-year-old gelding Banzai Du Loir

Owner: Janette Chinn and Sue Davies

Breeder: Pierre Gouye (FRA)

Breeding: by Nouma D’Auzay, out of a mare by Livarot

Kitty King with 13-year-old gelding Vendredi Biats

Owner: Diana Bown, Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker

Breeder: Phillipe Brivois (FRA)

Breeding: by Winningmood, out of a mare by Camelia de Ruelle

Piggy March with 17-year-old mare Vanir Kamira

Owner: Trevor Dickens

Breeder: Kathryn Jackson (IRL)

Breeding: by Camira de Haar Z, out of a mare by Dixi

Tom McEwen with 15-year-old gelding Toledo de Kerser

Owner: Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Coppell and Alison McEwen

Breeder: Kerstin Drevet (FRA)

Breeding: by Diamant de Semilly, out of a mare by Papillon Rouge

Izzy Taylor with 11-year-old gelding Monkeying Around

Owner: Izzy and and Mark Sartori

Breeder: Christian Heinrich (GER)

Breeding: by Bertoli W, out of a mare by Donnerhall II

Oliver Townend with 15-year-old gelding Ballaghmor Class

Owner: Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan

Breeder: Noel Hicky (IRL)

Breeding: by Courage II

Oliver Townend with 14-year-old Swallow Springs

Owner: Paul and Diana Ridgeon

Breeder: Maria Keating (IRL)

Breeding: by Chillout, out of a mare by Cult Hero

As part of the Eventing World Championships entries, the following 10 reserve combinations have also been selected, listed in alphabetical order:

Kirsty Chabert with 11-year-old mare Opposition LoireOwner: Kirsty and the Daisy ChainBreeder: Mr J Johnston (GBR)Breeding: by Opposition Heracles, out of a mare by Carnival Drum

Laura Collett with 13-year-old gelding DacapoOwner: Diana Chappell, Gillian Morris-Adams, Alison and Michael Smedley and Carolyn TaylorBreeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Canturo

David Doel with 11-year-old gelding Galileo Nieuwmoed

Owner: Gillian Jonas

Breeder: J W and A P Jurrius (NED)

Breeding: by Carambole, out of a mare by Harcos

William Fox- Pitt with 13-year-old gelding OratorioOwner: the Oratorio SyndicateBreeding: by Oslo Biats, out of a mare by Topanoora

Pippa Funnell with 12-year-old gelding MaybachOwner: S H E Eventing ABBreeder: Camilla Paradis (SWE)Breeding: by Jaguar Mail, out of a mare by Irco Mena

Tom Jackson with 11-year-old gelding Capels Hollow Drift

Owner: Patricia Davenport, Milly Simmie and Sarah Webb

Breeder: Jeanette Glynn (GBR)

Breeding: by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan, out of a mare by Lucky Gift

Richard Jones with 15-year-old gelding Alfies CloverOwner: Richard, Sandra Martin and Dinah SaundersBreeder: James Hickey (GBR)Breeding: by Tajrassi, out of a mare by Clover Hill

Selina Milnes with 13-year-old gelding IronOwner: William and Angela RuckerBreeding: by Aquilino, out of a mare by Donnerschlag

Tom McEwen with 11-year-old gelding Bob ChaplinOwner: Fred and Penny BarkerBreeding: by Cashell, out of a mare by Silver Jasper

Tom McEwen with 12-year-old chestnut mare CHF CooliserOwner: Vicky Bates and David MyersBreeder: Raymond Carroll (IRL)Breeding: by Womanizer, out of a mare by Ramiro B

The names of the grooms for each horse will be included in the final squad announcement.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

An epic weekend of sport at Bramham is over and the final Bramham Horse Trials results are in. Here’s your Sunday round-up from the premier Yorkshire event…

Izzy Taylor took the showcase CCI4*-L on Monkeying Around, jumping clear to secure the top spot.

• Find out what Izzy said about her round and why the final session was dramatic

Izzy headed an all-British top-three, with Ros Canter and Kirsty Chabert joining her on the podium.

• What happened during Ros Canter’s round which would be her horse’s worst nightmare?

There were big gains for riders who jumped clear on the final day, with Susie Berry and Ringwood LB moving up from 10th overnight to fifth and Kristina Hall-Jackson rising from 15th to sixth.

• What did Susie and Kristina say?

Ian Stark shared his thoughts on yesterday’s cross-country day in an honest and heartfelt conversation.

• Why Ian feels questions need to be asked about what direction eventing is going in

Meanwhile in the British Horse Feeds under-25 CCI4*-L, French rider Héloïse Le Guern showjumped clear to finish in top spot and Greta Mason secured the national title.

• Read Greta’s thoughts on her round

The day started with the trot-up, where one horse was withdrawn from the holding box. Plus, two were withdrawn without being presented at all.

• Who left the competition at the trot-up?

And finally, we received an update on two riders who were taken to hospital after falls on the cross-country yesterday.

• Find out how Stanislas de Zuchowicz and Ailsa Wates are doing

Full report on all the Bramham Horse Trials results in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine (issue dated 16 June). 

You might also be interested in:

Course-designer Ian Stark on Bramham’s cross-country: ‘The sport is vulnerable and we need to ask questions about what direction we’re going in’

Izzy Taylor takes Bramham CCI4*-L on Monkeying Around in dramatic final showjumping session

Rider celebrates 10-year partnership with her horse by winning national under-25 championship

Bramham fairytale is over for Piggy March and Nicola Wilson’s ride Coolparks Sarco: ‘Nicola will be proud of him’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Izzy Taylor topped the Bramham Horse Trials results in the CCI4*-L when she jumped clear this afternoon on her own and Mark Sartori’s Monkeying Around to hold her overnight lead.

Izzy had to wait for the wall at fence six to be re-built before she could enter the arena because it had blown down during Ros Canter’s round and she admitted that once she got going, it felt like she had to work as hard as “Monkey”.

She said: “I waited and I waited and I waited and I thought, ‘Oh they’ll be done [rebuilding the wall] by now’. Normally I go into a ring and off we go. I went in and we had a little trot around, had a little canter round, and then off we went and it was fine, but he was bit spooky and a bit like, ‘Oh, are we doing this right now?’ Yes, we are doing this right now. But he was good.”

Izzy knew she could not afford a fence down, but that a few time-faults would still leave her at the top of the leaderboard and she finished three seconds over the time.

“It is always nice to know what you’ve got and the way he was, I needed to use them,” she said.

“But I’m just thrilled with him. He’s won his four star before at Burnham Market in 2020 and then to come here, which is a whole different competition in many respects, just proves to me that he’s is a proper horse. He’s a real one. I’m really thrilled for everyone that’s involved with him. There’s a lot of work behind them all, as we all know, so I’m delighted.”

Izzy headed an all-British top three in the Bramham Horse Trials results with Ros Canter second on Pencos Crown Jewel and Kirsty Chabert third on Opposition Loire.

The final section of the showjumping was marked by drama. Tom McEwen, who was seventh overnight, had a nasty fall when Dream Big crashed through the second part of the final treble at fence 12. Tom’s foot was caught in the right stirrup as the horse got to her feet but he managed to stand up and get it out without Dream Big panicking.

You might also be interested in:

Birthday girl Izzy Taylor sets the standard in Bramham CCI4*-L cross-country: ‘He dug deep and helped me’

Rider celebrates 10-year partnership with her horse by winning national under-25 championship

Course-designer Ian Stark on Bramham’s cross-country: ‘The sport is vulnerable and we need to ask questions about what direction we’re going in’

Four held at Bramham final horse inspection and three withdrawn

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A long day of action is over in Yorkshire and we have today’s Bramham Horse Trials results for you…

In the CCI4*-L, Izzy Taylor has moved up to the top spot with her partner from last year’s European Championships, Monkeying Around.

• What particularly pleased Izzy about the horse’s round today?

Dressage leader Piggy March dropped down the order in this class with Nicola Wilson’s normal ride Coolparks Sarco.

• Find out what happened – and hear Piggy’s analysis of the round

Ros Canter holds second in this class with Pencos Crown Jewel.

• How does Pencos Crown Jewel react when she sees a hill?

Tom Carlile went out early in the CCI4*-L and now sits third with Darmagnac De Beliard.

• Read the details of the early problems on the cross-country

Phoebe Locke now leads the British Horse Feeds under-25 class with Bellagio Declyange

• Find out what injury Phoebe will be having surgery for on Monday

Ros Canter has topped the Bramham Horse Trials results in the first class to finish, the Land Rover CCI4*-L.

• What did Ros say about her exciting young prospect, Izilot DHI?

Oliver Townend took second in this class on another future star, Cooley Rosalent.

• What was Cooley Rosalent spooking at on the cross-country?

Finally, the day was sadly marred by the fact two horses in the CCI4*-L had to be put down.

• Horse put down after accident at fence 7ab
• Horse put down as a result of ‘irreparable injures’ after being retired between fences

Keep up-to-date with all the action from Bramham via horseandhound.co.uk and read the full magazine report in the 16 June issue of Horse & Hound

You might also be interested in:

‘Sometimes he’s amazing and sometimes he’s tricky but today he was great’: Brits impress at Bramham’s CCI4*-S to fill top spots

British rider moves up to lead Bramham under-25s after cross-country – despite riding with severe knee injury

Birthday girl Izzy Taylor sets the standard in Bramham CCI4*-L cross-country: ‘He dug deep and helped me’

Bramham fairytale is over for Piggy March and Nicola Wilson’s ride Coolparks Sarco: ‘Nicola will be proud of him’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Dressage leaders Piggy March and Coolparks Sarco had 20 jumping penalties on the Bramham Horse Trials cross-country course to relinquish their top spot in the CCI4*-L class.

It was the end of a potential fairytale Bramham result, with Piggy standing in on Jo and James Lambert’s horse for the injured Nicola Wilson, whose name is so associated with her local event at Bramham.

Piggy and “Jeremy” were having a super round until the Speedi-Beat Double Feat at fences 19ab. They jumped the airy oxer coming out of the trees, but the canter became a little unbalanced in the five strides on a downhill left-hand curve to the triple brush oxer and Coolparks Sarco ran out. They finished the course with 5.6 time-faults.

“I’m relieved he’s home in one piece and he was actually great,” said Piggy. “I had a good ride really – I kept giving him a pat and saying, ‘Good boy, well tried’ as it was a bit unknown for both of us.

“I don’t really know what happened. In some ways you’re a little bit disappointed, because he gave me such a good ride and made it feel so easy, but at the same time I’m not at all because this is an unknown, he would have come on loads from this, we’ve learnt a lot and it was a massive test for him and for us.

“I don’t think there would have been anything I’d have done differently if I had to do it again. I came up the hill and thought to him, ‘Come on, one more really good question’ and did sort of get hold of him to try and make it happen. He’s a very powerful jumper and jumped the rails very big and was just disunited through the turn and wasn’t on a true canter lead. So he could have just been off balance rather than off the pace and the stride, which felt like it was right.

“And also, bless him, he’s got someone completely different on him, different tack, different everything and it could have just been one little question too many.”

Piggy added that Coolparks Sarco felt full of running, proving her worries about his stamina were unfounded.

“That was a worry for me not having had him long and he’s a chunky type, you wonder if he’s got the blood and the gallop, but he really did. He felt like he had loads coming home and I don’t think the time would have been an issue.”

Piggy said there had been a lot of cheers for Coolparks Sarco on the way round and Nicola will be proud of him.

“It shows a lot of love for Nic and all her support round here, so it was a special day and he’s back in one piece, which is great,” said Piggy, who said she will speak to Nicola tonight and plans to visit her once the competition is over.

Piggy’s penalties mean Izzy Taylor, with her own and Mark Sartori’s Monkeying Around, will hold the lead overnight in this class.

Around the time of Piggy’s round it was announced that the optimum time had been changed to 10min 31sec (three seconds more than the original 10min 28sec) to account for the extra distance covered by those who went after fence 7ab, the Bramham Leap, was removed from the competition. This means Izzy Taylor’s original 2.4 time-faults have been reduced to 1.2 time-penalties.

There are just a few competitors still to start in the CCI4*-L class and then the rising stars in the under-25 CCI4*-L will take on the Bramham Horse Trials cross-country challenge.

Heidi Coy has already been out on course in the under-25 class, starting out of order on Russal Z because she has two rides. She had 11 jumping penalties for breaking a frangible at the second white gate at The Equi-Trek Spinney (fence 13b) where Russal Z appeared not to sight the fence until the moment of take off.

You might also be interested in:

Birthday girl Izzy Taylor sets the standard in Bramham CCI4*-L cross-country: ‘He dug deep and helped me’

Horse put down after accident on Bramham Horse Trials cross-country

Mixed fortunes for early riders on Bramham cross-country, with one inside the time and several falls

Ready to face Ian Stark’s Bramham CCI4*-L course? Take a virtual walk round the track…

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Izzy Taylor will be first or second overnight in the CCI4*-L after a strong Bramham Horse Trials cross-country round.

Izzy – who is also celebrating her 39th birthday today – did a super job on her own and Mark Sartori’s Monkeying Around, giving the 11-year-old a confident ride to bring him home with 2.4 time-faults.

“I’m delighted with him,” said Izzy. “It’s a tough gritty course and he dug deep and got on with it. He’s a very careful horse – we got time-faults because he went a bit high and spent too much time in the air, but that’s ok for now.

“He was really good to me. There were times when I just sat behind him, kicked him and held the reins and went, ‘Jump it’ – with some other words added in! – and he did.

“That’s what cross-country is – we’ve spent all these years building up our partnership with them and trust in each other. Sometimes I have to help them and sometimes they have to help us and now he’s starting to help me, which makes me very happy.

“The course rode as it walked – you had to get a bit down and dirty and get on with it. Some people are very technical and think about distances, obviously they’re important but at the end of the day cross-country is about reacting to what happens. At the Suregrow Kidney Ponds, I haven’t got a clue what we did in terms of strides, but we got from a to b and I gave him a pat and said, ‘Thank you’ and then, ‘Get on with it’ and that is Bramham.”

Their finishing score for the day of 26.4 means Izzy and “Monkey” will retain the second place they held after dressage at worst, with overnight leaders Piggy March and Coolparks Sarco setting out later in the day to try to hold top spot.

Oliver Townend finished inside the time – the third rider to do so – on As Is, but the grey dragged his back legs through the rail into the Rail, Ditch, Rail combination at fence 9abc and broke a frangible device, adding 11 penalties to his 13th-placed dressage score.

At this stage, Tom Carlile (Darmagnac De Beliard) has the second-best score of the finishers, behind Izzy. He will sit in 10th or better overnight.

The Bramham Horse Trials cross-country is running approximately an hour and 10 minutes late due to earlier holds on course because of falls and the time needed to string a new route to allow riders to avoid fence 7ab, which has been taken out of the course.

The combination consisted of a triple brush arrowhead, then two long strides to a skinny hedge over the ditch. One horse was put down after an accident here and there were two other falls at the second part of the combination before the fence was removed from the competition.

You might also be interested in:

Mixed fortunes for early riders on Bramham cross-country, with one inside the time and several falls

Horse put down after accident on Bramham Horse Trials cross-country

Ready to face Ian Stark’s Bramham CCI4*-L course? Take a virtual walk round the track…

How to watch Bramham Horse Trials 2026 from anywhere in the world

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Britain’s Izzy Taylor stormed into the lead in the Bramham Horse Trials dressage CCI4*-L section this morning riding Monkeying Around, thanks to a score of 24.

“He was really good. He’s beautiful – we all know he’s beautiful – and he was fantastic,” said Izzy after her test. “He just felt with me from the word go when I got on him this morning. He’s a very cool horse and he’s beginning to be really established – I can go in the ring, breathe, enjoy it and ride every single step. When you can put the horse’s foot wherever you want, that’s when you can do the test you want.”

Izzy and the 11-year-old that she co-owns with Mark Sartori, were awarded high marks throughout, including a 10 from the judge at M, France’s Xavier Le Sauce, for her final halt. Their trot work was expressive and Monkeying Around was loose and athletic for the entire test.

“He had a jump yesterday and had a canter this morning,” said Izzy when asked about her preparation. “He loves having fun and he doesn’t always know the difference between fun and not behaving! So we’ve slightly changed things up a bit and try to make sure it’s fun. He loves galloping about and he loves jumping so that’s what we did. We’re all different and I’ve just been trying to figure out how to get the best out of him and I think we’re on the right track.”

Izzy said she has promised Monkeying Around he can go hunting “when he wins a big one”.

“I hunted him a lot as a four- and five-year-old, because he’s so foreign and I wasn’t convinced he was a real-life eventer,” she explained. “He adores hunting and he adores the hounds, which is funny because he’s a sharp horse but the hounds really just make him smile.”

Matthew Heath, who was second into the dressage this morning, scored an impressive 29.8 to go into joint third with Ros Canter at this stage of the competition. He was riding Plum Rowland’s 13-year-old gelding Askari.

“I’m really pleased with him. He did a super test at Burnham Market and then I left him a little fresh at Houghton and he got the better of me there, but we seemed to get it about right today,” explained Matt after his Bramham Horse Trials dressage. “He’s a lovely type, he’s just got quite an exuberant brain and it’s just a case of trying to get contain all that energy and to use his big movement with me, not against me.”

Matt was given the ride on Askari three years ago when his previous jockey, Richard ‘Dickie’ Waygood became busy with his job as performance manager for the British eventing team.

“When Dickie got too busy to carry on competing at the level he was [three-star], he very kindly handed him over and we’ve had a mixed road on the way here, but we’ve had some good results as well and I’m looking forward to having a jump round tomorrow.”

Another rider to score well enough to get into the top 10 earlier this morning was Oliver Townend. The judges awarded him a 30.6 riding Sir John Peace’s As Is, who was produced to four-star level by Andrew Nicholson – Oliver only took on the ride a month ago.

“He is obviously very new, but I think he’s a lovely horse and I’m very grateful to Caunton Manor Stud for investing in him and Sir John Peace and his daughter Victoria,” said Oliver. “We’re just here really as a qualification for the bigger stuff. It’s a case of getting this year out of the way, letting the dust settle and then hopefully come out next year with a bunch of horses qualified for top level stuff.”

Oliver said that his job is made “a lot easier” when he takes on horses that have been professionally produced.

“It’s nice when they have been produced by professionals because you know that, in general, the buttons are going to be there or thereabouts,” he explained after his Bramham Horse Trials dressage. “And obviously I’ve ridden lots of horses after Andrew Nicholson – I must have ridden about 20 of his by now, so at the end of the day the horses, when they get to this level, if they’ve been produced by professionals, they are professionals themselves so that makes my job a lot easier.”

Keep up-to-date with all the action from Bramham via horseandhound.co.uk and read the full magazine report in the 16 June issue of Horse & Hound

You might also be interested in:

Ready to face Ian Stark’s Bramham CCI4*-L course? Take a virtual walk round the track…

‘You have to be on your A game’: top riders’ thoughts on Bramham Horse Trials’ cross-country courses

‘There’s a lot more to come from this horse’: promising talent leads Bramham Horse Trials CCI4*-L dressage

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The 2022 Bramham Horse Trials is underway (9–12 June) and top riders have shared their initial thoughts on both the CCI4*-L and Land Rover-sponsored CCI4*-S Bramham Horse Trials cross-country courses with Horse & Hound.

The CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S tracks, designed by Ian Stark, are 5,970m and 3,725m in length respectively and the optimum times for the courses are set to 10min28sec for the CCI4*-L competitors and 6min32sec for those in the CCI4*-S. Combinations in both classes will tackle the Bramham Horse Trials cross-country course on Saturday (11 June).

Tom McEwen, who is riding MHS Brown Jack in the CCI4*-S and Brookfield Benjamin Bounce and Dream Big in the CCI4*-L says that the course “looks amazing”.

“You don’t expect anything different now we’ve been here a few times and after Covid, it’s great to be back. It’s really nice to be jumping around one of Ian’s tracks again and I’m really looking forward to getting on and attacking it.”

Tom thinks that there are questions peppered around the entire course for both classes.

“As usual, the waters look like technical questions, but to be honest, I think there’s questions all the way around. I think that there’s quite a few places where you really have to be on your A game. I think the coffins in both the CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S are a serious question. The CCI4*-S is a bit tougher than it has sometimes been in the past, but I think that’s really nice so those horses can really learn then hopefully come back next year for the CCI4*-L.

“Overall, the questions are from start to finish with curving lines and skinnies – it builds you into it and it’s a big course throughout – it’s a really great course.”

Bramham Horse Trials cross-country reactions: ‘It’s a proper four-star’

Izzy Taylor, who won the CCI4*-S here in 2017 aboard Trevidden, has a busy Bramham week ahead of her, bringing forward Hartacker and Happy Days in the CCI4*-S, while she also has Monkeying Around and Ringwood Madras in the CCI4*-L.

“The course looks very good. It’s a proper four-star and it’s a typical Ian Stark track – forward, bold, attacking and with lots of ditches. It looks fantastic – the place looks brilliant – and I think it’ll be a very good competition,” she explained. “I think from word go, you’ve got to be on your A game. It’s the type of course where little cumulative mistakes actually can add up to a big problem or to an expensive problem. So if there is a little problem, you’ve got to get back on it and put the confidence back into the horse as quickly as you can because otherwise it’s not going to want to do it.”

Oliver Townend has As Is in the CCI4*-L and the promising Cooley Rosalent in the CCI4*-S in 2022.

“I haven’t walked the CCI4*-S, but obviously the CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S are integrated,” he said. “It’s Bramham and the terrain has a massive part to play. I think it’s big and technical.”

Keep up-to-date with all the action from Bramham via horseandhound.co.uk and read the full magazine report in the 16 June issue of Horse & Hound

You might also be interested in:

Ready to face Ian Stark’s Bramham CCI4*-L course? Take a virtual walk round the track…

How to watch Bramham Horse Trials 2026 from anywhere in the world

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Defending champions Piggy March and Vanir Kamira head up this year’s Badminton Horse Trials entries. The event, presented by Mars Equestrian, will run 4-8 May 2022.

Piggy and Trevor Dickens’ mare are the most recent winners of Badminton, having triumphed in 2019. The event was cancelled owing to Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021.

Piggy is also entered with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent, who took individual silver and team gold at last year’s European Eventing Championships in Avenches.

A raft of strong British contenders join Piggy on the Badminton Horse Trials entries list, including all three pairs from Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning team – Laura Collett with Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott’s and her own London 52, Tom McEwen with Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns and his mother Ali’s Toledo De Kerser (who also won individual silver) and Oliver Townend with Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class.

Tom is also entered with Vicky Bates and David Myers’ CHF Cooliser and Fred and Penny Barker’s Bob Chaplin, but will have to choose which two of his three entries he will start on nearer the time. Similarly Oliver Townend has five horses entered – with Angela Hislop’s Cooley Master Class, the Ridgeons’ Swallow Springs, the Hazeldines and Mitchell Fox Group’s Tregilder and Sophie Adams’ Ridire Dorcha all in the mix – and will only be able to start on two.

Badminton final scores

Five of the other horses from the 2021 British European Championships squad also come forward, with entries in from individual gold medallists Nicola Wilson on Deirdre Johnston and Jo and James Lambert’s JL Dublin, individual bronze medallists Sarah Bullimore and her own and husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate’s Corouet, and team gold medallists Kitty King and Vendredi Biats (owned by Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd Baker, Sally Eyre and Samantha Wilson) and Ros Canter with her own and Caroline Moore’s Allstar B.

Nicola also has Lady Milnes Coates and Rosemary Search’s Erano M on the list, Sarah is double-handed, with Chris and Sue Gillespie and the rider’s husband Brett’s Reve Du Rouet joining Corouet, and Ros Canter brings forward Michele Saul’s Lordships Graffalo alongside world champion Allstar B.

Izzy Taylor is not entered with Mark Sartori’s and her own Monkeying Around, who finished in the top 10 as an individual at the Europeans, but she has Sara and Tom Strong’s Artful Trinity 10th on the waiting list, so he should make the cut to start.

Former winners entered also include William Fox-Pitt (Jennifer Dowling’s and his own Little Fire and the syndicate-owned Oratorio) and Pippa Funnell (who will have two choose two of the Walkinshaws’ Billy Walk On, Marek Sebestak’s and her own Majas Hope and the Clarkes’ MGH Grafton Street).

Zara Tindall is slated for her first Badminton Horse Trials start since 2016 as she is entered with Gleadhill House Stud’s Class Affair.

The Brits won’t have it all their own way at Badminton, though. A strong international challenge is led by New Zealand’s husband and wife duo Tim Price and Jonelle Price, with Tim entered on his own and Trisha and Sophie Rickards’ Xavier Faer and the Prices’ and Sophie Hearnden’s Ringwood Sky Boy and Jonelle on her own and Therese Miller’s Grovine De Reve and her own and Trisha and Sophie Rickards’ Classic Moet, who won the event in 2018.

A sizeable US contingent will cross the Atlantic for the British spring classic, including Phillip Dutton with his Tokyo horse Z (owned by Phillip’s wife Evie, Ann Jones, Suzanne Lacy, Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt and Thomas Tierney), Ariel Grald and Anne Eldridge’s Leamore Master Plan, who were third at Luhmühlen last year, and Tamie Smith with the super dressage horse Mai Baum, owned by Alexandra Ahearn and her parents Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell.

Only one German is entered to start at Badminton this year – last year’s Luhmühlen runners-up Christoph Wahler and his own and Lena Thoenies’s Carjatan S.

You might also be interested in:

Five-star legend and fans’ favourite among those on Badminton Horse Trials waiting list

You heard it here first – the ‘weird wiggly worm’ of a horse who could lead the dressage at Badminton…

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials live from anywhere in the world

Piggy March on Badminton winner Vanir Kamira: ‘The days revolve around her, but she could sense my dreams and took me there’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The British team will hold team and individual gold overnight after dressage leader Ingrid Klimke clocked 1.2 time-faults with SAP Hale Bob OLD at the European Eventing Championships cross-country in Avenches, Switzerland.

Ingrid was Germany’s anchorman and her result drops her to second individually, but keeps Germany in the silver-medal position. Britain has two fences in hand over Germany.

Nicola Wilson’s copybook round on JL Dublin ensured she will be in provisional gold individually ahead of tomorrow’s showjumping phase (26 September). The British team holds the top position despite Ros Canter having two unfortunate run-outs right near the end of the course (fence 28a and 29) at the final water. A rail covers the top seven, so it will be a tight tussle for the individual podium. There are four Brits – team riders Nicola, Piggy March (fourth) Kitty King (seventh) and individual rider Sarah Bullimore (fifth) – in this group, with Izzy Taylor rounding out the top 10, also riding as an individual.

“The mood all week has been fantastic,” said Nicola. “It’s a lovely group of girls, we’re taking it one day at a time and I think the whole support behind the team has been fantastic. We’ll enjoy the results today, and this evening get our minds in focus for tomorrow.”

Ingrid’s round on her dual (and reigning) European champion was not entirely polished, with the horse making two misjudgements at brush fences which may have contributed to their three seconds over the time. The 17-year-old superstar was characteristically bold and strong, but was perhaps feeling fresh as he has only had one international run (a four-star win) since Ingrid was sidelined after a fall in May.

“I’m very happy because he did many lovely jumps and at all the difficult parts or downhill to the corner, he was bold and courageous, like he always is,” she said. “I had lots of time at the seven-minute marker, but at the end we couldn’t really go any faster. I took my time because I wanted to precise until the end. I thought I would make it, unfortunately just two [three] seconds outside. But he’s happy and trotted in full of himself, and he did a lovely job.”

France in double bronze after European Eventing Championships cross-country

Maxime Livio, fourth after dressage, had to juggle his individual aspirations with the necessity of recording a completion for the French team after his compatriot Gwendolen Fer fell. He steered the inexperienced Api Du Libaire home clear, also adding 1.2 time-faults to carry 22.5 forward to the showjumping tomorrow (26 September). He is now lying in bronze position.

“He was a bit deliberate in the two jumps in the water, so after that I went for it,” said Maxime. “What I’m happy about is that I achieved the mission I was sent out to do – to come home with a clear round, with as few time-faults as possible but without taking any risk. I managed to do that without impacting too much on my individual score.

“I couldn’t have asked for more – he’s lacking a bit of experience and preparation. Sometimes he can give me a bit too much at the start and then not have enough left at the end, so I had to keep a rhythm.”

Germany’s Michael Jung is currently sixth on nine-year-old Fischerwild Wave thanks to a clear inside the time, with his compatriot Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S eighth, though he is riding as an individual.

You may also like to read…

Ingrid Klimke storms into the lead at European Eventing Championships with legendary 17-year-old horse

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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Piggy March gave a masterful display to bank Britain’s first clear round in the European Eventing Championships cross-country phase in Avenches, Switzerland. Riding John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent, Piggy popped round as it were a novice track to clock the fastest round so far and complete this phase on her dressage of 23.

“He’s a beautiful, beautiful horse,” said Piggy of the 12-year-old Irish Sports Horse. “He’s made for tracks like this – he’s made for most tracks, he’s just a very good cross-country horse.”

Piggy was held for a short time at the start while the MIM clip that Alexsandr Markov’s Leader displaced. She took the long route at the angled hedge at fence 6, with the knowledge that Frenchman Jean-Lou Bigot – the only rider to make the time so far – had done so. By halfway round she was already eight seconds up on the clock and she sailed through the finish 10 seconds inside.

“My only worry was fence 6 and having heard someone had made the time going the long route, I knew not many people were sat on as fast as horse as mine,” Piggy said. “If he’s on his day there was no reason he shouldn’t get away with it. He can be spooky at the beginning of courses and with that big angled hedge with the pile of trees to take him off his line, he could make a genuine mistake. The rest of it he felt so on it, we had a lovely time.

“He did get tired enough for a horse that’s as much of a cruiser he is. That’s the nature of the course turning back so much, but he got into a rhythm on the straight. It is tiring riding the twists and turns. It’s an intense one-day event course in a three-day event format.

Piggy was in sixth place overnight, little more than three penalties adrift of the leader Ingrid Klimke (SAP Hale Bob OLD).

European Eventing Championships cross-country: “I set out to make the time”

Britain’s first individual rider Izzy Taylor produced the third clear round of the day inside the time riding her own and Mark Sartori’s 10-year-old Monkeying Around, by Bertoli. Izzy was in 20th overnight and goes forward to showjumping on her competitive dressage score of 27.9.

“I‘m delighted and relieved,” said Izzy. “He is still green and like all these younger horses, the past two years have been non-existent. To start with he was having a nice look around at all the people, but he was fantastic. He was very genuine and tried his little heart out the whole way round.

“I set out to go inside the time. I knew I’d go long at fence 6 to 7 as he’s very careful and I didn’t want to give him a fright early on. It was twisty, you never had a moment to gallop and think, you just had to keep turning round and doing another jump.”

Germany’s Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S, in a competitive position of 12th after the dressage on 26, were the first to take the short route at the angled hedges at fence 6. Christoph is riding as an individual on this lovely bold grey by Clearway, so he could afford to take the risk and it paid off. He stopped the clock two seconds outside the time or 0.8 of a penalty to keep the pressure on the top 10.

So far, all the riders that have set out have completed, with the majority going clear but just Izzy, Piggy and Jean-Lou inside the time at this stage.

You may also like to read…

‘He gave his all’: Piggy March takes early European Eventing Championships dressage lead

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‘I’m pleased he behaved – he’s called Monkey for a reason’: Izzy Taylor reflects on her European Eventing Championships dressage performance

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

It’s been a fantastic first day for Team GB as the European Eventing Championships dressage got underway in blazing sunshine in Avenches, Switzerland.

Here are the six things you need to know about today’s action…

1. Nicola Wilson put in a superlative performance to lead overnight on Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s 10-year-old JL Dublin.

• Read what Nicola said about this horse missing time competing due to Covid – and why she thinks the cross-country course is “positively terrifying”

2. Piggy March was also delighted with her performance on John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent. She sits in individual silver after this first day of dressage.

• Find out what Piggy said about her test

3. The riders say the cross-country course, designed by Mike Etherington-Smith, will provide a serious test.

• Piggy, Izzy Taylor and Ireland’s Sam Watson’s thoughts on the track

4. Izzy Taylor also finishes the day inside the top 10, riding as an individual for Britain on her own and Mark Sartori’s Monkeying Around.

• Why Izzy was momentarily worried when she first went into the arena

5. The best French and German riders so far went just after lunch – and there was a surprise when Austria’s Robert Mandl muscled into the top six among the more established names.

• Read Andreas Dibowski, Robert Mandl and Gwendolen Fer’s thoughts on their tests

6. Ireland has made a solid start with two riders inside the top 20 at this stage.

• Find out what Sam Watson, Cathal Daniels and Joseph Murphy said about their tests

Check out the European Eventing Championships dressage times for tomorrow and make sure you know how to watch as Britain’s final riders – Kitty King, Sarah Bullimore and Ros Canter – perform.

You might also be interested in:

Nicola Wilson puts Britain in double gold after first day of eventing Europeans dressage: ‘I’m so proud of him’

‘He gave his all’: Piggy March takes early European Eventing Championships dressage lead

‘I’m pleased he behaved – he’s called Monkey for a reason’: Izzy Taylor reflects on her European Eventing Championships dressage performance

‘Like we’ve come out of a washing machine’: top riders’ thoughts on European Eventing Championships cross-country course

Find out when the British riders do their dressage at the European Eventing Championships

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Some of the world’s top riders have shared their thoughts on this year’s European Eventing Championships cross-country course, which has been designed by Mike Etherington-Smith.

There are 32 numbered fences and the optimum time is 10min 7sec for the 2021 European Eventing Championships cross-country course in Avenches, Switzerland.

“It is a real championship course and I’m going to have to walk it a lot of times because there’s great potential for getting lost and going the wrong way up strings,” explained Piggy March. “There’s plenty of places to just run off things and it’s very technical. The single fences are all big enough too with a lot of twists and turns, so we have got to be on our A game. For sure it’s not going to be a dressage competition.”

Piggy highlighted fence six (pictured above) as a possible early problem for riders.

“It’s a very big fence on an angle, with a bunch of trees just to the side that can put you off your line if you were to spook – that would be a fence that I will look at quite a lot. I think the time will be tight as it is such a twisty track.”

Izzy Taylor agreed with Piggy, saying “it’s definitely not all going to be based on the dressage”, and warned that riders might be “lulled into a false sense of security” early on, but said that “by the end I think we’re going to feel like we’ve come out of a washing machine – there’s a lot to do out there, a lot, but it’s a very good track.”

Sam Watson felt some riders might make the mistake of thinking Mike Etherington-Smith’s track is softer than it is.

“You might think for the first seven or eight minutes that he’s built a slightly softer championship,” Sam explained. “Then jeez, it turns into a proper championship course in the last two minutes, which I think is so clever. You’ve only got 10 minutes, which is all there is space-wise here, and he’s looped us a good bit which I think will mentally be quite tiring for the horses and will slow us down a little bit.”

Sam highlighted the end of the course as a place where riders could run into trouble.

“To put the questions at the end is much more difficult for horses when they’re not so fresh and I think it’s a very clever course. I think the good ones will fly around and will go inside the time, but I think you have to have a very good horse [to do that].”

Germany’s Christoph Wahler echoed Sam’s sentiments about the layout of the course.

“It is very twisty, but with some very nice fences in the way they’re designed,” he explained. “It won’t ride very soft and easy with regards to all the turns and the changes of direction. It will be a little bit like driving a golf cart.”

You might also be interested in:

The fences the Brits have to jump to win medals: photos of the European Eventing Championships cross-country course

‘He gave his all’: Piggy March takes early European Eventing Championships dressage lead

‘I’m pleased he behaved – he’s called Monkey for a reason’: Izzy Taylor reflects on her European Eventing Championships dressage performance

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Izzy Taylor has completed her European Eventing Championships dressage and has gone into fourth place at this stage of the competition.

Riding her own and Mark Sartori’s Monkeying Around, Izzy, who is riding as an individual for the British squad, scored 27.9.

“I’m pleased with him,” said Izzy after her test. “He went around and looked at all the crowd like a giraffe and I thought, ‘oh God, here we go’.

“He’s an attractive horse and there’s loads more to come from him. He’s 10 and it’s easy to forget that because he’s been around since he was a six-year-old, so I was just pleased overall that he behaved himself – you know, he’s called ‘Monkey’ for a reason.”

Piggy March currently leads the European Eventing Championships dressage: on a score of 23.3, with Germany’s Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S in second and Janneke Boonzaaijer, riding for The Netherlands, in third with ACSI Champ De Tailleur.

“He was soft with a good level of work,” Christoph said of his grey 12-year-old, who notched up a score of 26. “This test doesn’t usually suit him because he likes to do more extended work, and so for this we have to be particularly calm and slow with everything.”

Janneke said that she was “really happy” with her 14-year-old, who scored 27.1.

“My goal to get a mark under 30 and it was brilliant,” she explained. “It felt really good – he was with me and working with me all the way.”

The next rider for Britain is Nicola Wilson, who is the second team rider for Britain. Nicola will start her test at 1.52pm British time with JL Dublin. The remaining British riders will all do their dressage tests tomorrow (Friday 24 September).

You might also be interested in:

‘He gave his all’: Piggy March takes early European Eventing Championships dressage lead

All the Brits, military uniform and a sprightly grey stallion: photos from the European Eventing Championships first trot-up

The fences the Brits have to jump to win medals: photos of the European Eventing Championships cross-country course

Find out when the British riders do their dressage at the European Eventing Championships

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The young horse CCI4*-S Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country is proving influential in the early stages of the class.

Just after the half-way stage, there have been 13 clears and only a few within the 6min 46sec optimum time over David Evans’ course.

The Snow Centre log roll to corner at fence 5ABC and Ford log to double brush at fence 7AB are catching out a fair share of starters. There have also been a smattering of penalties at the log roll to double brush and corner combination at 12ABCD – the furthest part of the course – and the tail, ditch and birds nest at 14 ABC.

The competitors are running in reverse order after the showjumping phase, except for a couple who have two horses in quick succession. Nicola Wilson ran early on Helen Scott’s Hawk Eye, who was lying 10th. They jumped a rare clear bang on the time.

“It’s one heck of a course,” said Nicola. “He’s a very powerful horse, but it’s his first time at the level. He’s never seen anything as difficult as this, never seen the crowds. But he’s brave and bold and it’s a luxury to have so much power. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

Another rider with two up in contention was Izzy Taylor, who ran out of order on Hartacker.

“I’m thrilled with him,” said Izzy, who added 1.2 cross-country time penalties to their dressage of 28.9. “He’s nine but a real baby and today he went down there like a grown-up horse. Plenty to do out there. So I’m really, really pleased with him.”

Izzy added the course is tough “from word go to the end”.

“[It’s] the terrain, the massive expanse of water – they don’t see that [many places] and technically. It was a great track, David’s got it bang on.”

Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country is ‘a big step up’

Alyssa Yallop had a run-out at the brush skinny before the water with Invictus.

“I’ve had him since he was four years old, and I mean until last year we were amazed if I even did an intermediate, so the fact he’s done four-star this season has just been the dream. This season he has just come on and decided he will be an event horse!

“The course actually rode really well. That distance is long at the fence before the water and he is quite short striding.

“In hindsight I think if I’d actually slowed him down, got a really deep shot in, he could have just bunny hopped the skinny. I’m an amateur, he’s a baby so [to be here and] just learn is a great experience.”

Brazil’s Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Lovelocks Rumplestiltskin also had a run-out ahead of the water and at the ditch combination at 14ABC.

Marcio said he was delighted with the horse, as this is a big step up for him, explaining those questions just caught him by surprise.

“I was not expecting a run-out as he is normally good at skinnies, but he finished happy,” he said. “It’s a big track for the young horses.”

You may also want to read…

Rising equine stars, advice from a legend and back at the palace: 8 stories you need to read about Thursday’s Blenheim dressage action

‘Winning would be nice, but it’s about his future Olympic chances’: Ros Canter retains lead in Blenheim Horse Trials young horse class

‘In my world I’ve won my own little event’: Piggy March thrilled by young horse performance at Blenheim

Blenheim Horse Trials: what times the leaders jump on the final day of action

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Ros Canter maintained her dressage lead in the Blenheim Horse Trials showjumping phase in the CCI4*-S on Izilot DHI with a clear round. There was a change from the dressage podium when third-placed Gemma Tattersall’s Flash Cooley knocked down two rails to drop to 17th, but Tom Jackson held on to second spot with a clear on HH Moonwalk.

Jumping in thick fog, Izilot DHI gave every fence inches to spare, his carefulness contributing to 1.6 time-faults. There were only eight out of the 50 competitors clear inside the time.

“He does not like touching poles,” said Ros. “It’s only his first advanced but I knew he had the scope. I could tell I would get time-faults as soon as I started because there is nowhere you can move along. Next time, I would take a stride out here and there, but it’s a clever track.”

Ros is “realistic” about the cross-country challenge on this eight-year-old.

“Winning would be nice, but it’s not about that for him, it’s about winning an Olympic medal in the future,” she said. “I’m open-minded about tomorrow. It might shock him a bit, but I couldn’t be more delighted so far.”

Tom Jackson described HH Moonwalk’s clear with two time-faults as a “mega round”.

“The time is frustrating but he jumped really well,” he said. “With the fog and atmosphere it was eerie in there, and he went rigid and tight in his body at first, but he’s amazingly talented.”

Nicola Wilson moved up to third place from seventh courtesy of Coolparks Sarco’s clear inside the time, while dressage fourth Dani Evans (Hollywood Dancer) dropped out of contention with three down.

Blenheim Horse Trials: “a proper showjumping track”

Caroline Harris (Miss Pepperpot) produced one of the early clears over this tricky track when the fog was at its thickest. The mare is bred to jump, being by Peppermill, and this effort put them into fourth.

“It’s really twisty, a proper jumping track,” said Caroline. “It’s not the height, more that you have to keep riding, keep thinking, especially to the final double. The fog didn’t affect her in the ring, but she was shaking her head a bit before the start. She is strong and feisty and she likes to go!”

Willa Newton will be hoping to repeat her 2016 victory in this class, this time riding Cock A Doodle Doo, who now lies fifth after a clear inside the time.

“It’s a technical track with lots of half strides so you have to make some decisions,” said Willa, who bought the grey as as project when he was a three-year-old from Dirk Schrade. “It wasn’t planned, but I took a stride out a couple of times when it was tighter and that may have helped me make the time.”

“I felt him go shy when he went in, but he’s such a cool jumper.”

Marching up the ranks at Blenheim Horse Trials

Piggy March moved up from eighth to sixth with a clear (two time-faults) on Cooley Lancer.

“He has loads of power and you can make up so much ground in between the fences but the striding was quite short,” she said. “I tried to make up time by turning tighter rather than speed, but I could have been braver to the last oxer.

Like Ros, Piggy is not putting too much pressure on her eight-year-old ahead of the cross-country day.

“It’s as technical as I’ve seen it for this class,” she said. “He’s a real galloper but very enthusiastic, and he can get really hot and run his race too quickly. I have no idea how it will go until we get going. If he doesn’t frazzled by the whole occasion, we’ll give it a go, but who knows!”

Izzy Taylor’s two rides swapped places after the lower placed Carolines Air KM jumped clear to move up to seventh, while dressage sixth Hartacker hit one to drop to 11th.

“Caroline is eight and very green, she did not want to go into the arena, but she was very good the whole way round,” said Izzy, who sat well when the horse reared before entering the ring. “It’s a big stadium and undulating. Fence two feels like you are jumping into the crowd. It’s a big ask just for her to be here.”

As for the fog – Izzy’s hunting background stood her in good stead.

“They say horses jump best at dusk – perhaps it helped her today,” she smiled.

With the time predicted to be tight on the CCI4*-S cross-country track, there’s all to play for at the top of the leaderboard. Just four penalties (10 seconds) covers the top eight horses.

View the full Blenheim Horse Trials young horse CCI4*-S showjumping results

Ros Canter’s ride Izilot DHI heads Blenheim young horse class: ‘He’s only at 70% of his ability; I’ve never sat on a horse so talented’

‘In my world I’ve won my own little event’: Piggy March thrilled by young horse performance at Blenheim

Ros Canter retains her lead ahead of ‘tough’ cross-country in Blenheim Horse Trials’ young horse class

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The overnight leaders of the Blenheim Horse Trials dressage in the CCI4*-S class have held their ground as the second day’s (17 September) contenders failed to shake up the podium places. Ros Canter is still in the lead, on 26.6 with Izilot DHI, ahead of Tom Jackson (HH Moonwalk on 27.6) and Gemma Tattersall (Flash Cooley on 28.3).

There were still plenty of competitive tests, however, with just five penalties covering the top 12, which will make for a fascinating day’s cross-country on Sunday for these young horses. They have to get through the showjumping first though – no winner of this class has ever lowered a rail.

Dani Evans came closest to a top-three dressage finish early in the morning (17 September), slotting into fourth on Hollywood Dancer on 28.4. Towards the end of the session, Izzy Taylor rode Hartacker into sixth.

“Like all these young horses, he’s never been anywhere or seen anything like this, so this has been very good for him,” Izzy said of Camilla Behrens’ gelding by Spartacus HN. “He was a little bit nervous and held his breath in his trot work. But he has a fantastic walk, which was rewarded, and a very good canter which pulled the marks back again. His trot will be very good, he just needs to be prouder of himself.

“He is very sensitive – you have to be very careful getting on him the first time with a tailcoat – so his preparation has to be quiet. That’s why he hasn’t yet learned to be a show-off.”

Izzy predicted changes in the leaderboard on cross-country day.

“The course looks plenty tough enough, the toughest I’ve seen it for the eight and nine-year-olds. It doesn’t look like it will be a dressage competition, but that’s good, we are event riders.”

Izzy’s team-mate at the forthcoming Europeans, Nicola Wilson, was less than a penalty behind in seventh on Coolparks Sarco, who was unaffected by his little spook before entering the arena.

“It’s his first four-star, and he’s not established but went in there and tried to do what was right, and did his changes, so I’m really pleased with him,” said Nicola. “The course is very big and there’s an awful lot to jump. He’s a big, powerful jumper but he won’t have seen these crowds so it’s a massive learning curve and I hope he enjoys it as much as he normally does. I want him to come home a happy horse. So far, he’s enjoying the attention and rolling and squealing a lot!”

Former Blenheim Horse Trials winner in contention

Willa Newton was another rider on the second day to produce an impressive test. She rode Cock A Doodle Doo to move into 11th on 31.

“It’s nice to have a horse back at this level,” said Willa, who won this class five years ago on Caja 20. “I was really pleased with this as it is a lot of walk for him, especially in a big atmosphere.”

Willa was ruing a mistake in the last flying change as “normally they are his thing”.

“He has a lot to learn, this is a step up,” she added. “ The cross-country is intense with a lot to do, and the time is definitely going to be a huge factor.”

Piggy French and her former world young horse champion Cooley Lancer also slotted into a top-10 position, taking eighth with 30.1.

Brilliant Blenheim atmosphere takes effect

Will Rawlin was delighted with Ballycoog Breaker Boy’s effort, scoring 31.8 and securing a top-15 berth.

“This atmosphere is quite something, and I didn’t have time to do the arena familiarisation, but he kept a lid on everything and produced a really nice test,” he said. “Just a few things need ironing out, but it seemed smooth. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into the cross-country – it looks educational with some good questions.”

Caroline Powell also noted the effect of the atmosphere on these inexperienced horses. She rode eight-year-old Greenacres Special Cavalier to score 33.8, good enough for the top 20.

“She got tense in the walk and a bit stilted, but she’s a big mare and I’m very happy with her,” said the Kiwi rider. “This is why we like bringing these young horses, to get them used to the atmosphere.”

You may also want to read…

‘The young horses will have to try hard’: riders react to Blenheim’s cross-country courses

Ros Canter’s ride Izilot DHI heads Blenheim young horse class: ‘He’s only at 70% of his ability; I’ve never sat on a horse so talented’

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Izzy Taylor holds an early lead in the Blenheim Horse Trials dressage for the CCI4*-L, after scoring 27.9 on Springpower.

“I’m very pleased,” said Izzy. “He loves, loves an atmosphere and is very excited to be at Blenheim – he was a lunatic yesterday at the trot-up, so I’m very pleased that he was expressive, but kept enough of the lid on it that it wasn’t too exciting.”

The 12-year-old Springpower, by Power Blade, belongs to Andrea and Jeremy Brereton and Linda Mars. He spent the 2020 season with Sarah “Cutty” Cohen, before returning to Izzy – who rode him in the latter half of 2017, 2018 and 2019 – for this year.

Izzy said: “He’s very cool – he’s a little bit like a pony cross-country, you can just rag him around and he’s got his ears pricked, he’s happy to be doing what he’s doing, which is great. Sometimes he thinks it’s better to be more more expressive than is needed in the dressage, but cross-country is his favourite part.”

Izzy talked about the riders delight in returning to Blenheim, which is being run by The Jockey Club for the first time after being cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19: “We missed these exciting events. It’s great to be back at an established event and very exciting to have The Jockey Club on board. I think all of us eventers are really excited for what the future might hold and how the sport, hopefully, will progress in a more professional way.”

Ros Canter sits second in the Blenheim Horse Trials dressage for the CCI4*-L with Christopher Makin’s 10-year-old Rehy Royal Diamond, on a mark of 28.7.

“I’m over the moon with him – he’s quite a hot headed horse and a bit of a joker so takes quite a lot of work, but I think that was probably the most I’ve ever had him in a test. There were still a couple of mistakes, but his basic work was so much easier in there today,” said Ros.

“He stayed with me pretty much the whole way through – we had a little jog in the walk, but that’s a lot better than it can be.”

Alex Bragg holds third at this early stage on Philip and Sally Ellicott’s experienced 17-year-old Zagreb, who scored 29.

“He’s an old pro and we’ve protected him a bit this year, because there was nothing really to aim for for him,” he said. “So we didn’t do anything in the spring, so coming to this event, it feels like this is the first bit of the season for us and he is still fresh.

“But I want him to be like that, because he is a little bit older now and I’d rather he come out and I said, ‘Oh, he was a little bit too enthusiastic’ than I felt like he wasn’t enjoying himself. The horse feels fantastic and I’m really looking forward to having a proper competition to do on him.”

Alex said the test had “a few little wobbles”, which he put down to lack of match practice for both horse and rider.

He explained: “We could have been a percent higher, if we ironed them out. He’s a little bit hot coming out the walk, anticipating going into the canter, and he was the same today – he jumped into the canter and then it made the corner a little bit tricky before the extended canter. But like I say, it’s nice that he’s enthusiastic and wanting to do it rather than the other way.

“He doesn’t owe us anything. The Ellicotts have been amazing owners and supporters and it’s just nice to have him back out.”

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Izzy Taylor has taken third place in the Chedington Bicton Horse Trials dressage with The Lancer Stud’s elegant grey Fonbherna Lancer.

The pair scored 25.7 to sit just 0.1 of a penalty behind Will Rawlin (VIP Vinnie) in second, with Will another 0.1 behind leader Piggy March. Izzy said there is “loads more” to come from the 11-year-old.

“We made mistakes, quietly, all over the place. He’s such a beautiful horse in his brain and his movement and everything. I just get annoyed with myself because he’s so beautiful and a little mistake feels like a massive one on him, whereas on a more average horse you wouldn’t even notice it,” said Izzy.

Fonbherna Lancer was with Izzy for the second half of 2018 and the 2019 season, but then spent 2020 and the early part of 2021 with Piggy March. He returned to Izzy just before the four-star fixture at Aston-le-Walls in May, but then missed a few runs because the rider broke her collarbone.

Izzy added after her Bicton Horse Trials dressage test: “I hope with some more cementing of our partnership, he’ll learn to enjoy the atmosphere in the future and be a real show off. We haven’t really done very much, so we’ll have to have a bit of trust tomorrow.

“They’ve done an amazing job with the track and all of us are just very, very grateful for it. The track’s proper for me. I didn’t ride here in the spring, so I’ve obviously walked it differently to others that did jump around it. But I think there’s a lot to do out there and the undulations proved tough last time. So it’s not all about today, that’s for sure.”

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The British team for the European Eventing Championships in Avenches, Switzerland (22-26 September), has been named.

The squad of six is:

• Sarah Bullimore, 48, based in Keysoe, Bedfordshire, with the Kew Jumping Syndicate, her husband Brett’s and her own 10-year-old chestnut home-bred gelding Corouet (Balou du Rouet x Lovis Corinth; groom to be confirmed)
• Ros Canter, 35, based in Hallington, Lincolnshire, with Caroline Moore’s and her own 16-year-old bay gelding Allstar B (Ephebe For Ever x Ekstein, breeder: FAJ Van der Burg, NED; groom: Sarah Charnley) and as a direct reserve, Michele Saul’s nine-year-old bay gelding Lordships Graffalo (Grafenstolz x Rock King, breeder: Lordships Stud Writtle College, GBR)
• Kitty King, 39, based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, with Diana Bown, Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker’s 12-year-old grey gelding Vendredi Biats (Winningmood x Camelia de Ruelles, breeder: Phillipe Brivois, FRA; groom: Chloe Fry)
• Piggy March, 40, based in Maidwell, Northamptonshire, with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s 12-year-old bay gelding Brookfield Inocent (Inocent x Kings Servant, breeder: John Mulvey, IRL; groom: Amy Phillips)
• Izzy Taylor, 38, based in Bicester, Oxfordshire, with Mark Sartori’s and her own 10-year-old bay gelding Monkeying Around (Bertoli W x Donnerhall II, breeder: Christian Heinrich, GER; groom: Rebecca Ross)
• Nicola Wilson, 44, based in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, with Deirdre Johnston and James and Jo Lambert’s 10-year-old dark brown gelding JL Dublin (Diarados Cheeky Boy x Cantano, breeder: Volker Coettsche-Goetze, GER; groom: Ruth Asquith)

All the riders have previous senior championship experience, while four of the six named horses will make their championship debuts. Only double world gold medallist Allstar B – who was also Britain’s alternate horse at the recent Tokyo Olympics – and Vendredi Biats, who was best of the British horses at the 2019 European Championships, boast previous championship experience.

It will be announced at a later date which four pairs will compete on the team and which two as individuals.

British eventing performance manager Richard Waygood commented: “I’m very excited about this selection for the Europeans. It invests in the here and now and in the future by providing development opportunities for potential combinations for Paris and beyond.”

Selection decisions for the European Eventing Championships British team are subject to the athletes and horses maintaining fitness and performance, and this list may be amended at any stage.

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Reporting by Sue Polley

Izzy Taylor with her own and Mark Sartori’s Monkeying Around were crowned British open eventing champions at Hambro Sport Horses Burgham International. The pair headed a bumper 126-strong class, completing on their dressage score of 22.3.

With the cancellation of the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park this year, Burgham stepped in to accommodate the British national championship classes at open, intermediate, novice and restricted novice level, in addition to running their existing national and international classes.

The British Open Championship was incorporated into the Hambro Sport Horses CCI4*-S and attracted several combinations who narrowly missed out on Olympic team slots and who are now vying for European Eventing Championships selection.

“Obviously I’m delighted,” said Izzy. “He’s a very capable horse but he can be cheeky, hence his name, but I’ve him since he was four so we know each other very well now. I’m so grateful to Burgham for hosting the championships this year – the whole team has put in a huge effort and it is very much appreciated.”

Sarah Bullimore and her own and husband Brett’s 10-year-old Corouet, a homebred son of Balou Du Rouet out of Sarah’s British championship squad partner Lilly Corinne had held the lead after dressage on a stunning score on 19.6 – the first time she has scored sub-20 at international level. However, they relinquished their lead in the show jumping arena where they lowered a pole at the second fence. A clear cross-country round one second under the optimum time, however, secured their second place.

“I’m a bit gutted to be honest,” Sarah admitted, “as he’s a world class jumper and that mistake was 100% my fault. I just have to put it into perspective and acknowledge that completing on 23.6 is still a real achievement and hopefully enough to get us to the Europeans.”

Kitty King and Camilla and Alex Wakeley’s Burnham Market 2021 CCI4*-S winner Cristal Fontaine completed on their dressage score of 26.3 to finish third.

“This is his first run back after his summer break so I’m really pleased,” admitted Kitty. “I think he was a bit shocked when I asked him for a bit of speed today, but he responded brilliantly.”

Selina Milnes and Iron IV also completed on their dressage score of 26.8 to finish fourth, with Yasmin Ingham more than holding her own in more experienced company finishing fifth and sixth with Banzai Du Loir and Rehy DJ respectively. Aaron Millar and KEC Deacon were 7th on 27.8, with Alex Bragg 8th and 9th with Quindiva and Zagreb.

Intermediate and novice champions

Polly Stockton won the British intermediate championship with Kate Willis’ Irish-bred Chicko on their dressage score of 31.9. 2017 British junior national champion Sasha Hargreaves was runner-up with Woodlands Be Darling on 34.6, with New Zealand’s Dan Jocelyn and Duke Of Champions third on 34.7.

Kitty King and Adrian Sweet’s MHS Monbeg Junior became British novice champions. They completed on their dressage score of 29.4, just .3 of a penalty ahead of runners-up Izzy Taylor and Hathaway Whole Lotta Love.

• Report on the 2021 British Eventing restricted novice championship to follow

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

This up-and-coming star won last year’s CCI4*-L at Burnham Market and is aimed at his first five-star at Luhmühlen next month. Pippa Roome speaks to his connections

Need to know

MONKEYING AROUND

Age: 10

Breeding: Bertoli W x Donnerhall

Rider: Izzy Taylor

Owner: Mark Sartori and rider

Greatest achievements: first six-year-old World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers 2017; first Floors Castle CCI3*-S 2018; eighth British seven-year-old championships at Osberton 2018; sixth Burgham CCI4*-S 2019; third Burgham CCI4*-S 2020; first Burnham Market CCI4*-L 2020; third Burnham Market CCI4*-S 2021; second Aston-le-Walls CCI4*-S 2021 (class names updated to current format).

RIDER IZZY TAYLOR

“MONKEYING AROUND – known as ‘Bert’ originally but usually called ‘Monkey’ – came to me as a four-year-old from the dressage yard Woodcroft Stud to be sold. I trotted him over a pole and he was phenomenal, so I said I’d buy him – he was meant to be a project to be sold, but I forgot the selling bit.

“He goes against all my rules. He’s foreign and I like blood horses, but he’s an athlete – he can put himself in positions with no effort.

“He was quite naughty as a young horse, but not in a nasty way. I hunted him as a five- and six-year-old – I was fearful he’d be slow and useless and also his brain needed something to do.

“I’d clear the collecting ring at his first few events with him lurching about, bucking and being a fool. But everything was easy for him – he won several novices and the six-year-old World Championships.

“As an eight-year-old he had a bit of a blip across country. He figured out there was the option to go round things and had to be told it was better to go over them. This was the first time he’d had to try. A lot of it was confidence – he’d upgraded quickly and is a careful horse.

“I love the horse, but somewhere along the line I fell out of love with him, so I had to get back to enjoying him rather than thinking there was a lot of pressure on him, which there wasn’t, except in my head. Also, because he’s eye-catching and because he could be an idiot in the warm-up, people knew him, so if he made a mistake it was noticed.

“After that teenage phase, he came back good. He’s happy and he’s stronger every year. He’s grown up now and wants to do it right.”

HEAD GROOM BECCA ROSS

“MONKEY is very sweet and happy. The older he gets, the more comfortable he is in his own skin and he’s becoming more affectionate. He’s very polite and a pleasure to do.

“It took us a while to find a stable he liked, but he’s now next to the tack room. He has two windows and because he has his head out and his ears forward, you can’t help giving him a fuss or a treat as you pass.

“One thing he’s notorious for is giving you a nip every time you put a rug on. You can never tell him off as he always has his ears pricked and if he actually makes contact he’s immediately sorry.

“I travel to all the events and he’s easier at stay-away, international events – he puts his competition hat on and knuckles down for the week. At one-day events, he finds it all very easy, treats it as a bit of a game and can be quite exuberant and cheeky.”

JUDGE NIKKI HERBERT

“I’VE judged Monkeying Around three times at four-star and he’s a lovely, elegant horse – striking to look at with his four knee-high socks and central white stripe.

“He has three naturally good paces, which he is able to show off with expression and elasticity. The picture is correct with good use of the neck, the poll at the highest point, swing through the back and an acceptance of the aids. This pair show clear and easy transitions within the paces due to the engagement coming through to an even contact, resulting in the self-carriage expected at advanced levels.

“The horse is fortunate to be well trained by Izzy who is bred for the job, coming from a long line of good horsemen and women. She sits correctly so is in balance and the horses go for her. Every corner is used well to set up the next movement, with correct positioning of the shoulders and suppleness round her inside leg in the lateral work, which in turn gives her the ability to make the horse straight.

“Monkeying Around appears to be developing rideability as he matures, largely due to the confidence he has in his very capable rider.”

You can also read this feature in the 20 May issue of Horse & Hound magazine.

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IZZY TAYLOR and Monkeying Around franked the form that put them at the head of Burnham Market’s four-star long last autumn with a win in advanced section A at Aston-le-Walls Elite horse trials.

“He felt fantastic – he’s a better, stronger horse than he was last year,” said Izzy of the 10-year-old, who belongs to his rider and Mark Sartori. “He just feels more grown up and is improving all the time. He’s still relatively young and every time we go out, it’s more exciting for when he runs at a big one.”

Everyone is finding making plans difficult this year when Covid-19, Brexit and the equine herpes virus are laying waste to so many dreams, but Izzy has Luhmühlen tentatively in mind for Monkeying Around’s five-star debut.

Izzy led throughout this section and, with a time-fault in the showjumping and 3.2 across country, had a penalty in hand over Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin, whose runner-up placing was a strong back-up to his open intermediate win at Oasby the week before.

Izzy also had Springpower – back with her after a season with Sarah Cohen – in ninth in section B and last year’s Thoresby three-star long winner Hartacker in fourth in the third advanced section, C.

“Every section was very hot, so you definitely can’t be disappointed with any horse who finished in the top 10,” said Izzy, acknowledging too that Hartacker is only nine.

With glorious sunshine and minimal commentary, there was a slightly trance-like quality to watching for those on the viewing mound, many of them owners comparing vaccination status and enjoying their first outing for some time.

The start lists were rammed with quality for this final elite-only event before the season proper kicked off the following weekend, and it was a treat to see top horse after top horse flow over Aston’s beautifully prepared grass after doing their first two phases on all-weather surfaces.

“[Organiser and course-designer] Nigel Taylor always puts in a fantastic effort and everything was as good as it could possibly be,” said Izzy.

Tina Cook was third equal after dressage behind Monkeying Around, but 20 penalties at the log on top of the hillock before the water at fence 10a put paid to a placing for Billy The Red. Mr Bass finished third in this section, with Laura Collett tweaking his bitting again after Oasby, keeping the Waterford gag but this time choosing one with big rings rather than side pieces.

“He felt like he didn’t fight and could cruise around,” she said.

Most of the pairs ticked off the fences without any problems. A few riders – including James Avery (Mr Sneezy) and Nicky Hill (MGH Bingo Boy) – were eliminated for errors of course, which must have been frustrating but was perhaps understandable as the roping was kept to a minimum with no spectators.

Ros Canter’s ride Lordships Graffalo and Tom McEwen’s Bob Chaplin shared fifth after dressage in section C, but both had 20 penalties early on course – Ros at the corner at fence six and Tom at the first element of the double of boxes at fence four.

Sweet success for Berry

IRELAND scored two wins in the supporting sections, with Susie Berry claiming the advanced intermediate on Helen Caton’s 10-year-old John The Bull, by Luidam. She finished on her dressage score to capitalise on her mark of 27.1, which put her equal second after the first phase.

“He’s only happy when he’s working – he doesn’t like it in winter when he doesn’t get to go to pony parties and show off,” said Susie. “He was a bit feisty in the dressage, though he did keep a lid on it, and he’s a jumping machine.”

Dressage leaders Selina Milnes and Iron IV finished fourth with one showjump down and a slightly steadier cross-country, while Selina also piloted Vivendi Time into second.

Susie also racked up the only round in the time in advanced section A – and one of only two in all the advanced sections – for fifth on Ringwood LB. Both Ringwood LB and John The Bull are on Ireland’s Tokyo 2020 potential squad and will be aimed at Bicton Arena’s four-star long, as will another of Susie’s rides, Monbeg By Design.

Aoife Clark was Ireland’s other winner, landing open intermediate section F on her own eight-year-old Dondarrion, who had run for the first time at this level at Oasby.

“I’ve had him since he was a three-year-old and he was a bit raw as a young horse, so I gave him plenty of time, but I always really rated him – he’s a real five-star type in my mind,” she said.

“I threw him in at the deep end at Oasby and he found the cross-country so easy, but was a bit surprised and green in the showjumping. Today he came out like a pro. He’s had a good technique and attitude in the showjumping, he’s just still weak in places. Across country he’s so confident and brave; he has lots of gallop, a snaffle mouth and is super quick.”

Dondarrion was well placed at BE100 and novice throughout 2019, but didn’t do much last year as he fractured a splint bone in the field just as eventing was restarting after lockdown.

“It was nothing major, but just the wrong timing,” said Aoife.

Tattersall’s new ride

GEMMA TATTERSALL took the red rosette in open intermediate section G on a new ride, Pru Dawes’s nine-year-old Flash Cooley. Pru has been taught by Gemma for many years and moved Flash Cooley to her yard for this season when his previous rider, Liz Halliday-Sharp, decided to base herself full-time in the US after some years of splitting her time between the two countries.

“Pru adores the horse and as she comes for training with me regularly, she now gets to see him all the time,” said Gemma. “Liz has done a fantastic job producing him so I feel very lucky to be able to pick him up and crack on.”

The pair were the only ones to break the 30 barrier in the dressage and finished on their first-phase score.

Gemma said: “We had a ‘getting to know each other event’ at Oasby and went slowly across country, but today he felt fab. He did a super dressage and went clear across country, so I thought, ‘Why not?’ I put my foot down and it was like he was on rails, he was so easy to ride.”

Gemma says she will not rush the “really talented” nine-year-old and plans to aim for Houghton’s three-star long and potentially an autumn four-star.

On form

ADVANCED sections B and C were both led from pillar-to-post by horses who had also won the week before at Oasby.

Laura Collett was a clear 8.2 penalties ahead in section B on last year’s Pau winner London 52, who belongs to Keith Scott, Karen Bartlett and his rider. He led the dressage on 20.4 and then had the fastest round of the section to finish just three seconds over the 5min 51sec optimum time.

“Both here and at Oasby, I’ve just gone out of the start and let him dictate what he wants to do – I was never really going to go fast, but he suits being forward,” said Laura. “He’s so adjustable, which makes him quite a quick horse, and he covers the ground and it was one of those courses that flowed really nicely.

“I thought if he was feeling good and happy, I’d let him bowl along a bit. The ground was really good and you never know when it’s going to turn, so I was just trying to utilise the nice going while we have it.”

It was a similar story in section C for Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, owned by Karyn Shuter, Val Ryan and Angela Hislop. They had a 24.1 dressage and 3.2 time-penalties.

“He’s unbelievable,” said Oliver. “There’s still more to come in the dressage – I wasn’t pressing all the buttons today, just having him relaxed and going through the motions. He was very comfortable and within himself across country and wouldn’t have blown out a candle at the end.”

Runner-up Piggy March was denied the win by a rail down in the showjumping on Brookfield Inocent, the only horse in the time in section C – no doubt helped by son Max’s cries of encouragement each time she passed his vantage point. She also took third in section B on Brookfield Quality.

Kitty King and Vendredi Biats – best of the Brits at the 2019 Europeans – were sandwiched between Laura and Piggy in section B, while Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On claimed the third podium spot in section C.

In the genes: a second generation home-bred ‘princess’

KIRSTY CHABERT won open intermediate section E on her own and The Daisy Chain’s Opposition Loire.

“She’s my princess – I’ve been excited about her for a long time,” said Kirsty. “Her biggest fault would be trying too hard.”

The 10-year-old mare is a home-bred by Kirsty’s father John Johnston’s Opposition Heracles, who they bred by their foundation stallion Fleetwater Opposition. Opposition Heracles evented at advanced level and died last December.

Having competed at four-star in 2019, Opposition Loire had a quieter season last year, with some novice runs and a three-star long at Bicton Arena in October.

“I took her up to four-star quite quickly, so I thought last year I would go back and polish things and have an educational year, rather than run her round big events when there wasn’t a big plan. The plan is for this year and next year,” said Kirsty, who will now aim for Bicton Arena four-star long – the Bramham replacement event in June.

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This report will also be available to read in next Thursday’s Horse & Hound magazine (8 April, 2021)

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Piggy March has been crowned British Eventing’s (BE) top rider for a second year running – as her ride Brookfield Inocent took the top horse title.

Piggy scored 808 BE points during the 2020 season, while Izzy Taylor was second on 574 and Tom McEwen third on 518.

This season Piggy has enjoyed 27 wins and a further 46 top-10 placings. Her achievements included winning the BE six-year-old championship at Osberton on Cooley Goodwood, the CCI4*-S at Little Downham International on Brookfield Quality and the CCI3*-S at Wellington International on Dargun.

The 11-year-old gelding Brookfield Inocent, owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry, clinched the 2020 BE top horse title on 286 points. London 52, the Pau-winning ride of Laura Collett, was second on 253 points, while Alexander Bragg’s ride Zagreb was third on 205.

“Brookfield Inocent secured some impressive results this season and only finished outside the top five once in nine 2020 runs,” said a BE spokesman.

His achievements included second place in the CCI4*-S at Little Downham International and Burgham International, and a second place at Pau CCI5*.

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Piggy said she was “absolutely delighted” to win the title and for Brookfield Inocent to be crowned top horse.

“Brookfield Inocent is a horse I have always had a lot of belief in so it was great he got the opportunity to show everyone what he can do at Pau at the end of the season,” she said. “He came back in from his holiday this week. Fingers crossed he has an exciting 2021 in store with even bigger and better things ahead.

“It’s been a horrible year for everyone but a massive thank you to my home team, owners, sponsors and supporters who have kept the ball rolling in difficult circumstances. It takes so much time and effort from so many people to make it all possible so I’m very proud to be able to give something back to them for all their hard work.”

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Find out what happened at the first trot-up at Pau Horse Trials this afternoon, as 48 horses were presented to the ground jury

One horse was held at the Pau Horse Trials first trot-up this afternoon (21 October) as the only five-star event of 2020 got underway.

Ringwood Sky Boy, one of three rides for New Zealand’s Tim Price, was sent to the holding box after his first appearance in front of the ground jury, but the 2018 Burghley winner passed on re-inspection.

Forty-eight horses representing 10 different nations were presented to the ground jury, consisting of New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie, Britain’s Nikki Herbert and France’s Xavier Le Sauce.

Barrichello, ridden by Ireland’s Cathal Daniels, was on the start list for the inspection, but was not presented.

There was a brief heart-stopping moment for Britain’s Izzy Taylor when Artful Trinity spooked at something on the left-hand side of the trot-up strip on the return leg and jumped to the right, but he continued without further incident and was passed by the ground jury without having to trot up again.

Pau Horse Trials first trot-up fashion

There are 23 British horses in the competition and their riders pulled out the stops in the fashion stakes.

Sarah Bullimore sported a red hat and boots to present Conpierre and the experienced Pau specialist Reve Du Rouet, while Piggy French wore a bright pink coat over a white top to bring forward last year’s Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-L winner Brookfield Inocent.

Yasmin Ingham’s grey checked jacket and black trousers also caught the eye as she showed the ground jury five-star first-timer Rehy DJ, as did Nicola Wilson’s turquoise jacket as she led up Bulana, the 2017 European individual bronze medallist.

Laura Collett put on a skirt with two rows of buttons and boots to trot up London 52 – judged the favourite by data analytics company EquiRatings, with a 14% chance of winning – and Mr Bass.

Five-star debutant Richard Coney, who presented Kananaskis and Mermus R Diamonds, kept the boys in the mix for the fashion prizes with his light three-piece suit, while Hector Payne also wore a three-piece suit. He rides Dynasty.

Some riders matched their compulsory mask to their ensemble, with another five-star debutant, Rosa Onslow, notable in her floaty pale green suit and green mask as she trotted up Diamond Sundance and RLE Limbo Kaiser. Oliver Townend paired his mask with a flat cap as he presented MHS King Joules.

A number of the British riders sported Union flag masks supplied by Chalkdown Riding for the Disabled Association in Staplehurst, Kent.

Pau Horse Trials dressage times

Two-thirds of the riders will perform their dressage tests tomorrow, with four blocks of horses running from 1.30pm French time (12.30pm British time). There are then two final sessions on Friday morning, beginning at 9am French time (8am British time).

The dressage times have been released and Tim Price kicks off the action tomorrow morning on the pathfinder Xavier Faer. He is also the last rider in the arena with Wesko. Ringwood Sky Boy – the horse who caught the ground jury’s attention today – starts at 4.24pm French time (3.24pm British time) on Thursday.

The first British rider to come under the ground jury’s scrutiny will be Alex Bragg on King Of The Mill, who follows Xavier Faer into the arena tomorrow morning. Alex also rides the more experienced Zagreb on Friday.

Pre-event favourite London 52 is in the final judging block, performing at 10.18am French time (9.18am British time) on Friday.

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Izzy Taylor’s promising ride sets the record straight, as the jumping phases prove influential across all classes at “Thoresberton”, writes Sue Polley

Osberton at Thoresby and Young Horse Championships, Notts, 7–11 October

Izzy Taylor and Hartacker protected their dressage score of 25.7 to win the 113-strong CCI3*-L at the penultimate British international of the season.

Camilla Behrens’ eight-year-old Hartacker, still only in his second year of eventing, has been knocking on the door in all his runs this season, so the Italian-bred son of Spartacus and Izzy were always going to be a force to be reckoned here.

A copybook performance across country saw the pair hold the advantage going into the showjumping, albeit with less than a fence between them and the chasing pack of the next 13.

In winning, Hartacker set the record straight after he was denied victory in the young horse class at Burnham Market by a run-out cross-country, having led the first two phases.

“He’s very sensitive and very much needs a security blanket around him, but he has a beautiful brain and wants to do everything right which is what makes him so lovely to work with,” said Izzy. “He’s so much stronger than he was 12 months ago and he finished well here in tough conditions, so I’m delighted.”

Piggy French piloted last year’s Osberton seven-year-old winner, Sportsfield Top Notch, into second place in his first CCI3*-L. The pair also kept a clean sheet and completed on their dressage score of 26.6. By Harlequin Du Carel, the Michael Hanrahan-bred gelding looked to have grown in confidence since last year’s win.

“He’s one of my favourite horses,” confessed Piggy. “He’s a lovely character and has got the limbs, scope and heart to be a five-star horse. He can have a pole here and there as he can still be quite suspicious of what he sees as scary-looking showjumps so I was delighted to go clear here.”

Third went to 2018 national pony champion Oliver Jackson and Viktor Krum on 28.5. They were slightly off the pace after dressage on 28.5 but, with no added penalties, the pair crept up the leaderboard at their first CCI3*-L.

The cross-country phase in this section got off to an eventful start with three out of the first four combinations incurring glance-offs at fence 10b, the middle corner element of the Investec Cubes. This three-part combination comprised a large white box to the corner, followed to another white box, all on a curving, slightly downhill line.

It proved to be the most influential complex on the track, with a total of 20 horses picking up jumping penalties. A further dozen blotted their copybooks at each of the pair of offset brushes at fences 13 and 14 and the arrowhead coming out of the water at fence 23.

Harry Meade had a fall at fence three with Merrywell Tradition and was dragged when his foot got caught in the stirrup, suffering repeated kicks to the head. He suffered lacerations and significant bruising to his shoulders, neck and face, as well as a suspected fracture to his jaw and a broken right arm, which was operated on on Monday.

Debut success

This was Thoresby Park’s inaugural British Eventing (BE) event. Its usual slot in the BE calendar will be the Spring Carnival, organiser Bede Events’ replacement for Belton Park, but the landowners kindly stepped in to host the classes scheduled to take place at Osberton as a “one-off” for 2020 after the latter closed its gates as a result of Covid-19.

“I was in two minds about running here this autumn,” confessed organiser and cross-country course-designer Stuart Buntine. “I didn’t want to damage the ground ahead of next year’s spring event, but the estate talked me into it and I’m glad they did.”

Indeed, the stunning venue received positive feedback from riders, as did Bede Events team’s heroic efforts to manage the ground in the two jumping phases following approximately 40mm of rain over the week leading up to the event. This included ongoing ground maintenance, shortening both the cross-country courses for the young horse classes and removing and relocating some portable fences on the CCI3*-L and CCI2*-L tracks when patches of ground became untenable.

“The loop didn’t feel natural”

The biggest talking point on the CCI2*-L cross-country track was the nine combinations who were eliminated for an error of course after missing out the 360-degree loop required to jump fences 11 and 12 after negotiating the Investec Cubes.

Instead they headed straight to the pair of influential brushes at 13ab which, in turn, also caught out several combinations who failed to get their line right to the b element.

“Turning left and almost circling inside yourself to jump 11 and 12, rather than heading straight on after jumping the Cubes didn’t feel like the natural thing to do,” commented Jamie-Lee Day, who came agonising close to winning the section but for rolling the final showjumping pole, which ultimately dropped her and Hanleem Didjeridoo down from first after cross-country to eventual third.

“When you’re in the zone and have just jumped a difficult combination and know you have another to come, you focus on what’s ahead of you and maybe that’s why so many riders forgot to complete the second loop.”

Fence 23, a skinny arrowhead coming out of the water, also proved to be the undoing of 15 combinations who suffered frustrating glance-offs when in sight of the finish.

Sian Davies-Cooke and the Dutch-bred Van Gogh son Intentie W ultimately won the section, posting a clear showjumping round as many of those above them faulted. The pair completed on 27.8, a hair’s breadth ahead of a delighted Serena Kullich and Cognac Des Iris on 28.1.

“I had a fair bit of luck in there,” admitted Sian after her showjumping round, “but I’m so pleased. My trainer Tuffy Tilley told me I had to win and it’s the perfect birthday present for his co-owner Jane Davies.”

Serena Kullich, 20, and her French-bred eight-year-old Cognac Des Iris also rose several places up the leaderboard as a result of their clear round. She now plans to target young riders and a CCI3*-L next season.

First-phase leaders Emily King and Imposant had an unfortunate fall on the flat after fence 19 on Saturday’s cross-country.

“Cheeky teenager” shows promise

William Fox-Pitt and Under Oath headed the dressage leaderboard in the British Eventing seven-year-old championship, which was run as a CCI3*-S, but five rolled showjumping poles dropped them out of contention and opened the door for Tom Jackson and the German-bred HH Moonwalk to take the win.

The pair added just 0.4 of a time-fault in the showjumping and two across the country to complete on 28.4.

“He’s a bit of cheeky teenager but he’s very consistent as he tries really hard,” admitted Tom. “He covers the ground well so I’m hoping he’s one for the future.”

Owned by May-Britt Wedd and JC and Lexi Hambro, “Olaf” has Holsteiner papers and is by Invento.

Surrey-based French rider Gaspard Maksud, moved up the ranks to second with Zaragoza II. The pair posted one of only seven fault-free showjumping rounds in the section and also added nothing across country to complete on their dressage score of 29.3. The seven-year-old mare was home-bred by owner Jane Young and her partner Martin Thurlow, by Cevin Z out of Jane’s mare Saracens Pride.

“Zaragoza’s a good jumper,” said Gaspard. “She’s good at shortening herself and is easy to turn so I can keep riding her to her fences, but she’s very hot so keeping her calm before the dressage is our biggest challenge.”

Piggy March and I Diablo Joe finished third on 30.9.

The British Eventing six-year-old championship at CCI2*-S was also won by Piggy and long-term owner Susie Wood’s Cooley Goodwood. The pair led from pillar to post, adding nothing to a smart dressage score of 24.6.

“He’s another one who makes my life easy,” confessed Piggy. “He’s a simple character, a nice mover and easy to work with, so fingers crossed for the future.”

Both Cooley Goodwood and Catherine Witt and Hayden Hankey’s runner-up, Heads Up, are by OBOS Quality 004. Heads Up completed on his dressage score of 27.1.

Another Cooley horse, this time one with German Holsteiner showjumping bloodlines via sire Clarion and damsire Calato Z, Cooley As Ice, took the final podium place on 31.3 under Bubby Upton.

Story behind the name

Geoffrey Burton unashamedly admits his KWPN gelding I Diablo Joe, third in the seven-year-old championship, is “the nicest, kindest, most loving animal and my best friend. I originally bred him for me to ride at unaffiliated events but Ginny and Will Turnbull, who broke him in, basically told me he was too good for that!”

He also explained the story behind Joe’s name: “I’d always wanted a horse called Diablo, which means devil in Spanish. However, this was around the time War Horse was out and my niece and nephew wanted to name him after Joey, so that’s where the Joe part comes from. Finally, the year I registered him all KWPN horses’ names had to start with ‘I’, so he became I Diablo Joe.”

Ref Horse & Hound; 15 October 2020

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Find out how the final day of action panned out in the CCI4*-L at Burnham Market – and why the runner-up’s preparation was so unusual…

Izzy Taylor achieved the enviable feat of adding nothing to her leading dressage score of 23.2 and winning the only long-format four-star event in Britain in 2020, Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market’s CCI4*-L, on Monkeying Around.

She put in an almost faultless showjumping round on her own and Mark Sartori’s nine-year-old, just giving the final part of the treble combination a little rattle.

“He jumped fabulously,” said Izzy with a smile. “He felt very confident, and it was nice to be sat on such a good jumper. He’s one that you can ride positively, as opposed to feeling as though you need to protect them.”

Italy’s Vittoria Panizzon and Chequers Play The Game rose from fifth after dressage to take second place, also finishing on their dressage score of 26.9. The 17-year-old, owned by Patricia and Amy Lambert, Flora Hurrell and Peter and Jan Price, has only once before showjumped clear at a CCI4*-L – when he and Vittoria won Tattersalls in 2017. This was his first run since Oasby in March, and only his second since finishing ninth in the CCI5* at Luhmühlen in 2018.

“This was a carefully thought-out plan and he is the only horse I would trust to do this with,” said Vittoria. “It has been a huge team effort to get him here; it was a bit of a gamble and I’m completely delighted it has all paid off.”

Sarah Bullimore finished third with the “15.2hh-ish” Corouet, whom she and her husband Brett bred and whom they own in conjunction with the Kew Jumping Syndicate. The nine-year-old chestnut, by Balou Du Rouet and out of Sarah’s CCI5* mare Lilly Corinne, jumped as though he was on springs and added nothing to his dressage score of 27.2.

Nicola Wilson and Bulana completed on their dressage mark of 27.6 for fourth, but she dropped to 10th on JL Dublin, second going into showjumping, with a rail down and 0.4 of a time-fault.

Tom Jackson took fifth place on the 13-year-old Billy Congo mare Billy Cuckoo, whom he described as “a little pocket rocket”, and were another pair not to mar their dressage of 28.4 with any further penalties.

Yasmin Ingham, winner of the eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S on Banzai Du Loir, topped off a great weekend with sixth and eighth places in this class on Sandman 7 and Rehy DJ, both of whom jumped impressive showjumping clears. Sandwiched in between those two horses was Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel, seventh and also clear.

In total there were 28 showjumping clears within the time from 59 starters in this phase, and a further 10 left the fences up but had a couple of time-faults. Twenty horses finished on their dressage scores.

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H&H brings you all you need to know ahead of the last day of four-star action at Burnham Market, including who withdrew their horses from the CCI4*-L before this morning’s trot-up...

All of the top contenders in the CCI4*-L at Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market – the only long-format four-star event on British soil in 2020 – will go forward to the showjumping phase after passing the final horse inspection on Sunday morning.

This is the first time that the Norfolk event has run a CCI4*-L, and the trot-up took place in front of hosts Alec and Emily Lochore’s stable yard with riders, officials and other attendees wearing facemasks.

Izzy Taylor’s CCI4*-L leader Monkeying Around, whom she owns with Mark Sartori, looked elegant and confident – with four very clean long white socks – as he trotted up well. He finished six seconds inside the time across country yesterday and will showjump in the leader’s position of last to go this afternoon.

Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin go into showjumping in second place, with Vittoria Panizzon and Chequers Play The Game in third. Sarah Bullimore’s diminutive home-bred Corouet is in fourth, ahead of Nicola’s second ride Bulana, with Oliver Townend and Tregilder in sixth.

The ground jury of Judy Hancock, Christina Klingspor and Tracey Trotter sent just one horse to the holding box for further inspection – Louise Harwood’s grey Balladeer Miller Man, who was passed after trotting up twice more.

The only withdrawals on Sunday morning ahead of the Burnham Market trot-up were Spring Revolution (Lucinda Atkins) and Sportsfield Adventure (Jessica Watts), both of whom were clear inside the time allowed across country on Saturday.

The CCI4*-S, which, having been presented as one section until this point in the competition, has now been split into its original classes, one for eight- and nine-year-old horses and one for older horses.

Izzy Taylor and Camilla Behrens’ Hartacker leads the young horse section ahead of Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir, while Oliver Townend and Cillnabradden Evo have 1.3 penalties in hand over Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro in the open class. Their cross-country takes place this morning, before the showjumping for the CCI4*-L.

The weather conditions all weekend have been sunny but with a stiff, drying breeze. The courses, which walked as firm when riders arrived on Wednesday, have been extensively worked on with ground machines to produce going on which the majority of riders were happy to run their horses competitively.

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The top British rider tops both CCI4* classes at Burnham Market – but which eventer thinks she has got a Paris 2024 Olympics prospect?

Izzy Taylor has two winning chances on Sunday at Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market. Not only does Monkeying Around lead the CCI4*-L class, but Camilla Behren’s lovely eight-year-old Hartacker showjumped clear in the CCI4*-S to remain in first place as well.

“I thought the showjumping was a tough track for eight-year-olds – a tough track anyway, but especially for an eight-year-old who only started competing last year,” said Izzy.

“He jumped a very good round, and it was accomplished – like he had being doing it all his life. He definitely wants to do everything right, which can have a slight negative effect because he tries so hard, but he’s a very exciting horse.”

Their score of 20.3 gives them two penalties over second-placed Yasmin Ingham and Sue Davies and Janette Chin’s Banzai Du Loir, who also showjumped clear.

“I love the bones of this horse,” enthused Yasmin. “He’s so talented in every phase – I hope he is a prospect for the 2024 Paris Olympics. I do a bit of showjumping in the winter and he jumps 1.30m tracks; I really enjoy my showjumping and it’s probably the phase I am most confident in.”

Banzair Du Loir was bought from France in May last year through Rachel Wakefield and Michael Wynne.

“Lockdown was probably really good for us; it would be easy to get overexcited and do too much with him,” said Yasmin. “He feels happy and confident and that’s how I want him to feel. He has a huge stride and is really quick, and we’ve worked very hard on the dressage.”

Sally-Anne Egginton’s Cillnabradden Evo and Oliver Townend were foot-perfect over the coloured poles, and remain on their dressage mark of 23.3 in third place, half a mark ahead of Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro, who added 0.8 of a time-fault to their dressage of 23.8.

Both Ros Canter (Lordships Graffalo) and Kitty King (Cristal Fontaine) increased their dressage scores by 0.4 of a time-penalty but didn’t touch a fence for fifth and six places.

Tom McEwen is seventh with a clear showjumping round on top of a dressage score of 26.8 with Bob Chaplin. Tom was in sixth place with his Pau CCI5* winner Toledo De Kerser, having showjumped clear, but he has withdrawn the Diamant De Semilly 13-year-old before tomorrow’s final cross-country phase.

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Find out how Izzy Taylor stayed in the lead in Britain’s only CCI4*-L of the 2020 eventing season – and who withdrew both her top-placed rides

Izzy Taylor maintained the lead she had established after dressage with a clear cross-country round on Monkeying Around in the CCI4*-L at Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market.

She came home six seconds under the time allowed of 10 minutes on her own and Mark Sartori’s nine-year-old, adding nothing to her dressage mark of 23.2. This gives her an advantage of 3.1 penalties over second-placed Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin going into showjumping.

Izzy, who is also in pole position in the CCI4*-S class, said: “He was very good – at the first proper combination in the main arena he was on it, and was good all the way from there. It didn’t feel like he completely read the final water complex and so we added a stride there to be safe, but he felt confident, had his ears pricked and enjoyed the job. I’m very pleased with how he coped today.”

Piggy March, second and third after dressage on Dargun and Fonbherna Lancer, withdrew them both, meaning that when Nicola Wilson went clear inside the time across country on Deidre Johnston and Jo and James Lambert’s JL Dublin, she took second place.

Nicola said: “JL Dublin is a young horse and this is his first long-format four-star. He’s quite a dude and I think a great deal of him. He had a very nice run round; when we turned for the last water he broke into trot – I think he thought he had finished – which took me a bit by surprise, but he has lots of power and lots of jump, so I thought, ‘ok, we’ll just hunt through this water’, which is what we did. The rest of the course was super and I loved the feel he gave me through the quarry.

“At the beginning of the week the team here said they would get the ground right by cross-country day, and I really think they did. It rode well with both my two horses and the same with both horses, and I think we should give credit where credit is due. I’m just pleased and grateful that we’ve got a run.”

Nicola is also in fifth with Bulana, and said: “Bulana is obviously experienced at this level, but with me being injured last year and not doing very much, it was just fantastic to do a long-format event and have a lovely run round a course like this. I was delighted with her; she gave me a lovely feel from start to finish.”

Vittoria Panizzon lies in third place with Flora Hurrell, Patricia and Amy Lambert and Peter and Jan Price’s Chequers Play The Game, for whom this was a first run since Oasby in March – and only his second since finishing ninth in the CCI5* at Luhmuhlen in 2018.

“This was a carefully thought-out plan and the only horse I’d trust to do this with,” said Vittoria, who also finished on her dressage score of 26.9. “He’s probably my favourite horse to ride across country – I did it nearly all by using my voice – and he was a complete star.”

Sarah Bullimore and the little home-bred Corouet are fourth, and again added nothing to their dressage mark of 27.2.

Sarah said: “He was amazing – he really made it feel so easy and was foot-perfect all the way. I was up on my minute-markers all the way round and he came back full of running and ready to go again. The ground actually felt good and it didn’t feel like he was hammering it at any stage.”

Oliver Townend survived a hairy moment at fence 10 when Tregilder skewed in the air and nearly unshipped his jockey, but the pair put that behind them to complete Alec Lochore’s course on their dressage mark of 28.3 for sixth place at this stage. Tom Jackson and Billy Cuckoo lie seventh, with Yasmin Ingham (Sandman 7) and Bubby Upton (Cola III) in eighth and ninth. Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel round out the top 10 going into showjumping.

In total 36 horses from the 80 who started the cross-country made the time, and there were 59 jumping clears.

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One rider dominates the dressage in both CCI4* classes at Burnham Market. Find out who – and why wanting to do it right is sometimes the CCI4*-S leader’s downfall

Britain’s Izzy Taylor holds pole position in both of Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market’s CCI4* classes after dressage – as well as topping the CCI4*-L with Monkeying Around, she is in first place in the CCI4*-S on Camilla Behrens’ Hartacker.

Eight-year-old Hartacker, bred in Italy and by Spartacus, scored a Burnham Market record dressage mark of 20.3 at his first four-star competition.

“He was beautiful,” said Izzy with a smile. “He’s got a lovely brain, is very trainable and desperately wants to do it right, which is his downfall in some ways because he tries too hard. But he was 100% with me every stride of the way.”

Yasmin Ingham shot into second place with a polished, impressive test on Sue Davies and Janette Chin’s nine-year-old French-bred Banzai Du Loir with 22.3.

Sweden’s Therese Viklund also scored 22.3 for joint-second place with Diabolique, a 12-year-old German mare by Hoftanz.

Oliver Townend and Sally-Anne Egginton’s Cillnabradden Evo are known for their prowess in this phase, having scored a stunning 19.7 at Badminton in 2019. Here they achieved 23.3 for fourth place, 0.4 of a penalty ahead of top-level stalwarts Sarah Bullimore and Reve Du Rouet.

China’s Alex Hua Tian and his 2016 Rio Olympics ride Don Geniro took sixth a fraction of a mark behind on 23.8. Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo are seventh on 24.5, while Kitty King (Cristal Fontaine) and Tom McEwen (Toledo De Kerser) both scored 25.7.

Half of this CCI4*-S class – into which the eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S transferred from Blenheim has been enfolded – showjumped on Friday afternoon (18 September), while the remaining half will jump on Saturday morning before the CCI4*-L cross-country starts. Tom McEwen, first into the arena on his 2018 World Equestrian Games team gold medallist and Pau CCI5* winner Toledo De Kerser, set the standard with a faultless clear round.

Izzy and Hartacker jumped clear to maintain their dressage lead going into Sunday’s cross-country, as did Oliver and the 14-year-old Cillnabradden Evo. Banzai Du Loir and Diabolique are yet to jump, while Reve Du Rouet rolled one pole and Don Geniro was clear but collected 0.8 of a time-fault. Lordships Graffalo picked up 0.4 of a time-fault.

Organiser and course-designer Alec Lochore and his team are working hard on the cross-country ground, which was firm when the riders arrived on Wednesday. He reiterated that the ground machines produce the greatest effect when used as close to the time of competition as possible.

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Find out who is at the head of affairs after dressage at Burnham Market today - and whose new rides are close behind

Izzy Taylor is in the lead at the close of the dressage today (18 September) in the CCI4*-L at Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market, Norfolk with a score of 23.3 on her own and Mark Sartori’s Monkeying Around.

The nine-year-old Bertoli gelding, winner of the six-year-old World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers in 2017, excels in this phase and produced a very attractive, accurate test.

“He was fabulous,” said Izzy. “We know he’s good on the flat, but there is always more to come. Because he’s done quite a lot, it’s easy to forget he’s only nine.”

Competition at Britain’s only long-format four-star event in 2020 is hot; Piggy French is in second and third place on two rides that are new to her this year, Dargun and Fonbherna Lancer. Dargun, owned by Jane del Missier, was formerly ridden by Emily King and appears to have quickly formed a partnership with his new jockey, with whom he scored 26.2 at Burnham Market.

“He was really cute,” said Piggy. “I thought he clicked in, was relaxed and expressive and put in a ‘clear round’, so I did wonder whether he would get a few more marks than he did.”

The Lancer Stud’s striking grey Fonbherna Lancer, winner of the CCI4*-S at Millstreet last year when with Izzy Taylor, also received a mark of 26.2.

“He’s obviously beautiful and very eye-catching,” said Piggy. “His brain was really with me and he tried hard. I’m still learning so much about him from every run; it’s only at competitions that I can figure out things I can improve or do differently.”

JL Dublin, owned by Deidre Johnston and Jo and James Lambert, delivered his rider Nicola Wilson a smart, solid performance for 26.3 and fourth place at his first CCI4*-L, with Italy’s Vittoria Panizzon in fifth with 26.9 aboard Chequers Play The Game, her ride at the 2017 Strzegom European Championships.

Sarah Bullimore is in sixth on Corouet (27.2), while Nicola Wilson and Bulana – the pre-competition favourites with Irish statistics company EquiRatings – are seventh with 27.3, just 0.3 of a penalty ahead of William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht.

The Burnham Market organising team have reconfigured the cross-country course to allow for the additional distance required for the venue’s first CCI4*-L, and the track runs from the dressage field downhill through the main arena before heading back up on to the usual hill around which Burnham Market’s courses are normally centred.

The long-format cross-country starts at 11.45am after the CCI4*-S showjumping has concluded.

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The first international fixture of the re-started eventing season took place at Burgham last week — and the big boys and girls came out to play (read ). The AW Jenkinson CCI4*-S sections were full of top horses, including the winners, former Burghley victor Ballaghmor Class under Oliver Townend (section L) and world champions Ros Canter and Allstar B (section M).

H&H Plus members can read our full Burgham International Horse Trials report online now, or if you are not a subscriber, then pick up your copy of the magazine in your local stockist on Thursday 27 August.

Here, we bring you our favourite photos from these action-packed Burgham 2020 four-star sections…

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Pictures by Kingfisher Media Services

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With the Event Rider Masters first leg of 2019, plus two other CCI4*-S sections, the Dodson & Horrell Chatsworth Horse Trials last year provided numerous opportunities to see top horses and riders in action — here we take a trip down memory lane to make up for having to miss this year’s event, which should have taken place last weekend...

The 2014 Badminton winners, Australia’s Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh — owned by Dinah and Posford, Jules Carter and Sam — enjoyed a good warm-up for Luhmühlen with 11th place in section C.

A spin for Lauren Blades and Shelagh Morley’s home-bred Jemilla, who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics under Mark Kyle.

Yasmin Ingham puts in a clear cross-country on Sandman 7, owned by Janette Chinn, Edwin and Sue Davies. Sandman 7 was a team silver medalist at the 2015 European Championships with former rider Pippa Funnell.

Top amateur rider Sharon Polding and her mare Findonfirecracker prepare for Luhmühlen with a double jumping clear.

Charlotte Bacon and Lucinda Froggatt’s Last Touch are also heading to the CCI5* (previously CCI4*) at Luhmühlen. They put in a steady clear across country at Chatsworth.

Izzy Taylor and her own Monkeying Around, the former world six-year-old champion who is just stepping up to four-star level.

Becky Woolven prepares Julie Record’s DHI Babette K for Luhmühlen with a cross-country jumping clear.

Bill Levett and his own and Clare Prentice’s Shannondale Titan contest the Event Rider Masters, finishing 16th after falling foul of the 15-penalty flag rule. This pair are stalwarts of the Event Rider Masters series, with seven top-12 places since its inception in 2016.

Last year’s Blenheim winners, Bella Innes Ker and her mother the Duchess Of Roxburghe’s Carolyn, land ninth in the Event Rider Masters.

Rising star Springpower, who belongs to Linda Mars, Jeremy and Andrea Brereton, bounces back from being retired on course at Badminton with an Event Rider Masters 10th place under Izzy Taylor.

Germany’s Julia Krajewski looks to have a new star in Amande De B’Neville, who took fourth in the Event Rider Masters.

Flora Harris and her mother Caroline and Susan Nicholls’ Amazing VIII — a former runner-up in the CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) at Blair Castle — take a spin round the Event Rider Master to finish 13th.

Pictures by Jon Stroud Media

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Izzy Taylor has taken a commanding lead after the first phase in the CCI4*-L at the SsangYong Blenheim Palace Horse Trials.

Izzy and the rising star Monkeying Around performed an expressive test to spring into the lead on a score of 22.7 — an international personal best for the eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding.

“I’m very happy,” said Izzy, who co-owns the son of Bertoli with Mark Sartori.

“I’ve had him since he was a four-year-old and it makes a massive difference when you can have them in your system from the word go. He is a beautiful horse and I’m very proud to have him.

“Blenheim is only 10 minutes from home for me, which is lovely. It means my children can come and watch, which makes it special and it is the most beautiful setting.”

The combination command a 2.7 penalty lead over Piggy French and Brookfield Inocent, who have risen to second following the withdrawal of first-day dressage leaders Will Rawlin and V.I.P Vinnie.

Will, who scored 24.2 in Thursday’s afternoon session — a huge personal best at this level for the German-bred gelding, said he was “gutted” to withdraw, but the horse is feeling “a little under par”.

“I can’t take the risk of running him and something happening,” he said. “As a team we are thinking long term and I am just glad it isn’t anything serious.”

Piggy said the horse is “so exciting for the future”.

“I’m just over the moon that he went in there and stayed with me,” she said, adding he can be spooky and has a particular aversion to flowerpots.

“There’s a couple of bits I think I could have done better, but overall, I’m delighted.”

The Northamptonshire-based rider has two horses inside the top-20, with today’s ride Castletown Clover performing his first sub-30 test to slot into equal 19th.

“He is such a lovely little horse, we call him out pet,” she said. “Every time I ride him, all he wants to do is try his best. The fact he has done that, his owners will now be sat in the sunshine having a wonderful time. Sometimes this is what it is all about — giving as much fun to other people as we have ourselves.”

Kazuma Tomoto, who burst onto the eventing scene when he finished second in the eight- and nine-year-olds here in 2017 aboard Brookpark Vikenti, is lying third with the 11-year-old gelding.

“It was a bit of a shame about both halts, but I’m very happy,” said Kazuma. “We went to Luhmühlen, but it wasn’t good, so we made a plan for Blenheim.”

The horse’s canter was a highlight in the consistent test, which was trending around 7.5 to 8.5 for the majority of the movement, with the flying changes a particular high point.

Australia’s Kevin McNab is just 0.1 penalty behind Kazuma with Scuderia 1918 A Best Friend, with Willa Newton and Moonlight Dance S in fifth overnight on 26.1.

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Burghley 2019 winner Pippa Funnell is in sixth and 19th with Billy The Biz (26.3) and Billy Walk On (28.2) respectively. Less than two penalties separate her two rides, which shows how close the competition is.

Emily King (Dargun) and British-based French rider Constance Copestake (El Kolibri) are lying equal eighth on 27.1, with Bruce Davidson JR and Carlevo completing the top-10 on a score of 27.2.

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The cross-country times for tomorrow’s action (Saturday, 7 September) at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials have been released.

Tim Price, the only rider with three horses, is first out of the start box on Numero Uno Syndicate’s Bango, at 11.15am.

Tim also sets off at 1.27pm on Xavier Fair (who belongs to Trisha Rickards, Nigella Hall and Tim) and is the last rider on course with defending champion Ringwood Sky Boy, who is owned by his rider, Varenna Allen and Robert Taylor, at 3.39pm.

The riders set out around Mark Phillips’ track at four-minute intervals.

Full list of times

Dressage leader Pippa Funnell heads out at 3.23pm with Jonathan and Jane Clarke’s MGH Grafton Street.

Oliver Townend sits second overnight and he is the penultimate rider to step up to the challenge tomorrow, at 3.35pm. His ride is Ballaghmor Class — with whom he won here in 2017 — who belongs to Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan.

The final hour of the day will be action packed as third-placed Izzy Taylor is just before Oliver, at 3.31pm, with Springpower, who is owned by Angela and Jeremy Brereton and Linda Mars.

H&H’s first-timer blogger Julia Norman sets out at 1.23pm with Diana Wethered’s Carryon Bobby Boy. Will Furlong will be the first of the British debutants to take on the course, starting as the sixth rider out at 11.39am with his former Bramham under-25 champion, the syndicate-owned Collien P2.

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Pippa Funnell leads after the dressage at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials after an excellent test this afternoon (Friday, 6 September).

Pippa scored 22.8 on Jane and Jonathan Clarke’s MGH Grafton Street, who is contesting his first five-star.

“It’s a personal best for him — he’s always been well marked because he’s pleasing to the eye, but I felt when riding him he wasn’t going as well as the judges were marking him, which is a nice way round, of course,” said Pippa. “Today I felt like he was more through his whole body and back.”

Please wait for the video interview below to load…

Pippa heads an all-British top-three, with Oliver Townend sitting second on 2017 Burghley winner Ballaghmor Class with 25.3 and Izzy Taylor third on the rising star Springpower, just 0.3 of a penalty behind.

Oliver said: “He’s a high-class horse and it’s lovely to have a horse of his calibre at these events. He’s becoming more and more established and getting very relaxed in there.”

Oliver said he has only walked the course once so far as he’s been suffering from problems with his back.

“I did something on Tuesday that’s stopped me riding pretty much all week, so that’s been a bit tricky but we’re still here,” he said.

Izzy said she was “very pleased” with her test.

“He’s still green at this level,” she said. “He’s only 10 and Friday afternoon at Badminton went to his head so we had a bit of homework to do. The cameras are close in there and he got a bit tense. There’s still masses more to come.”

US rider Lauren Kieffer took the lead in the first session after lunch on 26.7, despite having to ride in a heavy rain shower with Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus. She now sits fourth at the close of this phase.

“I’m thrilled with him. He hates the rain and when it started coming down when I was warming up he was trying to turn his butt to it, so I went in thinking I might just be surviving,” she said. “He didn’t do anything super flamboyant, but he’s got stronger in the past six weeks and he just kept being super consistent.”

Please wait for the video interview below to load…

Hannah-Sue Burnett (equal fifth on Harbour Pilot) and Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp (equal seventh on Deniro Z) also hold top-10 places for the US, with Piggy French and Vanir Kamira sitting alongside Hannah-Sue in equal fifth. New Zealand’s Jonelle Price had the same score as Elisabeth to join her in seventh place with Faerie Dianimo.

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Yesterday’s leader Eliza Stoddart (Priorspark Opposition Free) is now equal ninth with last year’s winners, Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy.

Check back for more reports on Burghley throughout the weekend. Full report from Burghley in next week’s Horse & Hound magazine (issue dated 12 September), including exclusive comments from Harry Meade and ground jury president Nick Burton. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now