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‘I needed help to get out of bed’ – Tim Price’s story of riding through Kentucky and Badminton with a broken collarbone

Pippa Roome — Sun, 31 May 2026 15:05:29 +0000

“It was proper throw up sort of material… on the Sunday morning of Kentucky, I needed help to get out of bed,” says Tim Price as he describes the pain of pushing through riding at two five-stars this spring with a broken collarbone.

The accident happened on the Saturday before Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event week, when Tim was competing four four-star horses at Oudkarspel in the Netherlands, with the intention of giving them a little warm-up run before he headed away for a couple of weeks.

“I was coming back from buying some studs, just before I was about to hop on my first horse for cross-country,” says Tim, who discussed what happened on the current episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, sponsored by Leader Equine.

“I was biking back in all of my cross-country kit and the bag of studs was hanging on my handlebars. It swung out and caught around one of those temporary fences and just yanked the handlebars to the left.”

Badminton final scores

Tim continues: “The bike and I went down very quickly onto my right shoulder and I knew straight away, rolling around on the ground, crunch, crunch, and a lot of pain – and I could not believe what just happened.

“I do some silly things to hurt myself, not always off a horse, just some silly moments – perhaps when I was a bit younger – but this was just a total accident and a very untimely one.”

Tim’s two rides for Kentucky, Global Quest and Vitali, had landed in the USA 24 hours earlier.

“You have so many quids in when you’ve got horses in America, I just felt like I needed to do what I could do to get there,” says Tim.

“That involved sweet talking the local hospital to get me into surgery that Saturday night, to get a plate or two put in my clavicle to give it some strength. He was a really, really switched-on surgeon who understood what I was trying to achieve when I told him that I need to get on a plane the next day – which actually became the day after to give a bit of time after surgery.”

Tim was halfway round the Kentucky cross-country course on his first horse Global Quest, at Pete’s Hollow (fence14abc) at the top of the course, when the fix to his collarbone came apart.

“It was quite a moment on the course when it did happen – it was a fantastic sparkling sensation of pain,” says Tim.

Somehow, Tim managed to get home on Global Question, pilot Vitali round the cross-country clear with a few time-faults and showjump both horses on Sunday “basically with a broken collarbone because the two plates were rattling in there and so were the bones”.

He says: “It’s not something I ever want to repeat, that kind of feeling. I know childbirth is a very difficult thing for women but I reckon this is possibly up there in the pain department.

“It was terrible. It was a little bit mind over matter. It all happened so quick – the injury and then getting to America and then getting on with it. I just tried to tough it out – there’s only a certain amount of painkillers you can take through a competition, of course, and I just wanted to be normal, whereas by Sunday I wasn’t normal anymore.

“I had to be very soft in my contact and both horses showjumped clear, including Vitali’s first ever showjumping clear at five-star level, so that was interesting – there were some learnings to take away from it.”

Tim Price: a second collarbone surgery

Tim returned to the UK after Kentucky, but ended up going back to the same surgeon in the Netherlands for his second operation.

“It was a bit hard to convince the NHS to put me back on the road with the purpose of going to another big event so I went back to the guy that was already invested,” he says.

“We swapped WhatsApp numbers and he stayed in touch with me out in the US and I told him, ‘Look, I think it’s falling apart’, and he said, ‘Well, I can fit you in for surgery on Monday of Badminton week.’

“So off I trundle back over there, and he took those two plates out and had been conjuring up another plan – fortunately he’s a man for whom the more complex the surgery, the better and so he revelled in the challenge.

“He put me in a different plate set-up with a wire that pulls the plate down. It sounds all a bit funky in there and I can’t wait to get it out one day when it’s all healed.”

Tim Price and Falco on the way to second at Badminton 2026. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Tim rode “another very old friend”, Falco, at Mars Badminton Horse Trials and said he “tippy toed” into the week, prepared to withdraw if it wasn’t possible and riding with his weakened shoulder front of mind this time.

“I cross-country schooled him before I went for the surgery, which wasn’t so comfortable, but I went and I rode him softly in the rein, just asking him, ‘Are you okay with this kind of feeling?’ And he seemed to be really good and he filled me with a lot of confidence that this was the right thing for him, so then we just needed to work out if it was the right thing for me.”

Wearing a good supporting vest to keep his shoulder in position, Tim managed to ride through Badminton week, keeping his shoulder plate in place, and finished second.

Hear more about what led to Vitali’s incredible showjumping clear and find out all about Badminton runner-up Falco losing his top front teeth on episode 177 of The Horse & Hound Podcast.

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The Horse & Hound Podcast 177 with top eventer Tim Price: ‘I’ve done some silly things to hurt myself…’

Carol Phillips — Thu, 28 May 2026 07:32:27 +0000

In this episode of the Horse & Hound podcast, which is sponsored by Leader Equine, six-time five-star winner Tim Price talks to H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome about his success at Mars Badminton and Defender Kentucky – and the significant injury that nearly put paid to both events

Episode 177 of our popular audio service The Horse & Hound Podcast, which is sponsored this month by Leader Equine, is now live and features New Zealand eventer and current world number two in the FEI eventing rankings, Tim Price.

Each episode is available for H&H fans to listen to via your favourite podcast app, as well as here on the website. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode.

View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

On this episode, H&H’s eventing editor Pippa Roome caught up with Tim to talk about his recent success at Mars Badminton and Defender Kentucky, despite breaking his collarbone falling off a bike at an event in the Netherlands just a few days before the US five-star.

“I was biking back to ride my first horse on the cross-country after buying some studs, which were hanging from the handlebars, when the bag got caught on the temporary fencing. It yanked the handlebars to the left and yanked my hands to the left and I went down very quickly on to my right shoulder – I knew straight away, rolling around on the ground… crunch, crunch and a lot of pain. I could not believe what had just happened” – Tim outlines how he broke his collarbone, but that’s just the start of this incredible story…

Tim goes on to explain why he ended up needing separate surgeries on the injury either side of Kentucky, what it felt like riding through the pain when the plates came loose during his first cross-country round at the US five-star, and the positive learnings he’s has taken away from the injury. (Spoiler: it’s not to avoid riding bikes!)

Among other topics, Pippa and Tim chat about Vitali’s ninth top-10 five-star finish, including his first showjumping clear at the level in Kentucky. They also talk about why Tim’s Badminton 2026 runner-up, Falco, has had his upper front teeth removed, and whether he needs any special management as a result.

Whether you’re an avid eventing fan or not, there is so much to enjoy listening to in this podcast. We love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com

Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 177

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Horse who survived surgery and losing his front teeth claims second at Badminton Horse Trials with his injured rider

Pippa Roome — Sun, 10 May 2026 15:54:49 +0000

Tim Price secured second in the Mars Badminton Horse Trials showjumping today, his faultless round allowing him and Falco to rise from equal fifth overnight. It was a result with echoes of history because Falco’s owner Sue Benson was also the runner-up here, in 1979.

Showjumping clears were not easy to come by today at Badminton, but Tim Price and Falco showed their prowess in this phase to move up and take the runner-up spot behind history-makers Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo.

“I’ve always said it – when he was making mistakes [across country] at two- and three-star level, the thing I was desperate to get to was a Sunday at a long-format event, a significant one,” said Tim of the horse who was a Badminton first-timer this week, but who has significant experience at the top level.

“I’ve had a few of those Sundays now. We take all the horses for their qualities and every horse has their issues, but one of them is not showjumping for him, so it’s good fun.”

Badminton final scores

This was Tim’s best Badminton result and his second podium finish here after third on Xavier Faer in 2017 – and it came despite the fact he was riding injured, having broken his collarbone falling off a bike three weeks ago.

Tim was at an event in the Netherlands when the accident occurred. He was carrying a stud bag over his shoulder, which got caught on a gate and pulled him off the bike – “just as my horses were landing in the US for Kentucky,” said Tim today.

He went on to ride two horses at Kentucky Three-Day Event successfully, but said he has been more comfortable this week at Badminton, having had a second operation, as well as having the benefit of more time mentally “to compartmentalise it”.

At 17, Falco has already won Pau Horse Trials, been second at Maryland 5 Star, claimed double world bronze and landed sixth at the Paris Olympics.

He is a true servant to the sport and something of a warhorse. The son of Cardenio 2 has returned to top-level competition after having surgery to remove a tumour in October 2023 and disease meant he had his front teeth removed at the start of this year.

How to watch and listen to Badminton Horse Trials

To watch Badminton Horse Trials live or via catch up, including the trot-ups, from the comfort of your home anywhere in the world, you need a 2026 Badminton TV Pass. Badminton TV is once again powered by ClipMyHorse.TV, but you do not need a full ClipMyHorse.TV subscription to watch – you can just subscribe to Badminton TV for £22.99. Go to badminton-horse.tv to sign up. If you are already a ClipMyHorse.TV premium member, Badminton TV is included in your subscription. Also check out the Badminton app, which provides free live results and much more this year. Sign up for Badminton Plus membership for £4.99 to access the live Radio Badminton broadcast and receive exclusive offers from on-site exhibitors. Search for Badminton Horse Trials in your app store.

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‘He’s a learner with real presence’: smart five-star first-timer takes Kentucky dressage lead

Pippa Roome — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:32:54 +0000

Will Coleman has taken top spot after the first day of Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage, riding Diabolo.

The home side rider scored 27.3 with the syndicate-owned 14-year-old, who won the CCI4*-S here in 2024 and is tackling his first five-star. Will had a two-point deduction on his score for halting in the wrong place at the end of his test.

“Diabolo is a learner – he really likes to be taught things and has a real conscience about everything that he does,” said Will, who acquired the horse in 2023 from the Tinney family in Australia.

“He really wants to be a good boy, but there’s a little bit of anxiety because of that. So it’s really teaching him to have confidence in himself and have confidence in what we’re asking him to do. I think now he’s starting to get that and he has a real presence about him, an energy that I think is pretty cool.”

Will Coleman admitted after his Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage test that the horse became a little excited and he didn’t feel he was totally with him in his final warm-up, but said he focused in the arena.

He said: “He did his job as best he could. There’s little things I’d love to clean up, but I can’t be anything but proud of him. I just really, really adore this horse.”

Phillip Dutton sits second on 28.1 with the syndicate-owned Possante, whose test was marred only by a spook early on. The 13-year-old was previously called Imposant and produced by Emily King.

“We struggled a little bit when I first got him,” Phillip admitted. “I’ve had him for quite a few years now and it’s starting to come together.

“He’s a kind horse, he wants to do the right thing and he’s not trying to get out of things. It’s just that he’s a bit bigger and it’s taken a while to get him quicker footed and secure in what he does.”

US Olympian Phillip added that Possante is very horse shy, saying: “I’ve now figured out it’s just a case of trying to keep him on his own and not letting him get wound up with the other horses coming at him.

“They’ve all got their quirks and, especially once you get to this level, you’ve got to try to work around those to get the best out of them.”

New Zealand’s Tim Price holds third, having punched in the first sub-30 dressage test today on Lance and Diana Morrish’s Global Quest, a horse he said he rides in honour of his former rider, the late Georgie Campbell.

“He’s not God’s gift to dressage – he’s quite a big horse and he finds it all quite difficult, but he was relaxed and giving as much of himself as he could,” said Tim.

“The naturally big, flamboyant horses can be on mud, they can be on grass, but ones that are really working at their maximum in terms of the movements and pushing through their bodies in the right way [really benefit from the fact] we’ve got such consistent surfaces all the way through to the main ring here.”

Tim added that the break the horses have with the journey and quarantine – they left the UK last Wednesday, arrive at the Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday evening and do gentle work to ease back in on Sunday and Monday – also freshens the horses’ bodies up, “especially for a horse like him because physically he has to work really hard”.

Two Brits in top six

Harry Meade sits fourth with Superstition, while fellow Brit David Doel is in sixth on 30.8 with Galileo Nieuwmoed, owned by his rider, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas.

“I’m absolutely stoked,” said David. “We just had one small blip going up the centreline towards the end when he put in some lovely tempi changes, which was costly, but the rest was one of his nicest tests.

“We’ve not probably worked him quite as hard as sometimes – we’ve done a little bit more jumping, a bit more canter work, especially this week.

“We came here three years ago and I think I tightened up when I went in there for the dressage and and he tightened up as well. We really made sure that we stayed nice and loose and relaxed.

“I’ve got Nick Turner out here, my trainer, and had a little bit of help from British performance manager Dickie Waygood as well and that worked really well today.”

The third British horse to perform today, Ruth McMullen and Mary Harris’s Plot Twist B, shares the bottom of the leaderboard with New Zealand’s Sophia Hill and Humble Glory on a score of 37.1, but rider Tom Jackson said he was pleased with how this tense horse coped.

“He’s an incredibly spooky, nervy horse, so for him in there is utterly terrifying. So for him to stay as with me as he did, even with a couple of spooks, was generally quite pleasing,” said Tom.

“We’ve just tried to acclimatise him to this whole area as much as possible in a really chilled out way over the past few days and I think on the whole, it’s worked.

“There’s still room for lots of improvements. He’s only 11 and hopefully we can keep building on that and get him more confident in those environments, because he’s more than capable.”

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‘A joy to ride such a talented animal’: Tim Price lands Pau five-star on outstanding Jarillo, after topsy-turvy showjumping phase; and a Brit is runner-up

Martha Terry — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 17:09:29 +0000

Tim Price emerged the winner of Pau Horse Trials 2025, with outstanding performances in all three phases on Jarillo. Fourth after dressage, the New Zealander moved up to second ahead of showjumping with a fast cross-country clear. His showjumping clear inside the time put pressure on the leaders Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro, who rolled a pole four fences from the finish.

One rail dropped Sarah to fifth, while clears from Tom Jackson (Plot Twist B) and Boyd Martin (Cooley Nutcracker) moved them up to the podium, in second and third respectively.

“Jarillo’s always been classy, but he’s sensitive and bringing out the best in him is what I’ve always wanted to do,” said Tim, logging his sixth victory at this level. “He’s just shown his class and more. It’s all about confidence with him. Horses like him look easy, and good, but if you give them a wrong distance, they don’t like it. He is a great horse and I’m just lucky to ride him, to have the joy of sitting there, just keeping my leg on and my heels down!”

This flashy 11-year-old, owned by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead and James and Rachel Good, really came of age at this his third five-star, and is one to watch ahead of the World Championships next year.

Plot Twist B – owned by Mary Harris and Ruth McMullen – moved stealthily through the field after lying 31st after dressage. One of the six clears inside the time on cross-country day, he finished on his dressage of 33.2 – the only horse to post a clean sheet.

“He isn’t the easiest on the flat, but he is a very good jumper and has produced what we knew he was capable of,” said Tom. “He is a big worrier, but sometimes it suits him jumping on the last day because he’s a bit more level-headed.

“I’ve really had to get inside his head to be able to ride him, but he’s still improving.”

Runners-up Tom Jackson and Plot Twist B. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Boyd Martin was impressed with Cooley Nutcracker’s all-round performance, moving up from 10th to third on the final day. This is the pair’s first five-star together after Boyd took over the ride from Liz Halliday while she is injured.

“He is magnificent,” said the American, paying tribute to Liz’s production of Nutcracker, her 2024 Olympic ride. “I came to this weekend not knowing what to expect and was blown away by him in all three phases. He just catapulted himself into the air and flew around the course today.

“He’s unbelievable and I’m just thrilled for all of Liz’s connections. Liz was on the phone just now cheering him on – it was very emotional.”

Pau Horse Trials winner: Jarillo’s route to the trophy

The showjumping was always going to be a nail-biter – whether Yann Royant’s track was influential or not, as just one rail covered the top nine. Sarah Bullimore’s scintillating cross-country round with Corimiro had propelled her up from 11th to the top spot overnight.

“It was a tough, challenging course with a tight time, and the stage was set for good jumpers, but also good riders in the heat of the moment,” Tim said. “It’s always big here, but it was particularly big and long. The oxer at 13 was probably as big as we event riders see. But my horse is just such a talented animal.”

Although Bubby Upton’s ride Cannavaro, the second-placed horse after cross-country, was withdrawn from the hold box at the final horse inspection, Sarah still had little breathing space. The brilliant jumper Jarillo was within 0.9 of a penalty, and the two Frenchmen Benjamin Massie (Filao De Perle) and Astier Nicolas (Dirty Old Town) were lurking just 1.2 marks away.

But clear rounds were hard to come by. There were only six inside the time from 39 competitors.

Tim’s day started ominously when his first ride Global Quest, in 20th place but jumping first due to Tim having to fit in three rounds, broke a pole at fence two and later stopped – although he went on to complete. But Jarillo has only had two rails down cumulatively in his entire international career, and he never looked liked faulting.

“Global Quest’s round did rattle me,” admitted Tim, who also finished fourth with Happy Boy, another double clear. “I was actually damaged goods out there and didn’t get going well in the warm-up with Happy, but I’ve known him since he was four, and when I galloped down to number one, everything just felt right again.”

The French riders both entered the arena to slow hand-clapping from an adoring home crowd, but couldn’t give their fans the result they wanted. They lowered a pole apiece, which relegated Benjamin to seventh and Astier to eighth.

Chief beneficiary of was Alex Hua Tian, who produced a delightful clear round in the time on the ultimate trier Chicko for sixth.

“He’s so unassuming, like a posh hunter – always chirpy and happy,” said Alex. “I thought last year’s showjumping was big, this felt like it was a hole bigger.”

Last to go, Corimiro was foot-perfect until just tapping the upright at fence nine.

“He’s still awesome and he’s only nine and he’ll put himself in that position again,” said Sarah. “I probably needed to sit up a stride or two earlier and say whoa, but he said, ‘no Mum, I can do it’.”

Pau Horse Trials winner and top 10

Tim Price and Jarillo: 30
Tom Jackson and Plot Twist B: 33.2
Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker: 33.9
Tim Price and Happy Boy: 34.3
Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro: 34.4
Alex Hua Tian and Chicko: 34.5
Benjamin Massie and Filao De Perle: 35.2
Astier Nicolas and Dirty Old Town: 35.2
David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed: 37.2
Jonelle Price and Senor Crocodillo: 39.2
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‘He said, “hold my beer Mum, I’ve got this”’: five-star newcomer scorches round Pau cross-country to lead despite malfunctioning stopwatch

Martha Terry — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 16:18:39 +0000

Corimiro, a nine-year-old on his first attempt at five-star, coasted into the lead in the Pau Horse Trials cross-country phase. Ridden by Sarah Bullimore, the chestnut breezed round an influential track 11sec inside the time to move up from 11th after dressage to top spot to set up a tantalising showdown in the final phase. The top 10 are covered by just one rail.

At 10min 55sec, Corimiro – owned by Brett Bullimore, Bruce Saint, Christopher and Susan Gillespie – clocked the second-fastest round of the day over Pierre Michelet’s influential track.

Remarkably, Sarah’s stopwatch malfunctioned before halfway, meaning she rode on feel alone.

“I just let him travel and he’s got such a phenomenal stride,” said Sarah, who rode Corimiro’s mother Lilly Corinne to finish 13th at Pau in 2017, the year after her son was born.

“He’s only nine, so I wasn’t riding him specifically to make the time, just travelling comfortably. When he finished, he was saying ‘where next, where next?’ I had to say, ‘you’ve finished, whoa!’ He felt like he could go round again.

“He was unreal. The only place I changed my plan was to hold for four strides in a couple of the distances after watching everyone this morning, so I had to make sure I got him back, and he was quite strong. It’s like he said, ‘Alright Mum, I can see it, hold my beer!’.”

The overnight dressage leaders, Bubby Upton and Cannavaro, held on to a podium spot in second after adding 4.8 time-faults to sit just 0.4 of a penalty adrift of Corimiro.

Pau is the 18-year-old Cannavaro’s first five-star since finishing sixth here three years ago, and boosted Bubby’s spirits after falls on both her other two rides, Cola and Its Cooley Time.

“To be out of the sport for two and a half years, and to come back and do that at 18 years old, with about 20% thoroughbred – it’s all down to his heart and the trust he has in me,” said Bubby of Cannavaro, owned by her mum Rachel. “There is no other reason why he should do that; he dug so deep, he was just extraordinary.

“He owes me nothing, and I was only going to do this if he felt up for it. But he just loves his job so much – it means the world to me. It’s why we put in the hours and why I spend the time with them, and give them all the love and trust, because of the rewards of days like today.”

Dressage leaders Bubby Upton and Cannavaro at the “Oops” drop fence. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

How the cross-country phase played out

With Sarah leapfrogging up the leaderboard 10 places to depose Bubby from the top, the end of the Pau Horse Trials cross-country phase was full of suspense. Half of the final 10 riders could have taken the lead with clears inside the time. Even into the final four, three – Boyd Martin (Cooley Nutcracker), Bubby (Its Cooley Time) and Tim Price (Jarillo) – could have relegated Sarah.

But none could do it. Tim and Jarillo – owned by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, James and Rachel Good – did best of this trio, stopping the clock for 4.4 time-faults to take third place overnight, despite taking a long route at the third water – which claimed several notable victims. These included Oliver Townend’s Ballaghmor Class, nursing second spot, who broke a frangible pin at the middle corner element; and joint-second Tom McEwen (Brookfield Quality). Tom’s horse also incurred 11 penalties for the pin, then ran out at the third element and Tom elected to retire after jumping the final triple brush in that combination.

“I should have gone straight at that water!” said Tim. “But it’s an unpredictable fence and you could ride it well and it still doesn’t come up right every time. It’s one of the only frangible fences on the course and you don’t want to knock one of those down. So I decided that I was good on the clock at that stage though I lost a bit coming home. I decided to play the percentages this time.”

Tim Price and Jarillo negotiatie the “Coffin” fence at Pau 2025. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

France as a nation is scantily represented at their home five-star, but two of their riders gave exhibition rounds of how to ride a Pierre Michelet track. Both Astier Nicolas (Dirty Old Town) and Benjamin Massie (Filao De Perle) started cross-country in 21st place, and stormed round well inside the time. Benjamin sits in fourth by virtue of being 6sec closer to the optimum time, with Astier the faster round.

Last year, Benjamin fell over one of the final fences in the arena, so made amends this time.

“I think the French riders have an advantage with Pierre Michelet’s courses because we jump them every month, so we are used to them,” Benjamin said. “Astier and I were both up on our clocks even before we went on to the racecourse [where historically riders expect to make up time].”

David Doel riding his own, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas’ Galileo Nieuwmoed earned redemption after falls at both Badminton and Burghley this year with a smashing round, inside the time, to climb from 26th to sixth.

“He was absolutely magic,” said David. “We had him a little ruder again, a bit perkier as he was just a bit too quiet and settled at Burghley. We put a bit of the anger back in the tank and although the dressage was not as good, he jumped round really neat and tidy. He’s been round the five-star here three times and the old three-star as well so he’s a Pau professional.”

There were six horses inside the time from the 53 starters, the first being Sam Ecroyd and Boleybawn Macrae, a five-star newcomer. They were 16sec under the 11min 6sec optimum, by far the quickest all day. This propelled them up from 37th after dressage to 12th, only 4.5 penalties behind the leader.

Sixty percent of the field jumped clear. There were eight eliminations and two retirements. Besides five rider falls, there was one horse fall, Ardeo Premier and Alex Bragg, but the organisation reported no major injuries to horses or riders.

Top 10 overnight at Pau Horse Trials

Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro: 30
Bubby Upton and Cannavaro: 30.4
Tim Price and Jarillo: 30.9
Benjamin Massie and Filao De Perle: 31.2
Astier Nicolas and Dirty Old Town: 31.2
David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed: 32.4
Jesse Campbell and Cooley Lafitte: 33
Tom Jackson and Plot Twist B: 33.2
Grace Taylor and Game Changer: 33.5
Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker: 33.5
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Two 18-year-old horses in podium positions after outstanding dressage performances at Pau five-star

Martha Terry — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 17:24:54 +0000

After a long day of dressage at Pau Horse Trials, with all 53 competitors going before the judges, Bubby Upton sits at the top of the leaderboard. Bubby is triple-handed at this year’s French five-star, and has taken top spot with her second ride Cannavaro on 25.6, who is competing at five-star for the first time since 2022.

“He’s such a special boy and it’s amazing to have him back here at 18,” said Bubby. “He came back at the start of the year [after time off] and the plan was Aachen and I thought that might be his last event, but he came out of that so well, we thought ‘let’s get him as fit as possible and if he holds up to it let’s go to Pau’. I just hope I do him justice.”

They produced a beautifully soft and consistent test, with fabulous halts – scoring eights and 8.5s – framing a mistake-free performance.

“Although he’s 18, he’s only had six years eventing as he was a showjumper until he was 10 and has had two years out,” Bubby said. “His paces have really developed over the past three or four years.”

Bubby also lies in sixth place on 28.5 with five-star debutant Its Cooley Time, who was entered at Pau after his tilt at the Blenheim Europeans came to an early end with a rider fall. Her first ride Cola – second into the ring – is 12th on 30.3.

“Cola – there was an element of being second into the arena; he was amazing,” said Bubby. “He does the same test every time, he’s so consistent and lovely to ride in the area. He’s a joy and he loves it. He’s a horse of lifetime, he’s taught me so much.”

Its Cooley Time secured Bubby’s third top-12 placing, as the penultimate horse in the Pau Horse Trials dressage phase.

“Its Cooley Time is at the other end of the spectrum compared to these two, with it being his first five-star, so for him to do what he did today – I was thrilled. He is very, very spooky and sharp, but because here it’s on a surface we have the luxury of being able to familiarise them in the arena.

“As I was going in he spotted the cameraman, so he spooked, and I was a little bit soft in the second flying change and I thought he would pop it but he didn’t. Naturally, of the three, he’s the most gifted in the dressage and I’ve had him since he was five and within my current system, with my trainer Amy Woodhead, which makes all the difference.”

With Tom McEwen posting 26.1 earlier in the day, Oliver Townend joined him on that score to take joint-second with another 18-year-old, Ballaghmor Class.

“I couldn’t be happier with his performance,” said Oliver. “He went in like an old pro, and was pretty push-button.”

Tim Price was another three-horse rider to steer two into the top 10. Last to go on Jarillo, a flashy white-socked chestnut owned by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, and James and Rachel Good, he posted 26.5 to take fourth. Less than one penalty – 3sec of cross-country time-faults – cover these top four.

“He’s such a lovely horse, so talented,” Tim said. “Life comes physically so easily to him, but mentally it’s quite tough. He’s a sharp little guy.

“He’s very spooky, horse-shy, but in the arena he’s a joy – easy peasy!”

Tim Price and Jarillo at Pau 2025 dressage. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Jarillo seemed to grow in confidence as the test went on, absolutely nailing all four flying changes, which come towards the end of the test and have caused so many to falter this Pau.

“He’s coming of age,” said Tim. “He’s realising that it’s a safe space in the arena and he can stay with me like he does at home.”

Tim also holds ninth place with Happy Boy on 29.1, 0.1 of a penalty behind Emily King and Valmy Biats. Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker round out the top 10.

Emily’s ride produced some outstanding moments, including a nine for the final halt, but too many 6.5s pegged the mark back. Emily admitted that some “strange flying, cobwebby things” were a little distracting for both horse and rider.

“I kept wanting to swat them away, so he was probably thinking the same,” said Emily. “We had a few little wobbles and a little lack of rhythm but generally he was really good.”

Top six after Pau Horse Trials dressage

1, Bubby Upton and Cannavaro: 25.6

=2, Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality: 26.1

=2, Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class: 26.1

4, Tim Price and Jarillo: 26.5

5, Abigail Long and Henton Audacious: 27.9

6, Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time: 28.5

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Tim Price and Vitali grab Burghley cross-country lead as course continues to cause plenty of problems

Pippa Roome — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 14:12:39 +0000

Tim Price and Vitali have taken over the lead for New Zealand, as the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country phase hurtles on towards its conclusion. The pair came home with 8.8 time-faults.

“He’s such an amazing horse and he doesn’t know another way but through the flags, even if I get it wrong, like I did the two or three times. He’s not the fastest horse, so we have to cut a few corners and take a chance or two, because he can get there all sorts of wrong and he just slips through the flags and look after me. He gave everything today and I’m really proud of him,” said Tim.

Last year’s Burghley runners-up had a risky moment at the Trout Hatchery (fences 21abcd and 22) when they came back to the arrowhead from the side and jumped across it, but Vitali showed his honesty by taking it on.

“I made a mistake into the Trout Hatchery, cutting my corner to the skinny, and he just chipped one in and slid through. But that’s what a good cross country horse has to do. We want to do a good job by them eight times out of 10, and the other two, they’ve got to do a good job for us. So he did that today, for sure,” said Tim.

Tim Price was third after dressage but his time-faults over the Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course open the door for other pairs to push ahead of them if they can put in fast rounds.

“Vitali is not an out and out thoroughbred – his top speed is 580m per minute where others can do 620. He’ll do 580 all day long, he’s a trier, but it’s not in his make up to be stretched out galloping faster,” said Tim, who also mentioned the “lovely” footing, which he said is getting quicker through the day.

Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course continues to exert a strong influence on the leaderboard.

British open champions and Burghley debutants Katie Magee and Treworra, 13th after the first phase, were having a good round until a run-out at the corner at Defender Valley (fence 24abde).

This fence also put paid to the hopes of Max Warburton and Deerpairc Revelry, 12th after dressage, who scrambled over the corner at the Defender Dairy Mound (fence 9b) and then had a run-out at the corner at Defender Valley.

Tom Crisp guided the 11-year-old Dassett Rock Star through a jumping clear, but the pair’s 31.2 time-faults have resulted in them slipping down the ranks from 10th after dressage.

Emma Thomas’s ride Icarus didn’t seem to understand the step up at the Boodles Raindance (fence 7abc) and incurred 40 penalties for two stops there.

Katie, Max, Tom and Emma all went on to complete.

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout Burghley and other major shows this year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website, from £1 a week. Horse & Hound’s 20-page magazine report on Burghley is published in 11 September issue, including full analysis and exclusive comment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.

Tim Price and Vitali seize Burghley dressage lead: ‘I had rideability and relaxation – bar one moment where he tried to halt!’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 11:15:00 +0000

Tim Price and Vitali have seized the Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage lead halfway through the second day of action (5 September).

The popular 15-year-old bay, owned by his rider and Alexander and Joe Giannamore, looked soft, supple and relaxed in the arena to score 23.2 – enough to give them a clear 2.5-penalty lead over yesterday’s top-scorers Piggy March and MCS Maverick, although not in the record-breaking territory this pair have previously achieved.

New Zealand rider Tim and Vitali pulled in lots of 7.5s and 8s, topped by nines from Andrew Bennie at C and Christina Klingspor at E for harmony.

“We know he’s a class dressage horse and he has got all the ingredients for a really hot test today,” said Tim. “It’s funny, because sometimes he’s been quite unrideable but scores really well, sometimes he’s really rideable and scores not so well, so it’s all over the place. It’s a little bit down to what the judges are looking for on the day.

“But from my point of view, we had rideability and super relaxation, it was lovely. Just a great partnership on display.

“It’s just being able to deliver in the ring what I know he’s capable of – for example, at Badminton he was lovely all week, went in and flipped out, and I just had to sit there like a passenger. But here he was rideable – he looked around in the atmosphere but then came back.”

Tim Price’s Burghley Horse Trials dressage: one tiny blip

Tim Price said his Burghley Horse Trials dressage test was “spot on what I was looking for”, except for one odd moment where Vitali tried to halt.

He explained: “In that first shoulder-in, he was thinking of halt. He’s been doing it at the one-day events, but he doesn’t typically bring that to the bigger shows when you spend quite a bit of time on the centre line. At the one-days, I’ll come up the centre line and he’s like, ‘Are we stopping?’ I’m like, ‘No, I will tell you when we stop.’

“So I came to shoulder-in and he was going to stop. I’m like, ‘Mate, we’ve only just started.’ Other than that, it was really nice and really fun.”

Vitali has finished in the top 10 at all seven of his five-stars, but has so often been heartbreakingly close to winning, only to lower expensive rails in the showjumping. Last year at Burghley, he had just one down, his best performance at this level, and finished second.

Asked if he is more philosophical coming here to the British autumn five-star now, Tim said: “No, I’m here to win and I’ve worked hard to try and get in a position to win every time. So you can flip that on its head and say we have the heartbreak because we’ve been in a position to win the competition numerous times now.

“There’s a lot of good things happening, and I just need to perfect the final phase. We’ve been coming on strength on strength.

“I don’t get philosophical. I just need a bit of time to recover from the disappointment of the one before, and then when I come back, I’m ready for it. I’m up for it and confident that we’re going to do the job.”

Tim Price aims for third British open title, but Oliver Townend and Austin O’Connor among the challengers

Pippa Roome — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:49:24 +0000

Tim Price and Vitali return to defend their British open championship title later this month, but they will face stiff competition from other top-class entries for the class.

The British open, as well as the British intermediate and novice championships, take place at NAF Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials (6-10 August), having moved from their traditional home at Gatcombe’s Festival of British Eventing when that event was cancelled for 2024 and potentially forever, after the fixture was abandoned in 2023.

New Zealander Tim and Joe and Alex Giannamore’s Vitali won the British open on its final running at Gatcombe in 2022 and then triumphed at Hartpury last year. They come back to the Gloucestershire venue to try to make it three in a row next weekend.

Among other contenders for the title in the British open championship entries are Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent, who was withdrawn before the final phase in this class last year, and Ireland’s Austin O’Connor with the outstanding cross-country horse Colorado Blue.

Tim may also face competition from compatriots as his wife Jonelle Price brings forward the feisty five-star mare Grappa Nera and the on-form Samantha Lissington has entered Bicton CCI4*-S runner-up Lord Seekonig.

Last year’s national champions Emily King and Valmy Biats are not expected to start this year, but others vying for that accolade – as well as the open title – include Zara Tindall (Class Affair), David Doel (Galileo Nieuwmoed) and Max Warburton (Deepairc Revelry).

David also has a strong contender in the intermediate championship, Charlie Foxtrot, in which favourites include Oliver Townend on Dromgurrihy Gold, Barnie Brotherton with DHI King Nelson and last year’s novice winners, Katie Magee and Cushlas Indigo.

The novice is the biggest of the British championship classes, with 67 entries, including Ellie Fredericks on Upper Class Brit – a granddaughter of three-time five-star (then four-star) winner Headley Britannia – and rides for British team regulars Ros Canter (Broadstone Lion Man) and Kitty King (MBF Redhouse Evoque).

Hartpury also hosts the Corinthian Cup (the restricted British novice championship) and the retraining of racehorses championship, as well three international classes – a CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L and CCI2*-L.

The 67 entries for the CCI4*-S include several horses long-listed for the British squad for the European Eventing Championships in double Badminton Horse Trials winner and Olympic team gold medallist Lordships Graffalo (Ros Canter), Millstreet CCI4*-L winner Flash Cooley (Gemma Stevens), Kentucky Three-Day Event podium finisher Et Hop Du Matz (Harry Meade) and Cola III and Its Cooley Time (Bubby Upton). Bubby was first and second in this class last year on these two horses.

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‘Disappointing’ test for dressage favourite at Badminton leaves top rider adrift of the leaders

Martha Terry — Fri, 09 May 2025 16:34:32 +0000

It was a tense finish to the Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage phase, as one of the outstanding performers in this five-star field was very last to go. Tim Price and Vitali have a personal best at this level of 18.7 (Burghley, 2023) and two other sub-23 marks on their record, so were among the favourites to lead this phase.

However, the 15-year-old Contender gelding, owned by the rider and Alex Giannamore, couldn’t keep a lid on his exuberance in front of the packed stands on Friday afternoon and scored an uncharacteristically high 30.6. This left them nearly 10 penalties adrift of the leader Oliver Townend (Cooley Rosalent).

“I needed 10 more minutes before my test time,” said Tim. “Vitali has been so good all week, and he normally goes beautifully in there.

“Normally his little foibles and quirks are not that he becomes tight and unrideable, so that’s a new one, but you get them so fit and he is feeling very well. It’s disappointing.”

A little stumble after their first halt set the scene, followed later by a fidgety halt at C before the rein back. The horse also lost balance halfway through his usual party piece, the extended trot.

Badminton final scores

While most of the rest of their test was decent, it lacked the wow factor this horse can show and those slightly ragged moments proved expensive.

“I was looking forward to fighting for a good position tomorrow,” said Tim. “But you know how this game goes – you have to do three phases really well, and it may be one of these weird weekends where I was nowhere near the lead in the dressage but end up with a good result.”

They lie equal 16th ahead of cross-country, at the conclusion of the Badminton Horse Trials dressage phase.

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Two horses held and one withdrawn at Kentucky final trot-up, plus two withdrawn before inspection including top-six contender

Pippa Roome — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 14:00:40 +0000

Three horses have left the five-star competition at or before the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event final trot-up.

The most significant from the point of view of the top of the leaderboard is Jarillo, Tim Price’s ride who is owned by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, James and Rachel Good and who lay in sixth place overnight after a clear with 11.6 time-faults yesterday. He was withdrawn before the inspection.

Kentucky Three-Day Event final trot-up: two held

It wasn’t Tim’s morning, as another of his rides, his own and Sue Benson’s Falco (15th overnight), was sent to the holding box and the New Zealander then elected to withdraw. This leaves Tim with just Happy Boy (now lying 21st) in the competition.

Germany’s Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom Of The Opera (14th overnight) – who belongs to the Böckmann family – were also sent to the holding box, but the horse passed when re-presented to the ground jury, consisting of Christian Steiner of Austria, Denmark’s Anne-Mette Binder and Canada’s Peter Gray.

US-based Australian Ema Klugman also withdrew the syndicate-owned Bronte Beach Z (18th overnight) before the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event final trot-up.

Twenty-three horses remain in the five-star competition, with showjumping starting at 2.30pm local time (7.30pm British time).

Germany’s overnight leader Michael Jung has two fences in hand to win on his Olympic champion and 2022 Kentucky winner FischerChipmunk FRH, with US rider Boyd Martin sitting second on Commando 3.

Britain’s representatives are crowded in behind the leading pair, with Harry Meade third and fourth on Et Hop Du Matz and Grafennacht and world number one Tom McEwen fifth on Brookfield Quality. All three are within four faults – the equivalent of one showjump down – of Boyd so there is plenty of potential for movement in the final phase.

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‘His mascot is a unicorn drama llama and he’s really horse shy’ – meet this rising eventing star

Pippa Roome — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 15:12:13 +0000

When Tim Price and Jonelle Price’s horses reach top level, they each get a mascot, chosen by their grooms, who pick something to suit each mount’s personality. So what did they choose for Jarillo, who is the pathfinder at this week’s Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event?

“A unicorn drama llama,” says Tim – which seems appropriate for a horse who is very talented, but also extremely sensitive.

Tim first saw Jarillo with Swedish rider Ludwig Svennerstal, who had him in his yard to sell. He was at novice level then.

“I just thought he was super quality, so the next day I went to his place and bought him,” said Tim after his dressage at Kentucky yesterday. “I didn’t really expect him to go to five-star – not that I ever think of a limitation for a horse, but he was just a real modern eventer type and pretty showy. I thought maybe he’s going to be great up to four-star, but he’s proven a bit more to me since then.”

Among Jarillo’s successes so far, he was third in the eight- and nine-year-old class at Blenheim Horse Trials in 2023, won a CCI4*-S at Thoresby last year and was ninth at Pau Horse Trials last autumn on his five-star debut.

While he undoubtedly has huge ability, the 11-year-old – owned now by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead and James and Rachel Good – is also very sharp.

Tim said: “Every day of the week at home, whatever’s going on, it’s catching his attention. But then I think that gives him his quality as well. He’s really horse shy and the one good thing is you’re never in the ring with someone else, so finally you go in there and take a breath.

“And I think it [his sharpness] is also a really good characteristic for cross-country, for alertness. When horses are a bit tired and waning a little bit, he’s still on his feet and he’s thinking and he’s in the moment with me.

“So I think he’s one of the nicest young five-star horses around and I’m very privileged to ride him.”

Tim says going first this week is helpful in terms of giving the horse shy Jarillo more space in the warm-up rings.

“I’ve had quite a few horse shy ones, including Wesko and Bango, to the point where I started to wonder if it was me making them horse shy,” he said. “But I think I’m quite good with them because I just stay soft and relaxed and go with them rather than create a brick wall, which creates more tension.”

Although Jarillo is a light type, Tim adds that he is a “good eater – like a lanky teenage boy!”

The pair made a great start yesterday in the dressage, scoring 28.4 for equal second overnight.

And because we know you want to know – the Prices other five-star horses this week have as their mascots a troll (Hiarado), Batman (Happy Boy) and Tigger (Falco).

A photo posted by on

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Latest Badminton withdrawals revealed as top British-based riders confirm which horses head to the US: ‘I’m looking forward to having three in Kentucky’

Pippa Roome — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:17:39 +0000

The latest Mars Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals are in for the event running 7-11 May, as riders confirm which horses have boarded the plane to the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (24-27 April) and which head to Gloucestershire for their spring five-star.

Harry Meade chose “two matching bays” for the US trip, with Mandy Gray’s and his own Et Hop Du Matz and Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht receiving that call up.

He now has Mandy Gray’s and his own Superstition, the Oppermans’ Cavalier Crystal and Annaghore Valoner, owned by Dinah and Stephen Posford and Juliet Carter, in the mix for Badminton.

Under the multiple entry rules, he can definitely start Badminton on two of these, but can only ride a third horse if every other entry has already been accepted from the waiting list, which looks relatively unlikely at this stage, with 11 horses to be accepted before Harry’s third entry.

Badminton final scores

Sue Benson and Tim Price’s world double bronze medallist Falco is among the latest Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals.

New Zealander Tim has confirmed to Horse & Hound that Falco has just landed in quarantine in the US en route to Kentucky, alongside two other rides for Tim in Susan Lamb, Therese Miller’s and his own Happy Boy and Lucy Allison, Frances Stead and James and Rachel Good’s Jarillo.

“I’m looking forward to having those three out in Kentucky – hopefully it’ll be a first five-star completion for Happy Boy, Jarillo is learning more about his job as a five-star horse and Falco will hopefully have a good outing there too,” he said.

Tim will ride the Giannamores’ Vitali and Viscount Viktor, owned by Glynn Northcutt, Ginny Rusher and his rider, at Badminton.

“I’m looking forward to Badminton too,” said Tim. “Vitali is in great form and Viscount Viktor is learning every day.”

So far, the other Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals are Hester (ridden by Laura Collett), Royal Harvest (Gubby Leech), KEC Deacon (Aaron Millar), Fever Pitch (Storm Straker) and The Buzz Factor (Emma Thomas).

Laura, Aaron and Emma all still have another ride in the competition, with Laura bringing forward Bling, Aaron riding Friendship VDL and Emma entered on Icarus.

Five pairs have been accepted from the waiting list – the home side’s Nicky Hill and MGH Bingo Boy, Lauren Innes and Global Fision M for New Zealand, Britain’s Helen Bates and Carpe Diem, Patrick Whelan and Ikoon Lan for Ireland, and Austria’s Harald Ambros with Vitorio Du Montet.

No one comes off the waiting list to replace Falco, because he was double entered with Vitali and Viscount Viktor, meaning Tim entered three horses, but was only taking up two slots on the list in terms of numbers of possible starters.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 15 May.

Who will be first out at next week’s Kentucky five-star and what numbers will the Brits wear?

Pippa Roome — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:50:53 +0000

Tim Price will be the first rider down the centre line, it has been confirmed, following the release of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event draw.

The New Zealander is number one on Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, James and Rachel Good’s flashy chestnut Jarillo, as well number 20 on Happy Boy (owned by his rider, Susan Lamb and Therese Miller) and number 38 on Sue Benson’s and his own world double bronze medallist Falco. Falco also still holds an entry for Badminton Horse Trials, for which he is double-entered with Tim’s other rides Vitali and Viscount Viktor, so only two of the three will compete.

Britain’s Harry Meade also has three horses in the Kentucky Three-Day Event draw at this stage; his own and Mandy Gray’s Superstition at number two, the same owners’ Et Hop Du Matz at number 21 and Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht at number 39. Harry has five horses entered at Badminton including these three – he will only be able to ride a third horse at Badminton if all the other horses on the waiting list are accepted.

The home side’s Boyd Martin is the other rider with three horses potentially starting the five-star at Kentucky – he will wear number three on the Annie Goodwin Syndicate’s Fedarman B, number 22 on the Luke 140 Syndicate’s Luke 140 and number 40 (last to go) on Yankee Creek Ranch, LLC’s Commando 3.

View the full draw

Tom McEwen also flies from Britain for the event and will pilot Alison Swinburn, John and Chloe Perry’s Brookfield Quality as number 29.

US-based British rider Lucienne Bellissimo makes her five-star debut on Dyri (number 37), who runs under the ownership of her business Horse Scout Eventing, LLC.

Germany’s Olympic champions and 2022 Kentucky winners Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH (0wned by Michael’s father Joachim, the German Olympic committee for equestrian sport and Klaus and Sabine Fischer) will start as favourites at number eight.

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

Pippa Roome — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 07:30:47 +0000

This month’s Pau Horse Trials is the 17th running of the French event at five-star (formerly four-star) level. Many of the former Pau Horse Trials winners have been – or have gone on to become – legends in the sport of eventing.

Let’s take a look back at them…

Pau Horse Trials winners, 2007-2023

Cross Country . Nicolas Touzaint and Hildago De L'Ile . (Image credit: Phil Mingo)

2007: Nicolas Touzaint (France) and Hildago De L’Ile

The first winners of Pau as a top-level event, a popular victory for the home side. Nicolas went on to become the first French winner of Badminton, piloting Hildago De L’Ile to take the British spring classic in 2008. Hildago De L’Ile was a team silver medallist at the 2005 Blenheim Europeans – although with a fall across country they were the discard score – and he closed out his career by being Nicolas’ ride at the 2012 London Olympics.

bettina hoy and ringwood cockatoo (Image credit: trevor meeks)

2008: Bettina Hoy (Germany) and Ringwood Cockatoo

This was Bettina and Ringwood Cockatoo’s second top-level win, after victory at Luhmühlen in 2005. They were also prolific winners at three-star (now four-star level) and successful championship performers, taking team gold at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, team bronze at the 2005 European Championships and individual bronze at the 2007 Europeans – as well, of course, as being stripped of their double gold medals at the 2004 Olympics after it was discovered Bettina had crossed the start line twice. After Pau, the pair were second at the US flagship event at Kentucky in 2009 before the horse retired from eventing, going on to compete in dressage with Claire Llewellyn until he was 25.

Olympics Eventing SJumping 31 07 2012 SCHRADE DirkKING ARTUS (Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

2009: Dirk Schrade (Germany) and King Artus

Not the highest profile Pau Horse Trials winner, but King Artus was consistently placed at three-star (now four-star) level before and after his Pau win. He was fourth as an individual at the 2011 European Championships and a team gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympics. King Artus’s story had a sad end when he collapsed and died after finishing second at Wiesbaden in 2013.

European Horse Trials Luhmuhlen Day 3 27 08 11 FRH Fantasia andreas dibowski (Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

2010: Andreas Dibowski (Germany) and FRH Fantasia

Again, one of Pau’s less well known winners. FRH Fantasia was a team gold medallist at the 2011 Europeans a year after Pau, although she was eliminated so not a counting score. She finished her career doing a season with Korean rider Sangwuk Song and the pair were team and individual gold medallists at the Asian Games.

OSLO William Fox-Pitt (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

2011: William Fox-Pitt (Great Britain) and Oslo

A six-year-old winner and seven-year-old runner-up at Le Lion, Oslo was also the winner of Tattersalls CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) and the eight- and nine-year-old class at Blenheim in the same year he won Pau. His career peaked here, though, as injury meant he did not compete consistently afterwards, although he did complete Badminton 2013. Oslo started his competition career as a stallion and semen was taken from him and frozen before he was cut; he was the sire of William’s five-star ride Oratorio.

Andrew Nicholson riding NEREO during the cross country phaseof The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford UK, September, 2013 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

2012: Andrew Nicholson (New Zealand) and Nereo

Pau’s first Antipodean winner and a hugely successful combination. By the time of his Pau win, Nereo had already given Andrew his first individual championship medal – a bronze to match a team gong of the same colour at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. He was a team bronze medallist and fourth individually at London 2012 in the summer before Pau and later provided Andrew with a long-awaited Badminton win in 2017. He was also second at Burghley three times and finished in the top 12 at Badminton on four other occasions.

WILLIAM FOX-PITT (GBR) RIDING SEACOOKIE in the CCI **** at Pau in France on 27 October 2013 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

2013: William Fox-Pitt (Great Britain) and Seacookie TSF

A successful top-level campaigner who was also second and eighth at Burghley and second, sixth and ninth at Kentucky, as well as winning Blenheim. He retired from eventing soon after his Pau win, following the 2014 season. William is the only rider who has won Pau more than once.

Ingrid KLIMKE (GER) riding HORSEWARE HALE BOB during the cross country phase of the CCI**** at Les Etoiles de Pau, in Pau France between 23th -26th October 2014 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

2014: Ingrid Klimke (Germany) and SAP Hale Bob OLD

It is extraordinary that Pau was Ingrid’s first five-star victory, despite her many top placings through a long and illustrious career; she made it two when she won Luhmühlen the following season on SAP Escada FRH. SAP Hale Bob OLD has a superb record alongside his Pau win – he was European champion in 2017 and 2019 and is the winner of five other championship medals, including world individual bronze and Olympic team silver. He has won 18 times at international level in all.

PIAF DE B'NEVILLE Astier Nicolas (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

2015: Astier Nicolas (France) and Piaf De B’Neville

The first home side Pau Horse Trials winner since Nicolas Touzaint won the inaugural running, but he started a run of French wins at the event. Piaf De B’Neville had already won the under-25s at Bramham and been ninth at Badminton by the time of his Pau win and he capped it with individual silver and team gold at the Rio Olympics less than a year later.

Maxime LIVIO (FRA) riding QALAO DES MERS during cross country phase of the Pau CCI**** near Pau in the Pyrenees region of France on 15th October 2016 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

2016: Maxime Livio (France) and Qalao Des Mers

A victory at Pau firmly put to rest the fact Maxime and Qalao Des Mers were until this point most famous for being disqualified from the 2014 World Equestrian Games. They also achieved two seconds on their two four-star (now five-star) runs either side of Pau, Luhmühlen 2016 and Kentucky 2017.

Gwendolen Fer riding Romantic Love FRA during the Cross Country Phase of The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials at Badminton in Gloucestershire, UK on 7th May 2016 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

2017: Gwendolen Fer (France) and Romantic Love

Gwendolen’s victory made her the first French female rider to win at the top level. The pair were also 16th at Badminton in 2016 and have won four times at CIC3*/CCI4*-L level.

Thibault Fournier riding SINIANI DE LATHUS (FRA) during the cross country phase of the British Horse Feeds CCI***U25 at the Bramham International Horse Trials on the Bramham Estate near Weatherby in North Yorkshire in the UK on 9th June 2018 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

2018: Thibault Fournier (France) and Siniani De Lathus

Somewhat surprising winners, who had been second in the under-25s at Bramham earlier that season, but were making their debut at the top level. After two years away from the international eventing fray, Siniani De Lathus returned in 2021 and had two top-10 placings at two- and three-star.

GBR-Tom McEwen rides Toledo De Kerser during the Cross Country for the CCI5*-L. Interim-1st. Les 5 Etoiles de Pau. Pyrenees Atlantiques. France. Saturday 26 October. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography (Image credit: Libby Law)

2019: Tom McEwen (Great Britain) and Toledo De Kerser

This was the win everyone knew Tom and Toledo had in them and followed three top-11 placings at Badminton, plus world team gold and individual 12th at the World Equestrian Games in 2018. They went on to be members of the British gold medal-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where they also took individual silver.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

2020: Laura Collett (Great Britain) and London 52

This was a first five-star win for Laura, while London 52 was making his debut at the level. He had been a successful horse through the grades, but also made some high-profile mistakes, so the rider was thrilled that her faith in him paid off. The pair were selected as members of the British Olympic team the following year and took home team gold from the Tokyo Games. They also competed at the 2022 World Championships and collected team gold at the 2023 Europeans. The following year, 2024, they led the Brits to team gold at the Paris Olympics and collected individual bronze, too.

2021: Tim Price and Falco

Falco delivered victory for Tim on his first time at five-star, while it was the rider’s fourth win at the level. Falco – who is owned by British former championship rider Sue Benson – went on to take individual bronze at the 2022 World Championships and lead the Kiwis to team bronze. Falco was also Tim’s ride at the Paris Olympics, where he was sixth, and finished second at Maryland 5 Star in 2024.

2022: Jonelle Price (New Zealand) and Grappa Nera

Tim Price passed the crown to his wife when Jonelle moved up in the final phase to land the win in 2022, her third at five-star. Grappa Nera did not have a great deal of form coming into the event, but the rider said she had always known the 11-year-old mare was a good horse and it was a case of when she would show that, not if. The mare went on to take sixth at Badminton in 2024.

2023: Ros Canter (Great Britain) and Izilot DHI

Ros scored her first five-star win at Badminton Horse Trials in the spring of 2023 and her second at Pau in the autumn of the same year. Izilot DHI is a very talented but also spooky horse and his Pau win was followed by leading the dressage at both British five-stars in 2024, but Ros retired him during the cross-country phase at both events. He returns to Pau in 2024, so perhaps he will keep up his unblemished Pau record and prove France is his favourite five-star destination.

Pictures by Phil Mingo, trevor-meeks-photography.co.uk, Peter Nixon, Nico Morgan and Libby Law Photography

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Brits, five-star winners, and an eye-catching skewbald among Maryland 5 Star entries

Becky Murray — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 16:42:37 +0000

Four Brits, former five-star winners and an eye-catching skewbald mare are among the Mars Maryland 5 Star entries.

There are 23 combinations entered for the US event, which takes place at Fair Hill on 17-20 October.

Harry Meade, who jumped three clear cross-country rounds at Burghley last month, will fly across the pond with two rides; Charlotte and Peter Opperman’s experienced 17-year-old Away Cruising and 10-year-old Et Hop Du Matz, whom Harry co-owns with Mandy Gray. Away Cruising has seven five-star completions under his belt, his most recent at Badminton this year, when he and Harry were 20th. Et Hop Du Matz is making his five-star debut.

Oliver Townend returns to Maryland 5 Star, this time with Tokyo Olympic team gold medallist and three-time five-star winner Ballaghmor Class, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan. The 17-year-old gelding missed the spring season owing to a hoof abscess followed by a “minor issue”, but made his comeback at Cornbury last month, when he and Oliver were second in the open intermediate. On Saturday (28 September) they topped the Little Downham CCI4*-S.

Bubby Upton will be making her Maryland debut with her mother Rachel’s 14-year-old Cola III. Bubby came back from serious injury at the beginning of the year to finish 10th at Badminton with Cola, and the pair won the Hartpury CCI4*-S in August.

David Doel is making the trip with Gillian Jonas and Mary Fox’s 13-year-old gelding Galileo Nieuwmoed. The consistent pair have five top-level completions under their belt, of which four were top-10 placings, including second at Burghley last year.

Other Maryland 5 Star entries

New Zealand’s Tim Price brings forward 2021 Pau five-star winner and world team bronze medallist Falco, owned by Sue Benson.

For the home side, all eyes will be on Tamie Smith and Ellen Ahearn’s 18-year-old Mai Baum. Maryland 5 Star will be the 2023 Kentucky Three-Day CCI5 winners’ last top-level competition together; Tamie told Eventing Nation Mai Baum will retire from top-level eventing.

Former Maryland 5 Star winners Boyd Martin and On Cue will hope to reclaim their 2021 crown, while Boyd is also entered with his Tokyo Olympic ride and world silver medallist Tsetserleg, and five-star debutant Commando 3. Bruce Davidson Jnr is entered with Sorocaima, with whom he was ninth last year.

Canada’s Jessica Phoenix has two rides; Jim Phillips’ 14-year-old gelding Wabbit, and Jessica’s own 16-year-old skewbald mare Fluorescent Adolescent, who is making her five-star debut.

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‘I do not take these days for granted’: crowd favourite adds first Blenheim title to impressive list of achievements

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 21:53:20 +0000

Tim Price added a first Blenheim title to his already incredible tally of international victories when topping the leaderboard in the 2024 Blenheim Horse Trials results aboard Happy Boy in the CCI4*-L.

The British-based New Zealander had competed at six previous Blenheims prior to this one since he moved to the UK 19 years ago, but until today (22 September), the Blenheim winner’s trophy had eluded him.

Happy Boy, a 12-year-old gelding owned by Susan Lamb and Therese Miller, hadn’t been seen competing internationally since retiring across country at Saumur in May and his 2023 season was plagued with bad luck.

“He’s had a bit of an unlucky last 12 months with bits and bobs like he tied up at one point and then suffered from travel sickness at Luhmühlen,” explained Tim after his dressage, which left him equal fourth on 25.4, a score he added just 1.6 cross-country time-faults to, to seal victory by 5.7 penalties, maintaining his overnight lead in the process.

“I do not take these days for granted. He was cool, wasn’t he?,” said Tim after the showjumping, which was a victim of the weather, with the final 10 horses jumping in deluge of approximately 8mm of rain. “He tried really hard in the ground – the going, especially the treble, had taken a turn for the worse, but he’s a fighter.”

Tim made no secret of the fact Happy Boy was eliminated for three run-outs at a corner in an open intermediate at Cornbury House Horse Trials last week, but said that this horse’s character can sometimes display itself in this way when preparing for a big run.

“That’s often been the way when he’s been on form, where he can get a little tricky and then he’s gone on to do something fun and special,” smiled Tim. “Don’t get me wrong, I was a little bit worried – it wasn’t just one run out – so we went cross-country schooling at Rosamund Green Farm on Monday and had to go through a few things with him, with some repetition, but I was still a bit dubious.”

Following this blip, Tim opted to take one long route during yesterday’s cross-country.

“Thankfully the long route I took at the second water didn’t cost me the win, but that decision was based on our result at Cornbury and our schooling session on Monday.”

Happy Boy is a horse that has shown oodles of promise throughout his career and Tim drew on past experience with him to help net a clear round in today’s showjumping; a course that provided 15 clear rounds inside the time from 58 starters.

“He won the world seven-year-old championships at Le Lion – he was seventh or eighth going into the showjumping that year where the final phase was held on grass [before the event added an all-weather arena] and it was very, very wet and I had that in the back of my head today. Based on that, I had to ride him positively and a bit quicker than I normally would, just to give him confidence that he could jump out of the ground.”

Blenheim Horse Trials results: “I’m over the moon”

Daisy Berkeley secured her best CCI4*-L result since winning this class on Springbok IV in 2006, finishing runner-up with Diese Du Figuier.

“He’s a very good little horse,” said Daisy of this 11-year-old gelding who rose from sixth after the cross-country. “I knew I had to keep motoring with him because the distance was long at the first part of the treble and I’d seen some horses struggle with it, so I just turned the corner and trusted his carefulness as I was very forward to it.

“He jumped beautifully but I did nearly get jumped off at the first fence as I couldn’t grip the saddle in the rain and I thought ‘if I get jumped off after everything we’ve done this week, that would be a disaster!’”

Daisy explained that the decision to compete Diese Du Figuier, who she co-owns with her mother Caroline Dick, Camilla Case and Martha Ivory, came as a result of being unable to complete at Blair Castle last month.

“Coming to Blenheim hadn’t been my original plan – we went to Blair and he was third after cross-country, where he gave me a beautiful round and then he had a bruise, which meant he was too sore to showjump. We re-routed here and I would have been chuffed to bits with a top 10 placing and now I’m over the moon.”

On being the highest placed British rider in this class, Daisy, who is 52, joked: “Probably the oldest too!”

“When I was walking the cross-country, I was thinking ‘I might add a stride here’, but then I thought, actually, just grow a pair and ride him for the distances and trust him to be a good horse and he really was a good horse. It’s lovely to come back here and have a podium finish.”

When asked about the possibility of taking this horse five-star, Daisy said: “I think he would cope but this old lady [referring to herself] might not. I was so nervous before the cross-country – although as soon as I was on him, I was fine, but it’s the build up and I don’t know if my nerves could take it.

“I like watching other people jump round five-stars, but who knows? If he keeps doing what he’s doing, then maybe – my husband might have something to say about it though!”

Germany’s Jérôme Robiné and Black Ice, who led the dressage on 22.8, dropped from second after the cross-country to third after lowering the middle part of the treble – they also picked up .4 of a time-fault to complete on 33.2.

“The whole competition here has been amazing, but the ending was not so good,” said a dejected Jérôme, who, with this 14-year-old gelding, has enjoyed great international success, including finishing seventh individually at last year’s European Eventing Championships. “He got a bit careful warming up because there was water everywhere and then he was not quite sure. He slipped a lot yesterday and he remembered that. He wants to be careful and the ground was slippy again today. In the end I have to be happy though and he kept trying for me.”

The USA’s Jenny Caras capitalised on a fast double jumping clear with Jerry Hollis’ Sommersby to rise from equal 23rd after the first phase into eventual fourth, adding 2.4 cross-country time-penalties to a 32.2 dressage, with the time-faults costing her second place.

“I was hoping to be top 10 – I wanted to do the most competitive test I could and I knew he was capable of finishing close to whatever score he started on,” explained Jenny. “I wasn’t sure where that would leave me, but he’s done what he needed to do and I’m just a little bit annoyed about my time penalties now.”

German rider Calvin Böckmann and the incredibly consistent The Phantom Of The Opera further cemented themselves as a combination that should never be overlooked when finishing fifth.

The 23-year-old, who co-owns this striking chestnut gelding alongside Jason, Liam, Roger and Simone Böckmann, endured something of an up and down week. They entered cross-country day in sixth after a 25.8 dressage, and were it not for activating a frangible device for 11 penalties during their cross-country, could have been challenging for at least second place today. As it was, they came into the showjumping in 13th and an immaculate clear round meant they leapt up the leaderboard.

“In general, I’m very happy with my placing – of course, I’m still gutted thinking about the 11 penalties, but my horse has done so much for me this year and had brilliant results and it wouldn’t be fair if I wasn’t more than grateful and proud and happy about this result,” explained Calvin, who was the alternate for his national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics with this 13-year-old. “It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, but I’m very happy and looking forward to maybe coming back here next year.”

The next two places in the Blenheim Horse Trials showjumping results were filled by Alex Bragg, who dropped from fourth to sixth after picking up 8.8 penalties in the showjumping with Ardeo Premier, and Tom McEwen, who finished seventh with James and Jo Lambert’s promising 10-year-old mare Isa, a relatively new ride, who is one to be noted for the future.

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‘Cheeky chappy’ comes good on influential cross-country day in Blenheim’s CCI4*-L

Gemma Redrup — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 18:45:56 +0000

New Zealand’s Tim Price and Happy Boy have cemented their place at the top of the Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country results with a clear round, clocking just 1.6 time-faults around a track where only one combination finished inside the optimum time.

Happy Boy, a 12-year-old owned by Susan Lamb and Therese Miller, hasn’t been seen competing internationally since retiring across country at Saumur in May and his 2023 season was plagued with bad luck.

Tim opted to take the long route at fence 15abcd, the James Hallam Insurance Brokers water complex, which prevented him from finishing inside the optimum time around the David Evans-designed track.

“I was deciding all the way up to fence 15 about going long. He hasn’t had the smoothest 18 months with things getting in the way of play, so step one was to get him back on track with a good round and step two was to make good decisions based on him being a bit of a cheeky chappy sometimes,” said Tim, who also holds eighth after the cross-country with his own, Diane Brunsden, Peter Cattell and Lucy and Ben Sangster’s Chio 20.

“I found Happy Boy was galloping so well and got into three-day event mode, as opposed to ducking and diving at one-day events. The clock was looking good but he was also travelling so well, I was in two minds about taking the direct route, because he can sometimes wobble and it’s one of those jumps where as a rider, you didn’t have the opportunity for plan B – you have to jump the element in the water and then channel your horse through, so the decision I made I think was a good one because I was up on the clock and I thought he would run home too.”

Dressage leaders Jérôme Robiné and Black Ice have slipped to second after notching six time-faults and they now sit 1.8 penalties behind Tim and Happy Boy.

“I heard there was a lot of trouble with people having the MIM Clip at fence 19a [The Subaru Quest; a rail, ditch, arrowhead],” commented Germany’s Jérôme. “I was on my minute markers but then after coming out of the top water [fence 15], he needed a bit of time, so I let him breathe and he recovered and jumped well through fence 19.

“I then tried to be fast coming home but I wasn’t fast enough. The ground was a bit slippery for him, so I lost a bit of power, strength and balance through his body.”

Ireland’s Ian Cassells really impressed with a smooth round aboard 11-year-old Kellys Quality, who is owned by Patrick Murphy, and is contesting his first CCI4*-L.

“He’s a bit inexperienced and his natural shape is quite downhill,” said Ian. “He can be quite strong, so I have to be strict with myself to go forward galloping and then really get my body up but keep my reins long to allow him to use his neck and I have to really trust him that way.

“His owner is amazing – I’ve had this horse for five years, he was bought for under €10,000 out of Goresbridge sales and this is the first time that Patrick has had a horse at this level, so I’m really happy for him and for his trust in me.”

Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country results: riders capitalise on speedy rounds

Debbie and Neill Nuttall’s 11-year-old Ardeo Premier built on several top-20 finishes at four- and five-star level with Alex Bragg to clock the equal second fastest round of the day for 0.8 time-faults. This was enough to propel them from 25th after the dressage to fourth.

“It rode exactly as I walked it apart from I saw a horrendous stride in the main arena to the box brush, where I floated a bit to it and he was very good to me to go through there clear,” admitted Alex. “He’s not the fastest horse in the world, but if you can stay on your minute markers, you’re always in with a chance. He’s super smooth and speedy through the combinations and I’m so pleased with how he’s grown up.

“Although he did Luhmühlen five-star, the reason for coming here was to see if he would be suited to a domestic five-star and I think now he could have a Badminton in him.”

Aaron Millar and Count Onyx were the sixth combination on course and this 10-year-old CCI4*-L first-timer, owned by Alexandra Van Tuyll added just 2.8 time-faults to their 29.4 dressage to now sit in fifth.

Daisy Berkeley and her own, Camilla Case, Martha Ivory and Caroline Dick’s 11-year-old gelding Diese Du Figuier were another combination to catch the eye, adding 4.8 time-faults to a 27.9 dressage to sit just behind Aaron in sixth.

Zara Tindall appears to have a strong five-star prospect in her stable in the form of her own and Judith Luff’s Classicals Euro Star. This 10-year-old grey gelding finished incredibly strongly, just adding 3.2 time-faults to their 30.4 dressage to go into tomorrow’s final showjumping phase in seventh.

“He’s had a bit of an up and down year with having issues jumping a ditch rail, corners and skinnies, which all happened at intermediate level,” explained Zara. “But I’ve realised he likes these bigger tracks. He’s got all the potential and he’s so quick and has a lot of jump and gallop, which is so exciting.”

Gemma Stevens, who was second after the dressage with Jalapeno III had a very unfortunate run out at the final combination on course when the mare didn’t seem to lock onto the final narrow element after a big table on a turning line. Heartbreakingly this is where Gemma and this mare fell when in contention last year. They did however complete this time, notching just 5.2 time-faults to leave them in 28th after the Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country results.

New Zealand‘s Jesse Campbell and Diachello, who were third after the first phase, jumped clear up until having a sticky jump into the second water at fence 15, which then made their distance and line to the angled brushes in the middle of the water impossible to achieve, meaning they ran out. Jesse opted to retire after this.

The only rider to finish clear inside the 10min 12sec optimum time was Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy aboard Christopher and Sarita Perkins’ MGH Mr Messack, who stopped the clock with nine seconds to spare. They go into tomorrow’s showjumping in 15th.

From the 75 cross-country starters in this class, 46 jumped clear and 64 completed.

The final horse inspection for the CCI4*-L gets underway at 8am with the showjumping to follow.

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Horses plagued with misfortune rocket to the top of the Blenheim CCI4*-L leaderboard

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:00:42 +0000

Two riders share the top spot in the Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-L dressage results at the end of the opening day (19 September). New Zealand’s Tim Price, who is riding Happy Boy, and 22-year-old British rider Tom Woodward and his mount Low Moor Lucky, both scored 25.4 with fault-free tests.

“He’s had a bit of an unlucky last 12 months with bits and bobs like he tied up at one point and then suffered from travel sickness at Luhmühlen – things have got in the way of me actually starting competitions – but we’ve got that all under control now and we know a lot more about him,” explained Tim. “He’s ready to go five-star, but we’ll just get this done and we’ll get back on track for a five-star next spring.”

Tim described Happy Boy as “an unassuming little character”.

“But time and time again he’s really tried hard when it counts – I just really like this horse. He’s like putty but although he’s quite short and compact. He always wants to lengthen his body a bit and it’s up to me to have him round and be able to ride him forward in a soft way.”

Tom Woodward was emotional upon completing his test with his own 17-year-old Low Moor Lucky, who is another horse to have overcome setbacks to return to competition.

“He’s had quite a bit of time off this year with niggles and I know what a great horse he is and it’s been frustrating to not be able to have him out competing – I’ve been longing to get him back out,” said Tom, who events full-time from his base in Hartpury, Gloucestershire. “I’m not one to get emotional, but I do feel emotional today because I just love this horse. He was my first horse off ponies and I did my first ever two-star on him, he gave me my first international win, and he’s just been the dream.”

Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky. (Image credit: Libby Law)

Tom explained that Lucky felt “magic” in his test today, with the flying-changes being a highlight – the second change earnt two eights and a seven from the judges.

“We’ve worked towards this all year really and I couldn’t be more pleased with how he felt – he’s a delight to ride out every day,” said the young rider, who trains with Lisa White, Sarah Verney and Carol Broad, who is one of his owners, for his flatwork. “We campaigned him at four-star last year and I probably wasn’t quite established enough in my riding to get the marks out of him that he deserved.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have a couple of other horses at four-star this year, which has enabled me to really develop my craft on the flat and now I’m able to put that into Lucky and it’s all come together.”

Tom’s aim for this weekend is to “enjoy having Lucky back”.

“He’s run in a couple of open intermediates recently and has felt in amazing form. The last time I did a four-star on him was here last year, so I’m just buzzing to get back out and jump around the cross-country because he loves it and I love it, so I can’t wait to get out there and give it a good crack.”

Twenty-three-year-old German rider Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom Of The Opera, who were alternates for their national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, currently sit third on 25.8.

“I’m actually very, very pleased – I think I can say that dressage is not our strongest discipline, because sometimes he can become a bit fresh,” explained Calvin, who was second in the competitive CCIO4*-S in Aachen earlier this summer and most recently won the CCI4*-S Nations Cup at Arville. “We were here last year and he was quite fresh then, but this year we could just keep it together so much more and test by test, it’s getting better and better.”

Calvin picked out his half-passes and halts as particular highlights today with the 13-year-old he owns alongside Jason, Liam, Roger and Simone Böckmann.

“Usually he’s a bit on fire and doesn’t love to stop and halt!”

Blenheim Horse Trials dressage results: “A little unicorn”

Britain’s Fred Powell, 27, and Jackie and Jo Forrester’s 11-year-old gelding Grafiba, is fourth on 26 after producing a personal best at this level, while Piggy March and Jayne McGivern’s wonderful grey stallion Halo are fifth on 26.2.

“His changes were very good and on the whole, he’s pretty solid in this phase,” said Piggy. “Maybe there’s still one more half a gear to go with him, but he’s consistent – he feels really nice, he’s relaxed, he’s working well, he’s enjoying it and he didn’t make any mistakes. He’s lovely to work with and a little unicorn.”

Ireland’s Ian Cassells and Kellys Quality are sixth on 26.5, Daisy Berkeley and Diese Du Figuier are seventh on 27.9, while Japan’s Toshiyuki Tanaka and Jefferson JRA are eighth on 28. Rounding off the top 10 in the Blenheim Horse Trials dressage results, the USA’s Katherine Coleman is ninth on Monbeg Senna on 29.1 and Aaron Millar is 10th on 29.4 with Count Onyx.

There are 37 combinations to come on Friday, with the dressage for the CCI4*-L resuming at 10.20am.

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‘I probably looked like I was showing off!’ How Tim Price laid Vitali’s jumping demons to rest with a great result at Burghley

Martha Terry — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 14:25:37 +0000

Tim Price laid Vitali’s showjumping ghosts to rest with by far his best round over the coloured poles at a three-day event at Defender Burghley Horse Trials. This stunning dark bay, a prolific winner at four-star, has so often had a grasp on a CCI5* title, but in his five previous attempts at this highest level, plus the Tokyo Olympics, he had never done better than three rails down. Today, a single rail at the penultimate fence secured the runner-up position behind the peerless pairing of Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo.

Tim was fourth last year, but lost a podium placing with three down – then lowered five at Badminton to lose the crown. For him the final score was immaterial, Tim was simply “thrilled” with how the horse jumped. Ultimately, thanks to Annaghmore Valoner’s pole down with Harry Meade, Tim’s rail did not affect his final placing.

“It was the round of his life at a long-format,” Tim said. “I know he’s got the ability – you have to remember he’s jumped clear all year except Badminton, it’s just when you switch the cross-country round and the atmosphere. He was so present and with me and that is the key with him. I’m just so happy all the hard work has paid off.”

Tim explained what he did today to eke out such improvement – while admitting he’s made “100 tweaks and fiddles” trying to get it right.

“I did six flying changes when I went into the arena, which looks like I’m showing off, but it’s to check he’s on the aids because he cocks his jaw and looks at the crowd, so I do a change and then he’s more with me like he is in the dressage,” he said. “And then I tried not to ride him in a crazy random way to try to magic a clear round, just ride him really normally.”

Faith in “fantastic horse” rewarded for Tim Price at Burghley Horse Trials

Today, Vitali looked balanced, cat-like and athletic throughout. He has tended to lose heart and jump flat once he has knocked down one, but as he jumped immaculately from fence to fence, the belief that he might be able to achieve the result he so deserved grew. Tim’s enormous smile over the last showed just what an achievement this is on what he has always believed to be a world-class contender.

“There was no fall from grace this time, this was a good three phases – a solid result all the way through,” he said. “Joe Giannamore, Vitali’s owner, has been so patient as he’s not an easy horse, and I’m so pleased we are getting close to a top result with a fantastic horse.”

Vitali skipped round yesterday’s cross-country track for just 3.2 time-faults, having been third after dressage on 22.3, and Tim said Derek di Grazia’s tough track took little out of him.

“He is typically quite easy on himself cross-country and he woke up very well this morning, but with him it’s mental as much as physical,” he said. “That’s been the tricky thing for me to work out. It’s the weird and wonderful thing with our sport – every horse is different, and it’s about finding out what works best for them.”

Vitali now heads out to the paddocks for a holiday, but a trip to Kentucky in the spring for his American owners has already been mooted.

“He hasn’t really justified a flight up until now, but we’ll see – it would be nice to see him go on a surface; let’s see,” Tim said.

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Overnight top three confirmed at Burghley as Sunday nail-biter horse and debutante mare go clear

Pippa Roome — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 15:55:41 +0000

Tim Price holds second at the conclusion of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country today, having finished with 3.2 time-faults on the experienced Vitali.

“This was definitely the best he’s felt. He’s a real privilege to ride around there, because he can go fast across the ground, but then you can balance him up at the end. I jumped into the double of corners, which has been causing trouble all day, for the four strides – but then I got scared and fiddled a fifth stride. But you can do that with him, at six or seven minutes through the course, so that’s impressive in terms his adjustability,” said Tim, who sits 3.5 penalties behind overnight leader Ros Canter with Lordships Graffalo.

It is well known that Vitali, who belongs to his rider Tim and the Giannamores, is not the best showjumper, so having him in the top-three makes for a nail-biting final-phase tomorrow.

“Although you have highs and lows and disappointments, he’s gaining experience and starting to understand the whole package,” said Tim Price after his Burghley Horse Trials cross-country round. “He used to nap going to the start box, now he marches up there. It’s all building into something he can understand and that’s key to him performing.

“I know he’s often been in a winning position, but I’m really trying to compile three decent phases with him and if that’s a good result, that’s secondary to what I’m trying to achieve.”

Harry Meade’s final ride, the sensitive mare Annaghmore Valoner, turned into a tiger on the Burghley cross-country today. Belying her inexperience at five-star, she took on everything that Harry was asked of her and came home easily inside the time to take third overnight. The 12-year-old mare belongs to Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Juliet Carter.

Harry said: “I tried to give her a quiet ride at speed. I tried to set out really fast and steeplechase every straightforward fence, including fence one, but, but really hold her hand and give her confidence. She wouldn’t be that resilient. She’d get upset very easily if something happened, even something in the crowd, or she caught a fence or something, she could just panic in her breathing.

“But she was wonderful from beginning to end, she grew and grew. She feels like she’s really come of age now and was wonderfully professional.”

Harry is also in fifth on Cavalier Crystal, another inside the time, and 15th on Superstition, who had 10.8 time-faults.

“I had a plan for all three horses. I had five entered and probably left the two strongest cross-country horses behind. I did a bit of a mathematical calculation and thought these three had the best chance of the lowest finishing scores, but there was an element of risk,” said Harry.

Speaking about producing three horses to jump clears round this track, which is perhaps the toughest in the world, Harry added: “It is a real team effort. I’m pretty hopeless at a lot of things, but one thing we can do is produce confident, happy, resilient, five-star horses, from young horses, and it’s not how you produce them in the month leading up to this. It’s 10, 15 years, and it’s a process which not everyone buys into, but I personally believe it’s about giving them that long-term, slow confidence, and then when you get somewhere like this, they’re absolutely bulletproof.”

France’s Gaspard Maksud (Zaragoza) is in fourth, while Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight round out the overnight top six.

Burghley Horse Trials cross-country results: top six

Ros Canter (Lordships Graffalo): 22
Tim Price (Vitali): 25.5
Harry Meade (Annaghmore Valoner): 27.8
Gaspard Maksud (Zaragoza): 30.4
Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal): 31.3
Gemma Stevens (Chilli Knight): 32.1
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Last year’s Burghley dressage leaders grab third, plus Harry Meade ‘thrilled’ with final ride

Pippa Roome — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:15:22 +0000

The final rider to come in front of the judges for the Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage, Tim Price, powered into third place on a score of 22.3, behind Ros Canter’s pair of rides, Izilot DHI and Lordships Graffalo.

Tim and the Giannamores’ Vitali – who broke the dressage record here at Burghley last year on 18.7 – scored a 10 from Nick Burton at E for their entry and a number of nines, including two for harmony from Nick and Christina Klingspor at C. They were trending around 80% after the trot, but the marks dropped fractionally in the canter, where they showed a slight quickening through the flying changes.

“I’m very happy with him – he’s a really good dressage horse, so then there’s a bit of pressure on you to do what the horse is capable of and I had all day to sit and wait, but he warmed up really nicely, went in and did a similar test to last year, which I was really happy with,” said Tim Price after his Burghley Horse Trials dressage test.

“You do an 18 one year and you think, ‘How do I go a bit better?’ because that’s what we do with all our horses across the levels. I watched last year’s test before I went out and thought, ‘How can I improve on it?’ But he was great, he went in and was rideable and you try to ride the test as well as you can.”

Penultimate rider Harry Meade slotted into 11th with his final ride, Bramham Horse Trials CCI4*-L winner Annaghmore Valoner, owned by Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Juliet Carter.

“I’m really pleased with her. I love that horse – she’s an absolute trier, very sensitive but a real athlete and without an ounce of malice in her,” he said. “She’s a lovely person and it’s nice to give her confidence and try to keep her happy and for her to go in with a big atmosphere on Friday afternoon, hold it together and produce a really nice test for her first five-star. I’m thrilled with her.”

Earlier in the session Pippa Funnell was pleased to score 29.6 for 17th with Mare Sebestak and her own Majas Hope, who had a difficult time in this phase at Badminton. Her changes for this event from then included riding “Hopey” in a double bridle.

“There’s no hiding he finds that phase difficult, but he tried harder than he did at Badminton and let’s hope he finds tomorrow enjoyable,” said Pippa, who added that she’s not sure if she’s shrinking but she’s never seen such big arrowheads as riders have to tackle tomorrow if they take the direct route at the Holland Cooper Leaf Pit.

Full dressage results

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Burghley debutant with young horse moves into the mix among title contenders

Martha Terry — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 14:47:29 +0000

Several riders have ducked under the magic 30 barrier – having scored over 70% – on day one of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage phase, but no one has yet gone close to runaway leader Ros Canter and Izilot DHI on 19.9.

Max Warburton made an eye-catching debut with his Bramham runner-up Deerpairc Revelry to score 28.9. The Hermes De Reve gelding, owned by the Paske Syndicate, is only 10 years old. The horse and rider’s combined age of 36 is half that of Pippa Funnell and her veteran campaigner Majas Hope, who do their dressage on Friday (6 September).

“He’s only a young horse, so it’s a big ask to go in that atmosphere, but he was super, so rideable,” said Max.

Spending time establishing the flying changes has reaped its rewards especially in this new test, where two of them count for double and have proved the downfall of so many other contenders.

“He’s always found the changes easy, but he’s so forward thinking he almost goes before your aid and gets in a muddle,” Max explained. “So we spent a lot of time working on that and they’ve come off. He couldn’t have tried any harder.”

Tim Price off the mark in Burghley Horse Trials dressage

Another 10-year-old also impressed the judges: Viscount Viktor, the first of Tim Price’s two rides. The dark brown gelding, owned by Glynn Norcutt, Ginny Rusher and Tim, had already posted sub-30 as a nine-year-old at Pau CCI5* last year, and produced a light and fluid test here for 29.5. His highlight was the canter work, especially the extended, where he responded boldly to Tim’s aids for an 8.5. By and large his flying changes were well executed which bodes well for the future of this young horse.

“He coped really well with the atmosphere – he’s been really relaxed this week,” said Tim. “He’s been to a couple of five-stars before but this was his best effort. He’s not always been that rideable in the ring, but he’s understanding it’s easier to relax – he’s going to be a really special horse on the flat. This is a starting point for what he’s going to be able to produce in the future.

“He gallops in the most beautiful fashion, very old-fashioned, he covers the ground. He’s a fantastic cross-country horse and I’m looking forward to letting him have the reins. He’s younger than I would normally bring a horse here, but he has experience and I think he can learn on the job.”

“I thought he might be wild in the wind”

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle have top-10 form at CCI5* in her native US so have crossed the Atlantic with intent. Jennie beamed throughout the test on her stunningly plaited chestnut.

Their test was seamless up to the flying changes with superb trot work, and she seemed to be heading for a personal best at five-star below 31.1, which she achieved last year at Burghley. However the changes proved challenging for a score on the board of 34.8.

“I thought the walk and trot were great,” said Jennie. “He gets hot in the canter and he’s really fit so with the weather and wind I thought he might be even more wild, but he held it together as well as he can.”

Last year he tied up just before the event so Jennie ended up running him conservatively cross-country.

“This time I brought him over early, and he’s fit, it’s been a great trip, and he’s in great form,” said Jennie. “I’m excited to go out with him feeling 100%. Burghley is what the sport of eventing is all about, and what I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid.”

Harry Meade was back between the white boards during the afternoon session on day one, this time riding last year’s Burghley third Cavalier Crystal. He scored 31.3 on Charlotte Opperman’s Jack Of Diamonds mare, her best at this level, thanks to a consistent test, with no major mistakes.

Francis Whittington steered his long-term partner DHI Purple Rain to a score of 34.7. This horse has such beautiful cadence, and moves so elegantly that a great performance is eminently possible, but so often his flying changes prove to be his nemesis. This is all the more expensive with the co-efficient in this five-star test C. Today, a mini buck in the first and an early anticipation dragged his excellent early score down.

“The trot work was very smart, I should have left the arena then!” joked Francis. “We know he can be spectacular, and then the tension crept in in the canter. Those serpentine changes are our Achilles heel – I told the owners they were ‘consistently inconsistent’.”

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Change of pathfinder following latest Burghley withdrawals, plus Harry Meade confirms his rides

Pippa Roome — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:28:00 +0000

The latest Defender Burghley Horse Trials withdrawals mean there has been a change of pathfinder for the event (5-8 September), which starts with the first trot-up tomorrow.

Tim Price has withdrawn Jean-Louis Stauffer’s and his own Coup De Coeur Dudevin – the 2022 Maryland 5 Star winner – who was drawn as number one. Dorset-based New Zealand rider Tim will still compete on Viscount Viktor (number 33), owned by Glynn Norcutt, Ginny Rusher and his rider, and his own and the Giannamores’ Vitali, who is the last horse to go as number 83.

Harry Meade has also confirmed which of the five horses he has entered he will run. The British rider is now the pathfinder with his own and Mandy Gray’s Superstition (number two), who makes his British five-star debut after three top-10 placings at US five-stars.

Harry also competes with two mares – Charlotte Opperman’s Cavalier Crystal (number 30), who was third at Burghley last year, and five-star debutante and Bramham Horse Trials CCI4*-L winner Annaghmore Valoner (number 80), owned by Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Juliet Carter.

This means Harry’s popular grey five-star stalwart Away Cruising (owned by Jane Dear and Charlotte Opperman) is left at home this time, and Mandy Gray’s Et Hop Du Matz has to wait for another occasion for his first tilt at the level.

The latest Burghley Horse Trials withdrawals also include US combination Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent, who belongs to William Duhring and Meghan, and Toshiyuki Tanaka and Jefferson JRA, owned by the Japan Equestrian Federation, who were part of the bronze medal-winning team at the recent Paris Olympics for Japan and had been aiming for a Burghley debut.

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Top rider retains open title while another follows in her mother’s footsteps to claim British championship

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 19:23:36 +0000

Tim Price retained his British open championship title at the British Championships today (11 August). Riding Joe and Alex Giannamore’s Vitali, Tim cruised around the track at the Gatcombe Festival of British Eventing replacement, the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials, clocking just 1.2 time-faults – the fastest time of the day.

New Zealander Tim was second after the dressage aboard 14-year-old Vitali on 20.5 with Kitty King leading the way on Vendredi Biats with 20.4, but Tim’s speedy cross-country round propelled him to the top of the leaderboard.

“He’s so well suited to this sort of competition. He obviously hasn’t had the best record showjumping when that phase is on day three – that’s something I’m still working on and it will come,” explained Tim. “But in this one-day format, it suits him. He’s got fresher legs this way around and everything is a bit more related to the training you put in for the dressage over the days leading in so the body is a bit more manageable, whereas in a three-day format, he gets more strung out across country and it’s a lot to put him back together.

“He’s such a showman in the dressage, and then we got a clear showjumping round out of him and it’s then a bit game on because he’s a fast horse. He’s been there, done that. The time was super-tight and then I heard Em [Emily King] had gone pretty close to it and I thought ‘gosh, I was trying to get close to the time on my other rides and I was miles off’. But he was super and is so adjustable at speed, which of course helps.

“There was lots to do on the cross-country and it was strong enough. It is good Burghley prep and for what Hartpury is able to offer, it was up there with one of the better tracks.”

Comparing the British open championship at Hartpury to Gatcombe, Tim says it’s a good preparation but slightly different.

“In terms of Burghley, last year I really missed not having Gatcombe as a prep-run [owing to the event’s abandonment] as it just set horses up so brilliantly. This obviously isn’t Gatcombe, but it still got right into my horse’s bread basket – there were enough hills, so I’m hoping this will stand him in very good stead for Burghley and having a bit more gas in the tank than we had there last year when we didn’t get the Gatcombe run.”

Emily King crowned British champion

Emily King and Valmy Biats become British champions. (Image credit: BENJAMIN CLARK)

Emily King was crowned British National champion in the British open championship, as she was the highest-placed Brit, finishing second on her own, Philippe Brivois and the Valmy Biats Syndicate’s Valmy Biats. Emily follows in the footsteps of her mother Mary King, who took this title in 1990, 1991, 1996 and 2007.

It was very close at the top following the dressage with just .4 of a penalty separating the top three, but Emily’s cross-country round, where she incurred the joint-second fastest round of the day for 3.2 time-faults, moved her from third after the first two phases into the runner-up spot.

The highly consistent combination of Kitty King and Vendredi Biats added 8.4 cross-country time-faults to a dressage of 20.4 to finish third.

“He pulled a shoe off early on at fence eight so that made it hard to be quick, but he went really well, did a lovely dressage test and showjumped brilliantly,” explained Kitty of the 15-year-old, owned by Diana Bown, Samantha Wilson, Sally Lloyd-Baker and John Eyre. “He’s so consistent now at this level.”

Kitty stated that the plan is to take ‘Froggy’ to Maryland 5 Star in October.

“I’ve raised half of the funds to take him there, I’ve just got to raise the other half now. I’m hoping to raise the rest by offering someone to ‘adopt’ him for the week, so they will get the full owner experience at the event, but without being named as an owner.”

Zara Tindall and five-star stalwart Class Affair were fourth on 30.7, while Tim Price finished fifth on 37.8 with Coup De Coeur Dudevin.

Of the 34 starters, 30 jumped clear around the Eric Winter-designed cross-country course, while akin to Gatcombe, nobody made the 7min 1sec optimum time.

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Power couple and a special Olympic selection – plus Badminton star’s surprise reserve slot

Pippa Roome — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 12:26:45 +0000

Eventing power couple Tim Price and Jonelle Price, plus Clarke Johnstone – who has spoken about this being a special selection following the loss of his partner last year – have been named for the New Zealand Olympic eventing team for the Paris Games.

Badminton Horse Trials winners Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier will take the alternate spot. It will come as a surprise to many that the Badminton victors have not been selected for the team, but is perhaps symptomatic of the split between five-stars and championships in the modern sport of eventing. In fact, no horses from this year’s Badminton results have yet been named to an Olympic team, although several are listed as reserves, including Greenacres Special Cavalier and Grappa Nera, who was sixth at Badminton and is a reserve horse for Jonelle.

New Zealand Olympic eventing team

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old mare Hiarado

Owners: David and Karie Thomson

Breeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Ekstein

Direct reserve horse: 13-year-old mare Grappa Nera

Owners: The Grape Syndicate and rider

Breeder: HJ Booy

Breeding: by Karandasj out of a mare by Babalouba

Tim Price with 15-year-old gelding Falco

Owners: Sue Benson and rider

Breeder: Norbert Nowak

Breeding: by Cardenio 2 out of a mare by Weinberg

Direct reserve horse: 12-year-old gelding Coup De Coeur Dudevin

Owners: Jean-Louis Stauffer and rider

Breeder: Jean-Louis Stauffer

Breeding: by Top Gun Semilly out of a mare by Leprince Des Bois

Clarke Johnstone with 14-year-old gelding Menlo Park

Owners: rider and his parents Jean and Rob

Breeder: S Vitalini

Breeding: by Berlin out of a mare by Rock King

Alternate

Caroline Powell with 11-year-old Greenacres Special Cavalier

Owners: Chris and Michelle Mann and rider

Breeder: Michael Callery

Breeding: by Cavalier Royale out of a mare by Touchdown

Four-time Olympian and London 2012 team bronze medallist Jonelle said of Hiarado: “She has been nothing but magic since we bought her and has gone from strength to strength. We are very well suited – she is gutsy, determined, feisty and strong-willed. We are a match made in heaven!”

Tim comes forward for his third Olympic Games and his ride Falco, the double world bronze medallist, has come back from having a tumour removed last year.

Tim said: “I am very happy and excited to be involved in the Kiwi team again. Both horses are in good form and healthy. Now it is about us binding together as a team and having that team result we are all so desperate for. We are all in a good place and a great bunch of people who are all bringing forward really exciting horses.”

Clarke, who will be riding at his second Olympics following Rio, said his selection is extra special after a challenging year.

“It has been an incredibly difficult year for me personally after the sudden death of my partner Codey at the end of 2023,” he said. “Having the goal of the Olympic Games which we were both so invested in has kept me going the past six months and I have poured my heart and soul into training and competing my lovely horses this year to make our goal a reality. I know he would be so proud.”

Alternate rider Caroline, another team bronze medallist from London who also rode at the 2008 Games, said: “What an honour to represent my country again. I can’t wait for the Games. It’s always a very special time.”

US-based Monica Spencer revealed on social media that she is the first reserve and she and Artist will fly to France to be part of the training camp.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance general manager Jock Paget, another team bronze medal winner in London, said the New Zealand Olympic eventing team selection had been particularly hard.

“We had lots of strong combinations to choose from. It was the biggest selection headache I have witnessed in my time but we now have a really strong team who I think will be suitable for what we expect to go into in Paris,” he said. “Our reserve combinations are strong and committed to being in the best shape possible if called on for the games, and we are looking forward to getting into our final camp to finish our prep.”

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Find out when British Olympic hopefuls and other top names go cross-country at Luhmühlen

Becky Murray — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 18:26:44 +0000

The Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country times have been released – with Brits holding podium places across both classes.

The CCI5* cross-country gets under way tomorrow morning (15 June), with an hour break before the CCI4*-S in the afternoon.

Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser will be the pathfinders across cross-country course-designer Mike Etherington Smith’s five-star track, which features 30 fences. The optimum time is 11 minutes and seven seconds.

Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country times: CCI5* top 10

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI 9.37am UK time (10.37am local time)
Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality 10.29am UK time (11.29am local time)
Laura Collett and Hester 8.33am UK time (9.33am local time)
Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser 7.45am UK time (8.45am local time)
Nicolai Adlinger and Timmo 10.25am UK time (11.25am local time)
Lara De Liedekerke-Meier and Hooney D’Arville 8.09am UK time (9.09am local time)
Libussa Lübbeke and Caramia 34 9.21am UK time (10.21am local time)
Jennifer Kuehnle and Sammy Davis Junior 10.41am UK time (11.41am local time)
Mollie Summerland and Flow 7 9.29am UK time (10.29am local time)
Julie Simonet and Sursumcord’Or 8.37am UK time (9.37am local time)

The CCI4*-S gets under way at 11.51am UK time (12.51pm local time), with Australia’s Kevin McNab and Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam first out on course. The track features 23 obstacles and has an optimum time of six minutes 56 seconds.

Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country times: CCI4*-S top 10

Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH 2.46pm UK time (3.46pm local time)
Laura Collett and London 52 1.56pm UK time (2.56pm local time)
Anna Lena Schaaf and Fairytale 39 12.48pm UK time (1.48pm local time)
Michael Jung and Kilcandra Ocean Power 12.16pm UK time (1.16pm local time)
Sandra Auffarth and Viamant Du Matz 1.48pm UK time (2.48pm local time)
Giovanni Ugolotti and Swirly Temptress 2.28pm UK time (3.28pm local time)
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir 2.11pm UK time (3.11pm local time)
Tim Price and Coup De Coeur Dudevin 12.01pm UK time (1.01pm local time)
Thomas Carlile and Darmagnac De Beliard 1.13pm UK time (2.13pm local time)
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin 2.21pm UK time (3.21pm local time)

View the Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country times in full.

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‘I think she’ll retire next year’: young rider and 17-year-old home-bred top Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage day one

Becky Murray — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 12:12:33 +0000

Rising German star Anna Lena Schaaf and home-bred Fairytale 39 have taken the lead on the first day of the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage today (13 June).

Anna, 22, and the 17-year-old Fidertanz 2 mare posted a score of 26.0, pushing Anna’s compatriot Michael Jung and Kilcandra Ocean Power into overnight second on 27.1. New Zealand’s Tim Price and the 2022 Maryland 5 Star winner Coup De Coeur Dudevin are in provisional third on 28.1.

Anna and Fairytale 39 produced a lovely flowing test, just losing marks for their walk pirouettes when the mare appeared to be briefly distracted by something outside the arena.

“The trot part was really good, she was really in front of me and I could really ride her,” said Anna.

“In the walk I don’t know what happened in the pirouette, but she was in a bit of a hurry and I said to her ‘Ok, stay here’. The canter work was also really good, but in the flying changes I could have ridden them a bit more, so in training it was maybe worth one point more. But it was good, and I’m happy.”

Fairytale 39 was bred by Anna’s grandfather Gerd Neukäter and first competed by Anna’s mother Ilka in dressage, before Anna took over the ride in 2015 when she was 14. The pair have enjoyed continued success, including winning double gold at the junior Europeans in 2018, and taking the German young rider championship in 2021. Last month the pair were fifth in the Wiesbaden CCI4*-S.

Anna, who finished fourth with Fairytale 39 in the Luhmühlen CCI4*-S last year, said retirement could soon be looming for the much-loved “family horse”.

“Maybe this will be my last year with her, so I really want to enjoy it,” she said.

“I think she’ll retire next year – but I also said that last year, so we will see how she feels.”

Michael Jung took early CCI4*-S dressage lead at Luhmühlen

Michael held the Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage lead throughout the morning on Kilcandra Ocean Power, and Michael believes there are still more marks to come from the 11-year-old.

“He’s a really, really nice horse,” said Michael, who topped the Strzegom CCI4*-L with the gelding last year.

Michael has produced the horse, having bought him as a five-year-old at the Goresbridge Go for Gold sales in 2018 for €19,000.

“He’s very nice to ride in the dressage. The canter is the best part from him, he does really nice flying changes,” said Michael.

“There’s still a lot to improve. It’s very nice when you have a good test but you still feel like there’s something to get better. He’s a super jumper and very easy in the cross-country so fingers crossed for Saturday.”

As the Luhmühlen CCI4*-S incorporates the German national championship, Michael said when it comes to cross-country course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith’s track, “It’s usually always a bit more than a normal four-star”.

“We have a lot of top riders here and everyone wants to win this week, but for me it’s still also a bit about preparation for Paris,” said Michael, adding that this means he will not necessarily be chasing the clock.

“We will have a few per cent more control on the cross-country, it’s not all about catching the time.”

Michael confirmed that Kilcandra Ocean Power is his first reserve horse to FischerChipmunk FRH for the Paris Olympics. Michael and FischerChipmunk are drawn for the second day of Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage, tomorrow (14 June) at 11.42am UK time (12.42pm local time).

Tim Price seeking Olympic qualification at Luhmühlen

Tim was happy with 12-year-old Coup De Coeur Dudevin’s performance, describing it as better than their test at Wiesbaden CCI4*-S last month, where the pair finished second.

“While the Wiesbaden test scored better (25.4), I thought this was a better test. He’s a proper authentic eventing horse; he’s not a top dressage horse, but he tries his hardest and he’s just a great cross-country horse and jumper,” said Tim.

“The walk was much better today, and I think he just relaxed a little bit more through his body and was able to swing. He didn’t peek out the sides at what was going on around him and I could just feel him concentrating really hard everywhere.”

Tim confirmed that Coup De Coeur Dudevin is on his Paris “short list”, alongside his other four-star ride Falco, whose dressage is tomorrow at 10.57am UK time (11.57am local time).

“But they have to qualify, which is great fun… trying to show off horses and not do anything stupid!” he said.

The Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage continues tomorrow, with the three Brits still to come forward. Paris Olympic hopefuls Laura Collett and London 52 are on at 9.02am UK time (10.02am local time), Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir at 9.47am UK time (10.47am local time), and Tom McEwen and JL Dublin at 10.10am UK (11.10am local time).

The first day of the CCI5* dressage gets under way this afternoon, with eight Brits on today’s start list including Yasmin Ingham and her other Paris potential ride Rehy DJ (at 1.15pm UK time/2.15pm local time), Laura Collett and Hester (2.50pm UK time/3.15pm local time), and five-star debutant Storm Straker and Fever Pitch (3.27pm Uk time/4.27pm local time). Tom McEwen is first to go in the five-star dressage with CHF Cooliser at 1.15pm UK time (2.15pm local time). Ros Canter and Izilot DHI, who are also among the potential British Paris entries, are on tomorrow at 1.07pm UK time (2.07pm local time).

Check out all the key Luhmühlen dressage times.

‘I had to suck it up and be brave’: risk pays off for top rider who heads Badminton leaderboard

Martha Terry — Sat, 11 May 2024 15:07:02 +0000

Tim Price has moved up to pole position on the leaderboard at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials after cross-country, thanks to an impeccably judged round.

Tim was defending third place on Vitali, and by the time he went cross-country he could move into the lead with a fast clear. Ahead of him, the leader Ros Canter had retired Izilot DHI at the Lake, while Bubby Upton broke a frangible and had 15.6 time-faults. Tim now has 1.3 penalties in hand over William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht, though Caroline Powell could yet go ahead of him on Greenacres Special Cavalier, seventh after dressage.

Vitali is a nimble horse who was one of the few to go direct at the angled log at the Mars Sustainability Bay, and the risk paid off as he was just 10sec over for four time-penalties. In fact, that direct route barely looked like a risk, as Vitali took the sharply angled element easily in his stride while some other horses have made it look awkward.

“He’s a class horse and he’s getting better with age,” said Tim. “You have a job with these fences and a horse to look after in terms of stamina, but ultimately we need to be clear and fast, and there were a couple of moments I had to suck it up and be a bit brave. He gave me everything – he thought on his feet.”

Badminton final scores

Tim has not given himself much leeway over his pursuers if he does manage to hold on to the lead, especially on a horse that is not renowned for his showjumping reliability.

“I think he’s an all-round event horse although he hasn’t yet shown it in all three phases,” said Tim. “He’s buzzing with fitness which I think cost me a few marks on the flat, but maybe it will help me tomorrow. I have got a plan.”

Emily King nails first Badminton Horse Trials cross-country completion

Emily King, 28, was lying fifth on Valmy Biats after dressage but were on a quest for their first Badminton completion. The horse looked to start off slightly deliberate but by the time he got to the LeMieux Eyelash Brushes, he was flying. The 15-year-old French-bred gelding made these huge jumps look straightforward and finished full of running for 8.4 time-faults.

“He was amazing!” Emily said. “He felt mega on it from the start. I wanted to be up on my minute markers but not interfere with my fences because he’s so bold. He’s been galloping in sticky going back at home, so he’s used to it and he’s so fit. I think he’s been within himself, rather than halfway round finding it a bit tiring.

“I didn’t ride what I planned in Huntman’s and he saved me there. That was a proper wake-up call, I thought I can’t trust my eye to take [a stride] less so I need to add if need be. Then I helped him out at other places, which I don’t always do, so I am so pleased. I have to be a touch cautious, holding his balance, while trying to go quick.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s real – everyone works so hard just to get here, so to finish and have a good round is just what you dream about. I’m so proud of Valmy.”

Kiwi rider Jesse Campbell put in a lovely Badminton Horse Trials cross-country round on Cooley Lafitte. The horse tired a little in the last third of the course, and Jesse nursed him home to clock 10.8 time-faults.

“The horse dug so deep for me,” he said. “I felt like I couldn’t see a distance, but the horse tried incredibly hard over a tough course. I had to go the direct route [at the Mars Equestrian Sustainability Bay] because where would I be with 25 time-faults?

“I think the ground held up well – the tired horses are the end are more mentally tired.”

Felicity Collins, 26, typically puts in super jumping rounds with her great cross-country course RSH Contend OR, but it didn’t go well for her on this occasion. Felicity found herself on a long stride at the final corner in Huntsman’s Close, and the fence came down and she pulled up.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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Uncharacteristic mistake sees expected Badminton dressage leader in third

Martha Terry — Fri, 10 May 2024 12:00:27 +0000

Tim Price had been touted as a likely leader on Vitali after the Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage phase, but a mark of 27.7 puts them third at lunchtime on Friday.

For most of the test the pair looked confident to top the leaderboard, as they kicked off with a nine for the first medium trot, and the horse’s stunning movement, cadence and lightness earned them a spate of eights and 8.5s. His extended trot was superb, Vitali was soft yet forward, smartly flicking his toes while in a good outline. The first three flying changes, the bête noir of so many event horses, were also secure and expressive, scoring eights.

But the impressive performance just started to unravel slightly at the final flying change, where the marks plummeted to fours, which was such an expensive mistake in a lovely test, rounded off with fidgety final halt.

“We all know how capable he is, so on the one hand you can be a bit disappointed but it’s always a bit unknown when you take a horse into an arena like that,” said Tim. “He’s been getting better and better every ride, but it’s so different here to Burghley – it was madness there, whereas here he’s been relaxed and then he got a little bit on edge and it took away his focus. He misses a change one in a 100 and I missed one and a half in there today.”

Badminton final scores

Tim scored 18.7 to lead the dressage at Burghley last year, and has joked that he’d need to score a 12 on this horse to give him a significant showjumping advantage. But he had a positive attitude about today’s result.

“He just wants to go, he’s feeling very well,” he said. “Maybe I’ll do a conventional result here, starting near the top and he’ll get better and getter through the phases. I’ll take that – I’m happy enough.”

At lunchtime on the second day, Ros Canter leads on Izilot DHI, on 25.3, with Bubby Upton second on Cola (27.3).

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials dressage

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To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 16 May.

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Top riders seek Olympic qualifications in the Netherlands this weekend

Pippa Roome — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 11:41:11 +0000

The Paris Olympics 2024 eventing qualification hunt will heat up in the Netherlands this week, as riders plan their seasons around the Games.

Tom McEwen and David Doel are among the British riders who have made the journey to Kronenberg, while other competitors include New Zealand’s Tim Price, France’s Astier Nicolas and Australia’s Chris Burton.

To be eligible to compete at Paris 2024, combinations must have a qualifying result at either a CCI5* or a CCI4-L and a CCI4-S between 1 January 2023 and 24 June 2024. In addition, pairs need a qualifying result at any CCI5, CCI4-L or CCI4*-S between 1 January 2024 and 24 June 2024 (the “confirmation result”).

Horses who have missed part or all of 2023 through injury are therefore likely to be seeking three four-star qualifying results this spring. Tim Price’s 2022 Maryland 5 Star winner Coup De Coeur Dudevin is one of these horses and is entered to start in the CCI4*-L this week at Kronenberg. Tim’s world double bronze medallist Falco, who missed the back end of last year after having a tumour removed, has one CCI4*-S qualification from Millstreet last year already under his belt. He is also in the Kronenberg CCI4*-L line-up.

Astier Nicolas’ double Blair Castle Horse Trials CCI4*-S winner Babylon De Gamma only did one international last year, gaining a CCI4*-S qualification at Lignières in the autumn, and will take on the CCI4*-L at Kronenberg.

Tom McEwen’s ride JL Dublin and David Doel’s Galileo Nieuwmoed both had podium finishes at five-star last year, so they only need their “confirmation result” to tick the formal qualification box for Paris. Both will seek this in the CCI4*-S at Kronenberg. Tom also has CHF Cooliser in this class, an exciting return to competition for this mare, who sat out most of last year.

Other British entries in the CCI4*-S include 2022 Luhmühlen Horse Trials five-star runners-up Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI, Bubby Upton (who continues her comeback from serious injury with Cola and Magic Roundabout) and up-and-coming rider Georgia Bartlett with Spano De Nazca.

New Zealand’s Caroline Powell will seek her Paris confirmation result in the CCI4*-S with Greenacres Special Cavalier, who was sixth at Maryland 5 Star last year. Others who will aim to gain their confirmation result in this class include Belgium’s Karin Donckers, with her experienced 19-year-old Fletcha Van’t Verahof, and her compatriot Lara de Liedekerke-Meier on last year’s Boekelo runner-up Ducati D’Arville.

New – and reunited – combinations also have to tick all the qualification boxes over the next few months. Japan’s Yoshiaki Oiwa will start his international campaign in Kronenberg with the former Pippa Funnell ride MGH Grafton Street. And while publicity around Chris Burton’s return to eventing and assault on the Australian team has been centred around him taking on Ben Hobday’s Shadow Man, he is also quietly back riding Clever Louis, who has been piloted by Jonelle Price and Bubby Upton since Chris stopped eventing in 2021. Chris and Clever Louis are entered in the CCI4*-S at Kronenberg.

Australia’s Bill Levett bagged an early Olympic qualification last weekend when he took the CCI4*-L at Montelibretti in Italy on Sligo Candy Cane.

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Nine secrets of successful cross-country from Tim and Jonelle Price

Pippa Roome — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 13:00:12 +0000

Tim and Jonelle Price are some of the very best in the business when it comes to cross-country riding.

On a webinar organised by the Lucinda Green XC Academy, they shared some of their secrets…

1. Balance is key and having the horse channelled on the aids

“The ability to ride a horse in good balance, between two legs and two reins at any given moment, is imperative,” says Jonelle. “Then you can get more complicated with the ability to access more gears within the paces.

“To make your cross-country riding smoother, you have to make a smaller change over more strides to maintain that rhythm, to be efficient.”

2. Don’t overtrain

Jonelle went on to say that much of that comes down to “day to day flatwork” and that the Prices don’t believe in overtraining cross-country.

“You see a lot of arena eventing in Britain, it’s definitely got merits but it’s not a huge part of our system,” she says.

“While we don’t look for a particular breed, a horse has to be an athlete when we go to look at it. It has to have a leg at each corner, natural balance. Perhaps that helps our slightly minimalistic approach to cross-country training.”

3. Make it fun, use terrain and control the direction

The Prices use a field that has various “bits and pieces” of cross-country obstacles in it and a large part of going there is about a horse starting to realise it’s fun.

“They’re an animal that loves to run and jump – we go down there and try to make it fun for them,” says Tim Price. “It’s about finding different questions that are terrain-related – up and down banks, ditches. They think they’re the biggest, scariest thing in the world, then after a few minutes they realise they can skip over.

“It’s also important they feel comfortable on changeable surfaces so we do a lot of that playing around in different places.”

Tim emphasises that in those sessions, the horse has to go where he asks.

“They can’t scoot up the hill there towards home or because a horse has called that way, so it’s just playing around with that control element,” he says.

4. Early problems at events don’t matter

“We’re not out to win a BE100 or a novice, we’re taking young horses out to learn on the job and if they have a wobble, we can live with that,” says Jonelle.

“There are various ways to deal with that – repetition with wings on fences until they understand or sometimes you need to create the problem at home and show them the way so they understand. It goes back to what Jonelle said about having the horse between both reins and both legs. If a horse is going to deviate from that, you need to understand the whys and hows.”

5. You don’t have to use speed in training

“I quite enjoy just walking and trotting over a few banks and ditches,” says Jonelle. “The horses know they must stay in front of my leg and go, not just because I’m using speed to get to the other side. With young horses, I think nothing of walking up some banks and letting them stumble up and down or into a wee ditch, so they get aware of where their legs are. If you use speed, they’re not quite aware of what they’ve done.”

6. Horses must dig deep in fitness work

“For 80% of our training we’re on a straight line grass gallop,” says Tim. “We have a good warm-up to get there, perhaps 25 minutes trotting, and when we get to the gallop we let them run – it’s not a nice round hand canter. We know where they start to flag and then they have to dig deep to go up the last bit. We believe that preparation has been fundamental in our horses’ health.”

7. You don’t have to start out fast in cross-country riding

At every level, Tim employs a strategy of increasing speed through the course.

“I start in a fairly quiet rhythm, then build up through the middle, then push them home a bit quicker,” he says. “As you go up the grades you can repeat the same thing, but obviously a bit quicker.

Jonelle adds: “The key thing is rhythm – going fast is not about who can gallop the fastest, it’s about the person who can start and finish the course in the most efficient way, with the least disruptive effect on the horse. When Tim refers to picking up speed, he’s always within a rhythm.

“I’d encourage grassroots people to practise picking up a fence out of a rhythm, even if only at 350mpm to start with, then when you can consistently pick that rhythm up you can up the speed to 375 or 400mpm, but the emphasis should be on rhythm not speed itself.

“You see far too many young or inexperienced riders land and tear away from fences and then 100m out from the next fence, they’ve got a wrestle going on, trying to get horse back under control to put it in the right balance to jump the jump.”

8. Don’t obsess about seeing a stride

“For me now, a distance is more of an observation than a real consideration. It’s something that’s coming up – that was a bit close, that one a bit further way – but the horse picks up. If it’s a real technical fence, yes, you have to set up and make sure of a few more things, but overall round the course, it’s an observation of a fence, you’ve got the balance, the rhythm.”

Jonelle says she doesn’t put herself under huge pressure to see a big galloping distance in the first few minutes.

“I find it easier to ride to time over 10 to 12 minutes over long format courses than six minutes over short format classes,” she says. “If I’m five seconds down at the first minute, I don’t panic. In the middle I’m trying to be efficient, trying not to lose time, then in the last stages I try to bring it home. I accept I might have one or two waiting distances in the early part, so I’m aware of it but not freaking out about it.”

“The stride comes up much easier if you’re in the correct rhythm. People come for a lesson and are so desperate to see a stride it becomes a negative and distracts. If we can shift focus to the rhythm, that becomes their friend.”

9. Tick the boxes

“I turn cross-country into a box-ticking exercise – as I go round I’m ticking off boxes, so I might think, ‘That box was a bit challenging’, then I go to the next one. It simplifies my purpose and takes some complication out of it.”

‘Unestablished’ horse takes early Pau five-star lead – while Brits sit in second and third

Becky Murray — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 17:50:28 +0000

New Zealand’s Tim Price and Viscount Viktor lead the way after the first day of the Pau Horse Trials dressage.

Tim and nine-year-old Viscount Viktor, owned by Barbara Cooper, Glyn Norcutt, and Ginny Rusher, scored 28 for their smooth, flowing test. The pair’s performance was consistent throughout, with a number of eights being awarded for the extended trot, extended canter, and half passes.

Pau is Viscount Viktor’s first five-star and Tim was pleased with the up-and-coming gelding.

“He’s coming along, he’s a young horse and unestablished at all this stuff. But the end of the year is hopefully when you’re going to get a bit more relaxation, and he’s going to understand the movements a bit more,” he said.

“He does actually find the work quite easy. If he’s chilled, then he just goes through the motions and for me it was a little bit of an under-ridden test; I was just going for a nice test that didn’t have too many mistakes. And then we can build on that over the coming years.”

Tim said Viscount Victor has continued to progress with age and he can now ask for a bit more in tests.

“Not that long ago I used to sort of have to introduce the half pass, and then go into it, because otherwise he might pop into canter or lose balance. But now I can sit him up on the corner and say ‘Let’s go sideways’,” he said.

“And the same with the medium canter; I can come around the corner and say, ‘Let’s go’ and he goes into a good medium canter. Those moments are really fun in terms of training a horse, and building it up through the grades, so I was happy with him for those things. He showed a nice extended walk which shows a bit of relaxation.

“And then the places he finds difficult; coming back from a medium and extended canter – he likes to keep his body nice and long. He knows to come back and it will get better over the next couple of years – but he doesn’t have a big whoopsie moment now, he just tries a bit harder and comes back. It’s those little places that are showing progress in his training that makes it rewarding.”

Pau Horse Trials dressage: British riders in second and third

Piggy March is currently the best of the Brits in second with Coolparks Sarco following the first day of five-star dressage action. The pair sit just 0.1 of a penalty behind Tim and Viscount Viktor. The Lamberts’ 11-year-old gelding, a former ride of Nicola Wilson, was another horse making his five-star debut at Pau.

“He felt very nice,” said Piggy. “Maybe I needed to go up one gear to get a little bit more, but I was conscious not to feel like I was chasing when he felt so nicely in front of my leg and under me.

“In the last change I felt him a little bit concerned about the camera, and in the 8m circle he was a bit scared of it, but other than that he felt nice. I might look back and be questioning myself for not being a bit braver, but I don’t know. I didn’t ever go ‘Oh dear’. It all felt consistent. I’m delighted with his brain, he went in there and was really rideable and relaxed.”

Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel, owned by Kate James and Annie Makin, lie in third overnight after the first day of the Pau Horse Trials dressage on 28.3.

Ros said she was “absolutely delighted” with the 14-year-old mare’s test, but thought it was “a bit harshly marked”.

“There might have been things I could have done a bit better, but I was really delighted with how she went,” she said.

“The day before a competition she sometimes looks a bit spicy, but she needs to look spicy in order to be upbeat enough in there for changes and things. I’m really happy with the way she settled, you just have to persuade yourself 20 minutes is plenty in the warm-up – and most of that is spent in walk; I do two minutes work then have a walk, two minutes then have a walk – she just needs to feel good in her body.”

The second day of Pau Horse Trials dressage begins tomorrow (27 October) with home-side rider Cedric Lyard with Unum De’Or at 10am local time (9am British time). The first Brit is Helen Bates and Carpe Diem at 10.07am local time (9.07am British time).

Medal-winning horse withdrawn from major event as he undergoes surgery

Pippa Roome — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:58:34 +0000

World eventing double bronze medallist Falco has undergone surgery to remove a tumour.

Rider Tim Price described what had happened on a video explaining his withdrawal from the Mars Maryland 5 Star this week (19-22 October).

“Of course I’d love for him to be on a plane and winging his way over and for me to be joining him and have a good nudge at defending my title, but he actually had to undertake some colic surgery,” said Tim, who won Maryland 5 Star last year on Coup De Coeur Dudevin.

“It was a tumour, not actually colic in the end, a non-malignant tumour, that could have been in his tummy for a long time, or in his gut– I’m not a vet, just a little old horse rider.

“We’re looking at it as a really fortunate situation we were able to hook that out of there before it caused any real damage, but it does mean he needs some time to recover, so that’s him tucked away for this year. He’s doing just that, recovering, and we’re really happy with how he’s coming along so here’s to next year and everything going to plan.

“I wish all the competitors all the best for Maryland and the organisers as well, who’ve always been so great and accommodating for us to come over and make it such a fun event to attend. So good luck everyone, have a great show, be safe but go for it.”

Tim and Sue Benson’s Falco won Pau five-star in 2021, and went on to take individual bronze and lead the New Zealand team to bronze at the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro. This year, they won Millstreet CCI4*-S in Ireland.

A British-bred mare and a purple patch: revisit the previous winners of the world’s next five-star

Pippa Roome — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 15:32:51 +0000

The US autumn five-star is just weeks away (19-22 October), so it seems like an appropriate time to revisit the past Mars Maryland 5 Star winners.

Let’s remind ourselves how things panned out at the first two runnings of the event…

2021: Boyd Martin and On Cue

A home-side combination were the first Maryland 5 Star winners when Boyd piloted On Cue to a clear round in the showjumping to move up from third overnight.

On Cue is British-bred, from the dynasty raised in Yorkshire by Alyse Clancey and her daughter Jolyse Bell-Syer (née Clancey).

By Cabri D’Elle, she is a great granddaughter of the Clanceys’ foundation mare Augermist (by the Hanoverian Augermann, out of a mare by a thoroughbred sire), whom Alyse competed at Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials. On Cue’s dam On High competed to current three-star level, while her grand-dam On Song was a junior team bronze medallist in 2004 under Jolyse.

On Cue was 15 years old at the time of her Maryland 5 Star win, but she didn’t do an FEI event until she was 11 and only tackled her first five-star at Kentucky Three-Day Event in the spring of 2021.

“I’m on the best horse in the world, she’s flamboyant, she’s a mover, she digs deep and fights for you,” said Boyd after his win.

The US rider went to Maryland feeling he had a good chance, particularly as On Cue was very fit, having been prepped for the Olympics as Boyd’s reserve horse and then built up again for this.

This was a local victory because Boyd is based just 20 minutes down the road from Maryland – he initially joked that his wife, grand prix dressage rider Silva, was cooking him dinner every night, but it later transpired the woman who has been by his side for 15 years was away competing herself that weekend. But there was no doubt this triumph was hers as much as his.

“She’s worked so hard with On Cue and been there every step of the way – we’ve had ups and downs and I’m lucky to be married to someone who helps me every day,” said Boyd.

This was Boyd’s second five-star victory – 18 years after he won Adelaide – and the first US five-star victory for 13 years, looking back to that other Australian-turned-American Phillip Dutton’s Kentucky win in 2008. Boyd credited Australia for giving him his “work ethic and horsemanship” but he fell in love with America and having moved over in 2006, changed nationality in 2008.

2022: Tim Price and Coup De Coeur Dudevin

The New Zealand rider became the second of the Maryland 5 Star winners, his fifth five-star victory, in the middle of a purple patch that included winning two bronze medals at the World Championships and moving up to world number one.

“I’ve had some fantastic days at the office, but I think this beats them all,” he said after taking the $100,000 (£89,000) first prize. “I’ve had my good results, but to me it’s felt like flashes in the pan – I’ll have a good result, and then I’ll have a few mediocre results – but I’ve been really consistent this year. I had a great year in 2018, but this feels like something else.

“I’m taking full advantage of some cracking horses and that’s really what it boils down to for me – to let these horses show how good they are and do my bit to let that happen.”

Tim’s ride Coup De Coeur Dudevin, who is owned by his breeder Jean-Louis Stauffer, was tackling his first five-star after just one four-star long run. Produced by Chris Burton, he moved to Tim’s wife Jonelle when Chris transferred to showjumping, and then to Tim for the 2022 season for a better size match.

The pair were second after dressage, moving up when Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135 didn’t complete the cross-country. They showjumped clear with just 0.8 of a time-fault.

“I came here with a hope of a top five, but understood there might be a couple of things that showed his lack of experience and we were able to have those while keeping a nice low score,” said Tim after his win.

Of his fault-free cross-country round, he added: “I always start in a nice quiet rhythm, I build it in the middle and I reap the harvest at the end, but I exaggerated that and was very slow at the start and just let him pop around.”

Incredible rounds, smart debuts and heartbreak: 11 must-reads about Burghley cross-country day

Gemma Redrup — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 16:55:05 +0000

The cross-country day is now complete at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials 2023 and it was another day of drama, spell-binding rounds and high-profile upsets. Here is a round-up of the key stories you won’t want to miss from Saturday 2 September

It was an action-packed Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country day, over Derek di Grazia’s track.

Watch a round-up of today’s action in the video below

Tim Price holds the lead after jumping clear but finishing 20 seconds over the time with Vitali.

Why Tim’s round wasn’t as smooth as he had hoped

Oliver Townend had a rough start to the day…

What happened to Oliver’s early rides?

…but it ended well with Ballaghmor Class

Find out what Oliver had to say about this 16-year-old five-star stalwart

Some of the early riders enjoyed fantastic rounds and have reaped the rewards

What happened to the early competitors?

There was drama for Ros Canter, who was in fifth after the dressage

Find out what happened to Ros and Pencos Crown Jewel

Burghley Horse Trials cross-country day was disappointing for Tom McEwen, who was in fourth after dressage

Find out why Tom and Toledo De Kerser didn’t complete

Pippa Funnell and Sam Watson enjoyed good rounds

What Pippa said, plus Sam’s review of his remarkable little horse’s round

We caught up with Sam’s wife and groom Sparkles Watson prior to him going cross-country

Find out what Sam’s horse is like and how Sparkles juggles the many aspects of her life with great success

Burghley dreams were dashed for some experienced partnerships…

Check out what happened to Emily King and Zara Tindall

…but British first-timer Emma Thomas enjoyed a fantastic round

Find out what this young rider had to say before she went across country on her game little horse

We also met Boyd Martin’s groom Steph Simpson, to find out what it’s like working for the top US rider

Read about why Steph loves her job and what it was like travelling over from the USA with two horses for this week’s competition

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the Burghley action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

Costly time-penalties put Tim Price’s Burghley Horse Trials lead in jeopardy

Alex Robinson — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 14:52:50 +0000

Tim Price and Vitali have maintained their top position after jumping clear around the 2023 Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course, picking up eight time-penalties.

Vitali, a 13-year-old gelding who is owned by Joseph and Alexander Giannamore, banked the first part of the Irish Horse Board Bank at 17, but Tim quickly picked him up and he recovered well to clear the second part and was quickly back into his stride.

“I didn’t have an ideal shot to the fence and I thought it [banking the fence] could happen, but I hoped I could stay on board while it did,” Tim said. “While this horse has given me some amazing rides over the years, today he wasn’t taking me the same as he usually does. Horses are not machines. So, I had to revise my plan a bit. He never lost his jump the whole way around, though, and he stayed very classy with his action.

“I went into survival mode three minutes in, and I was so proud of him and how he tried all the way home.”

While Tim currently holds the lead, his time-faults mean either Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser or Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class could take the lead if they jump clear and finish inside the time.

Padraig McCarthy’s own and the Chaffe’s HHS Noble Call soared around the course on their second attempt. Padraig, 19th here last year with the horse, moved into 11th after his 2023 Burghley Horse Trials cross-country performance.

Five-star debutante Emma Thomas, 23, and Rebecca Velarde’s 10-year-old Icarus X jumped a brilliant clear round together, finishing with 21.6 time-penalties. Emma was emotional after her dressage test, and today’s result produced a similar reaction.

“I feel like I don’t have any arms left as he was so strong, but I can’t believe we’ve gone clear around our first five-star event,” said Emma. “He can’t be in the cross-country warm-up before he jumps as he gets so, so excited. He has to warm-up somewhere else, and I have to walk up to the start box with no rein contact. I can’t be in the box for more than 15 seconds. He was towing me around today, but we did it.”

Fellow five-star first-timer Tom Bird, who is the youngest competitor on the field at 21, gave his own and his uncle David Kerry’s upstanding grey Rebel Rhyme a great ride. They jumped to the wrong side of the flag on the final part of the Leat Pit, which they then corrected, and they went well thereafter to come home safely with 33.2 time-faults.

“He was epic from start to finish,” Tom said. “He was held at the start which isn’t ideal for him as he can get hot, but I couldn’t fault him. I am indebted to everyone who has helped us get here.”

London Olympian Tiana Coudray made the save of the day when her own Cancaras Girl, a 13-year-old mare who was ninth at Bramham last year, laboured over the second part of the Leaf Pit. Tiana fell onto the mare’s neck, causing her air jacket to go off, but she quickly sat back into the saddle and carried on. However, it wasn’t to be their day as they parted company later on course at The Irish Horse Board Bank.

Julia Norman and Ardeo Berlin were clear until they were pulled up by the officials at fence 25 so the horse could undergo a veterinary check for blood.

End of day update: Tim Price and Vitali are still in first, Padraig McCarthy and HHS Noble Call are in 18th spot, Emma Thomas and Icarus X finished the day in 23rd, and Tom Bird and Rebel Rhyme are in 33rd.

A record-breaking test and a stunning five-star debut: what you need to know about Burghley dressage day two

Alex Robinson — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 18:12:39 +0000

The dressage phase has drawn to a close at Defender Burghley Horse Trials 2023. Ahead of tomorrow’s cross-country, Tim Price leads the way with Vitali, while Oliver Townend occupies second and third with Swallow Springs and Ballaghmor Class, respectively.

Here’s a rundown of all you the stories you need to know from the second day of dressage at Burghley Horse Trials:

Watch Tim Price and other top riders reflect on their performances in the video below

Tim Price rode Vitali to make Burghley history as they scored the event’s first-ever sub-2o test score.

Find out exactly what record breaking score this pair tallied between the whiteboards

Oliver Townend occupies second and third places on the leader board with his pair of greys.

This meant Oliver nudged Tom McEwen into fourth with Toledo de Kerser

Five-star debutante Grace Taylor scored a personal best of 28.9 with her 11-year-old Game Changer.

Meet the Burghley first-timer who is currently in seventh position overall

Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope stole the show during the morning’s session.

Read why Pippa is “absolutely delighted” with the gelding’s dressage attempt

Five-star stalwart Bradeley Law is set to retire after his run at Burghley this year.

His long-term rider Michael Owen sings his praises

Catch up with Emily King’s groom Sarah Morrilly who is responsible for the care of Valmy Biats during Burghley week.

Find out why Sarah gets “terribly nervous” when she watches Valmy Biats

Today was also Burghley Young Event Horse final day…

Who took the five-year-old title and what did the four-year-old winner’s rider say?

And finally, read the list of cross-country times ahead of tomorrow

When is your favourite combination jumping?

‘I’m not here to muck about’: historic moment as new Burghley dressage record set

Alex Robinson — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:13:10 +0000

World number one Tim Price and uber-athletic Vitali made Burghley Horse Trials dressage history as they scored the event’s first sub-2o test score at the 2023 Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

The New Zealand team rider and the 13-year-old Vitali, who is co-owned by Joseph Glannamore, achieved an incredible total of 18.7 from the three judges, Nick Burton at E, Christian Steiner at C and Anne-Mette Binder at M.

This was a personal best international dressage score for Tim, who last won Burghley in 2018 with Ringwood Sky Boy. The duo eclipsed the previous Burghley record of 20.1, which was set by Australian Chris Burton and Nobilis 18 in 2016.

Tim and Vitali were on the path to glory right out of the gate when they were awarded a 10 for their first halt from Nick Burton, who also scored them full marks for their harmony as a combination throughout the test.

The gelding continued with an effortless performance, staying relaxed throughout while showcasing plenty of expression in his elastic paces. They totalled 14 nines over the course of the test, including two nines for their final halt, extended walk and trot, and flying changes.

“I’m so elated as this horse has always shown so much potential in all three phases, but that doesn’t mean you always get it in the ring,” said Tim. “I’m a bit speechless to be honest. He’s a quirky little horse who can throw a curveball. Seven minutes before our test you wouldn’t recognise him; I was on the ground trying to sort something out on his bridle.

“He’s achieved some good scores previously, but I’ve always believed he had better in him, and he proved that today.”

Burghley is Vitali’s fourth five-star outing and Tim is confident in their partnership.

“I’m not here to muck about, and I feel very prepared [for Burghley],” he explained. “This year, we’ve only brought Vitali here — in some years I have ridden three horses over the week. While I always embrace bringing more horses, I’m very happy to be here with just him.”

Tim Price and Vitali shuffle everyone down the Burghley Horse Trials dressage leaderboard, putting Oliver Townend and Swallow Springs (24.2) into second, and Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel (26.9) into third at this stage.

Ros Canter leads after Badminton dressage – but ‘who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow?’

Polly Bryan — Sat, 06 May 2023 15:52:17 +0000

The Badminton Horse Trials dressage has concluded at the five-star event, presented by Mars Equestrian, with Britain’s Ros Canter holding the overnight lead on 22.1 with Lordships Graffalo.

But there is all to play for, and the very strong feeling that the dressage will prove to be far from the most influential phase. Eric Winter’s testing cross-country track has undergone several alterations as a result of the wet weather. Several riders have reassessed their approach to it based on the conditions, and there is a distinct element of uncertainty around how it might ride.

Watch Ros talk through her Badminton dressage test with Lordships Graffalo

“Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow? We’re going to just have to take every jump as it comes,” said Ros. “Right now, none of us really know how it’s going to ride.”

Badminton final scores

What’s more, the Badminton Horse Trials dressage leaderboard is exceptionally close, with less than five penalties separating Ros in first and Harry Meade (Tenareze) in 10th. The top 22 riders are all sitting on scores of under 30, meaning they are well-placed to make a strong bid for the title in the next phases. Just 10 combinations scored over 35.

Big names jostle for top spots

Today, the second day of Badminton Horse Trials dressage, started in exciting fashion, as Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser swiftly replaced yesterday’s long-time leader, Oliver Townend on Swallow Springs, at the top of the scoreboard. But Tom’s lead was short-lived as Kitty King (Vendredi Biats) took over just minutes later.

With all Badminton action taking a three-hour hiatus from mid-morning to allow The King’s coronation to claim centre stage, it wasn’t until the afternoon that the 2022 Badminton runner-up Ros Canter took to the arena with Lordships Graffalo. The pair pulled off a stellar performance, moving into a well-deserved lead, with Ros describing “Walter” as “the ultimate event horse”.

“The arena held up well. Walter handled it as well as any and I was really delighted with him. He’s been steadily improving all winter and it’s exciting to be able to show him at his best,” said Ros, who also has her other ride, Pencos Crown Jewel (17th), with whom she will tackle the cross-country first tomorrow.

Completing the top 10 going into cross-country day are Gemma Stevens, (fourth on Jalapeno), Oliver Townend (sixth on Ballaghmor Class), Laura Collett (seventh on Dacapo), William Fox-Pitt (eighth with Grafennacht), Tim Price (ninth on Coup De Coeur Dudevin, below) and Harry Meade (10th on Tenareze).

Tim Price riding Coup de Coeur Dudevin for NZL during the dressage phase of the Badminton Horse Trials presented by MARS Equestrian, held on the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 4th - 8th May 2023 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

As the final rider into the dressage arena, Tim had arguably the worst ground conditions of everyone, but was still able to produce what he described as the best quality test this horse has done. And he isn’t too fazed about his late draw for the cross-country either.

“He’s a great scrambler. I’m looking forward to him in those conditions. I’m not going to say it’s all going to go to plan, but he doesn’t really pay attention to the ground,” Tim said.

Pippa Funnell also took to the ring late in the day on her second ride, Billy Walk On, slotting into equal 11th with Tim on his other horse, Vitali.

Watch Pippa talk about her test with Billy Walk On

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 may also be interested in…

Rosalind Canter riding Lordships Graffalo for GBR during the dressage phase of the Badminton Horse Trials presented by MARS Equestrian, held on the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 4th - 8th May 2023 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros Canter makes strong bid for first Badminton Horse Trials title with ‘the ultimate event horse’

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Heavy rain causes alterations to Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘He loved slopping around and splashing about in there’: Kitty King takes over the Badminton lead early on damp day two

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘There are so many pins that you could make a dress’: riders’ reactions to the Badminton cross-country course

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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).

Some horses show off extra moves at first Badminton Horse Trials trot-up, plus one late withdrawal

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 04 May 2023 18:18:56 +0000

Every type of weather made itself known at the first Badminton Horse Trials trot-up this afternoon (4 May), which made for some fresh moments from horses at the five-star event, presented by Mars Equestrian.

One of the most excitable was Vitali, the mount of New Zealand’s Tim Price. The 13-year-old, who is owned by Tim and Alexander and Joseph Giannamore, seemed to be taken aback by the abundance of crowds and photographers as they walked out under Badminton House’s iconic archway.

RSH Contend OR, who is owned by Vicky Collins and Avrina Milton and ridden by Felicity Collins, was also keen to get on with things, as was Solo, who is owned by John and Janette Bodenham and Emily Botsaris, and who will be ridden by New Zealand’s Hollie Swain.

The ground jury consisting of Angela Tucker, Andrew Bennie and Xavier Le Sauce, passed all 65 horses that were presented, with none being sent to the hold box.

Badminton final scores

There was a late withdrawal prior to the Badminton Horse Trials trot-up as Australia’s Sarah Clark did not bring LV Balou Jeanz forward to the first horse inspection.

Sixty-five horses will go forward to the dressage, which will get underway at 9am when first to go, Wills Oakden and Oughterard Cooley, will enter the main arena.

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Badminton Horse Trials dressage times revealed: find out what time your favourites will ride

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).

11 pairs to watch at Badminton Horse Trials: will one of these riders win this week’s five-star?

Pippa Roome — Wed, 03 May 2023 07:32:22 +0000

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.

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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).

Full Badminton Horse Trials draw: find out when your favourite will start

Pippa Roome — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 16:46:59 +0000

The Badminton Horse Trials draw, for the event presented by Mars Equestrian (4–8 May), has taken place.

Wills Oakden will be the pathfinder on Oughterard Cooley, with whom he finished 14th at Burghley Horse Trials last autumn.

The last rider on course will be Tim Price on the Maryland 5 Star winner Coup De Coeur Dudevin.

The draw was carried out in Badminton House by presenter Rupert Bell, assisted by five-star rider Daisy Berkeley (who is part of the Radio Badminton team at the event alongside Rupert), the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort and two of this year’s competitors, Laura Collett and Alex Bragg.

Badminton final scores

Laura has her defending champion London 52 at the start of the draw, at number 10, so it’s likely the dressage standard will be set early on the first day.

Oliver Townend, Harry Meade and Izzy Taylor all currently have more than two horses still on the entry list. They will all have to choose which two horses they start on nearer the time, but for now, all their horses have been given numbers and some have been given two numbers, so that whichever two horses a rider picks, they will always have one at the start and one at the end of the draw.

Full Badminton Horse Trials draw

1 Wills Oakden on Oughterard Cooley

2 Fiona Kashel on WSF Carthago

3, 4, 5 and 6 Oliver Townend on Ballaghmor Class, Tregilder, Swallow Springs or Cooley Rosalent

7 Luc Chateau on Troubadour Camphoux

8 Dan Jocelyn on Cooley One To Many

9 Pippa Funnell on Majas Hope

10 Laura Collett on London 52

11 Tim Price on Vitali

12 Ros Canter on Pencos Crown Jewel

13 and 14 Harry Meade on Away Cruising or Cavalier Crystal

15 and 16 Izzy Taylor on Happy Days or Monkeying Around

17 Kirsty Chabert on Opposition Loire

18 Tom Jackson on Capels Hollow Drift

19 James Rushbrooke on Milchem Eclipse

20 Anna-Katharina Vogel on DSP Quintana P

21 Rose Nesbitt on EG Michealangelo

22 Aistis Vitkauskas on Commander VG

23 Austin O’Connor on Colorado Blue

24 Padraig McCarthy on HHS Noble Call

25 Andrew James on Celtic Morning Star

26 Hector Payne on Dynasty

27 Francis Whittington on DHI Purple Rain

28 Lauren Nicholson on Vermiculus

29 Alice Casburn on Topspin

30 Gemma Stevens on Jalapeno

31 Tom Rowland on Possible Mission

32 Felicity Collins on RSH Contend Or

33 Felix Vogg on Cartania

34 Caroline Clarke on Touch Too Much

35 Susie Berry on Ringwood LB

36 Amanda Pottinger on Just Kidding

37 Richard Jones on Alfies Clover

38 Hollie Swain on Solo

39 Kylie Roddy on Carden Earl Grey

40 Greta Mason on Cooley For Sure

41 Caroline Powell on Greenacres Special Cavalier

42 Katherine Coleman on Monbeg Senna

43 Gireg Le Coz on Aisprit De La Loge

44 Alexander Whewall on Ellfield Voyager

45 Aaron Millar on KEC Deakon

46 Lillian Heard Wood on LCC Barnaby

47 Arthur Marx on Church’Ile

48 Tom McEwen on Toledo De Kerser

49 Kitty King on Vendredi Biats

50 Alex Bragg on Quindiva

51 Bill Levett on Huberthus AC

52 Michael Ryan on TR Kaygraff

53 Kristina Hall-Jackson on CMS Google

54 Tom Crisp on Liberty And Glory

55 Harry Mutch on HD Bronze

56 Arthur Duffort on Toronto D’Aurois

57 David Doel on Galileo Nieuwmoed

58 Selina Milnes and Iron

59 Regis Prud’hon on Tarastro

60 Lauren Innes on Global Fision M

61 William Fox-Pitt on Grafennacht

62 Michael Winter on El Mundo

63 Emily King on Valmy Biats

64 Georgia Bartlett on Spano De Nazca

65 Bubby Upton on Cola

66 Helen Martin on Andreas

67 Emilie Chandler on Gortfadda Diamond

68 Sarah Clark on LV Balou Jeanz

69 Wills Oakden on Arklow Puissance

70 Luc Chateau on Viens Du Mont

71 Ros Canter on Lordships Graffalo

72 or 73 Harry Meade on Away Cruising or Tenareze

74, 75, 76 or 77 Oliver Townend on Ballaghmor Class, Tregilder, Swallow Springs or As Is

78 Laura Collett on Dacapo

79 or 80 Izzy Taylor on Monkeying Around or Graf Cavalier

81 Fiona Kashel on Creevagh Silver De Haar

82 Dan Jocelyn on Blackthorn Cruise

83 Kirsty Chabert on Classic VI

84 Pippa Funnell on Billy Walk On

85 Tim Price on Coup De Coeur Dudevin

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, then 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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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).

‘We took our own ditch to Pratoni’ – how Jonelle and Tim Price prepared for the World Championships

Pippa Roome — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 08:32:29 +0000

Jonelle Price has revealed she took a water tray to the eventing World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, last year to prepare her ride McClaren for the cross-country phase.

The horse has previously had problems at such fences, including having 20 penalties at an open ditch in a combination at the Kentucky Three-Day Event last April.

Speaking on a webinar organised by the Lucinda Green XC Academy, world number two Jonelle explained: “It’s no secret that McClaren is not a massive fan of a ditch, so we took a water tray with us. Pretty much every day we’d jump it, trying to replicate a ditch. Once we’d walked the course, we built a 1.25m vertical one stride out from the tray/ditch so that question was very current in his mind.”

Jonelle admitted that it led to “a bit of conversation with the FEI stewards”, but her husband and team-mate Tim Price chipped in that as long as such a piece of equipment is available to all competitors, it’s “totally legal”.

“It had to stay on the side of the road so any competitor could use it if they wanted,” added Jonelle. “Every single day we jumped that ditch and people had seen how we were preparing – when he jumped the rail-ditch-arrowhead question on course, there was a big cheer in the riders’ tent.”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo at the World Championships 2022. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Jonelle also revealed she and Tim had some fences specially made as part of their preparation for the event, in an effort to leave no stone unturned.

“We were taking two horses with a bit of a chequered history – they had run off more than once in their careers to date,” she admitted.

“We did a lot of homework. There was lot of talk over Pratoni and what we might see there. We suspected the ski jump fence [the Slide, with the skinnies at the bottom of the steep slope demonstrated above by Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo] would be included and sure enough it was.

“We had a couple of cross-country fences built to replicate the idea. It wasn’t as steep, but we found a patch of land that was quite steep and took these fences over and put wings on them, just poles either side. At this point in time, in final preparation for the championships, we didn’t want the horses to have a run off, we just wanted to show them the way and make sure they were looking for the flags.

“We jumped them first a few times with wings on, then we took one wing off, we weren’t quite brave enough to jump it without any wings.”

The Prices’ preparation came to fruition in Italy – both of them had clear jumping rounds across country and they were members of the bronze medal-winning New Zealand team, with Tim and Falco also collecting individual bronze. Jonelle Price and McClaren finished their World Championships in 10th place individually.

Top eventing stars to move to new yard in 2023: ‘It’s exciting but daunting’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:11:13 +0000

Eventing’s world number one and two are on the move in early 2023, as Tim and Jonelle Price announce they are relocating to a new yard to Dorset.

The New Zealanders are taking up an opportunity to move from their current base at Mere Farm, Wiltshire, into a new yard on the Chedington Estate, owned by Dr Geoffrey Guy, where they will be based alongside Australian eventer-turned-showjumper Chris Burton.

“It’s exciting, but daunting at the same time,” Tim Price told H&H. “Mere Farm has been amazing and we’ve been there 17 years – it’s a horse-friendly and beautiful place.

“We know Marlborough so well and it’s such a lovely town. Our life has been here, so it’s quite a big upheaval – our kids’ cousins are there, things like that, so it’s going to be scary to move but life’s all about things like that.

“We’ve been looking for a farm to buy for a year or two – we sold our little cottage and got ourselves ready to buy – but then this opportunity presented itself with Geoffrey.

“It’s an amazing facility and while we’ll have to do a bit more driving, everything about it is just world-class.”

The move to Chedington will allow the Prices to do far more of their training on site than currently, with cross-country schooling, good fitness facilities and “amazing” dressage and jumping arenas on hand, as well as “little things like having a box per horse, which we’ve never had”.

“It opens up a lot of doors,” said Tim. “We don’t have to maintain the place, so we can just step in and train. We’ve probably got another 10 years or so in this job at this level and we’re trying to find a way we can really ramp it up a bit more and squeeze a few extra marks out.

“We’re going to be the eventing component at Chedington. Geoffrey wants to make it a world-class facility for elite riders to base themselves there and hopefully to encourage other riders to come and train with us. There are satellite yards where people could come over and base themselves with five or six horses, train and use the facilities.”

An announcement about the new yard from Tim and Jonelle Price on their social media concluded: “We are hugely appreciative to Dr and Mrs Geoffrey Guy for the opportunity and look forward to working alongside our great friends, Chris and Rebekah Burton. Our operation will remain the same, just from a different post code!”

‘I’ve had some fantastic days, but I think this beats them all’ –Maryland 5 Star wraps up in tense showjumping

Pippa Roome — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 20:25:22 +0000

Tim Price scored his fifth five-star win when he topped the Mars Maryland 5 Star results this afternoon (16 October) on Coup De Coeur Dudevin.

“I’ve had some fantastic days at the office, but I think this beats them all,” said the world number and recent world double bronze medallist.

“I’ve had my good results, but to me personally it feels like flashes in the pan – I’ll have a good result, and then I’ll have a few mediocre results — but I’ve been really consistent this year. You know, 2018 was a great year, when I won a few four-star longs and Burghley, which I cannot complain about, but this feels like something else.

“I’m making full advantage of some cracking horses and that’s really what it boils down to for me – to let these horses show how good they are and do my bit to let that happen.”

The 10-year-old five-star first-timer Coup De Coeur Dudevin, who is owned by his breeder Jean-Louis Stauffer, never faltered today as the pair jumped an assured clear round with just 0.8 of a time-fault to keep their overnight lead.

“It’s a new level of stamina, the fatigue they’ve got on board after yesterday, not knowing himself quite as well as he normally does in the warm up out there,” said Tim.

“We just had faith that he would go on the ring and go back to the working model which is he jumps well, he loves the job, he stays focused, and it’s only a minute and a half, isn’t it? He was super, I couldn’t be more proud of him and it’s just a great finish to what was quite a big decision to bring him here.”

The top four after cross-country all showjumped clear to hold their places. Tamie Smith landed second for the home-side on Ruth Bley’s Danito, who jumped beautifully aside from being lucky when he hit the blue Dubarry upright at fence eight. The pair had 0.4 of a time-fault to stay just 0.1 ahead of Britain’s Oliver Townend and As Is, who finished third.

“I’m so thrilled,” said Tamie. “He is a good jumper but the showjumping has been our weakest phase so to go clear is just an enormous achievement.

“This is as close as I’ve got to the top of a five-star and I just said to Tim, ‘You couldn’t have had a rail for me?’ But no, he’s ever the competitor as well. I’m so happy for my horse’s owner and for my team and for that horse. He’s just little and mighty and amazing.”

Phillip Dutton held fourth on Z, while Jennie Brannigan’s clear on FE Lifestyle elevated her from sixth to fifth in the Maryland 5 Star results.

Will Coleman had the penultimate fence, the Buckeye green upright at fence 12, down on DonDante, but still moved up from 10th to sixth, while Harry Meade’s clear on Superstition raised him from 15th to seventh.

Meanwhile Buck Davidson’s 12.4 time-faults on Carlevo dropped him from fifth to 12th and Lauren Nicholson fell from seventh to 17th with fence three down and 13.2 time-faults on Landmarks Monte Carlo, the result of her not hearing the bell and starting outside the 45-second countdown.

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Controversy over Maryland 5 Star cross-country’s lenient time: riders and designer debate

Pippa Roome — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 08:36:49 +0000

Thirteen horses – more than half the starters – made the 11 minute 30 second time over the Mars Maryland 5 Star cross-country course yesterday (15 October). For such a high percentage of horses to make the time at five-star is very unusual and the rate was even higher than last year here, when it was widely acknowledged there had been an error in the measuring of the track.

Overnight leader Tim Price acknowledged that the easy time played into his hands, as he could remain competitive while giving his young horse a good experience, but said: “It was too easy. It wheeled a little bit easy – or quite a bit easy. But I just thought the way the course was this year, it was a little bit more rigorous with the fences. The ground came so good that the horses have just slipped along. So that’s a bit disappointing.”

Asked what officials should do to make the time tighter, Tim said: “Wheel it correctly. All of us had it 15 seconds or about 200m tighter than the official measurement. So they should just try to tighten up on the lines they’re wheeling. I think that’s all it needs. You’ve got to be attentive to the fact another year could be wet and so we don’t want to exaggerate the tightness, just to make it authentic.”

All the riders were at pains to say that Ian Stark is a wonderful course-designer, who has great feel and has created super flow for this track, while acknowledging that this aspect of the Maryland 5 Star cross-country course can be improved.

“It just misses out one very important aspect of the three-day event,” said Harry Meade. “I think there’s a preconceived concern, which is unfounded after two years, that this is very punishing terrain. It’s not hard work like walking the course at Burghley.

“This year the time wheeled slightly easy, about 10 seconds on the lenient side, but it rode about 45 seconds too easy. The measuring of the distance was not the issue – it’s more the layout of this year’s course had been altered to avoid the main hill. On top of that, the majority of the track was built in long straight lines like a steeplechase course, it was only really the last third where it was more like a normal cross-country course.

“It was lovely to ride around but sadly made the cross county test largely a non-event – it didn’t even scratch the surface in testing the ability of the more experienced horses and riders.

“It’s a beautiful course, beautifully presented, brilliantly designed by one of the top experts in the world, it’s just way too gettable in terms of the time.

“It’s the second year running this has been the case; there’s clearly a misconception that this site is super fatiguing for horses, but hopefully the organisers will take confidence from the fact that this is evidently not the case and hopefully that allays any concerns they may have in how they set out the course next year, and they are able to produce a relevant cross county phase.

“If next year it should be wet underfoot, then it is up to us, as riders, to ride accordingly and pace our rounds.”

Jumping efforts within a distance

The average distance per jumping effort will have an influence over how difficult the time is to get on a cross-country course and designers are constrained by the FEI rules in this area.

The Maryland 5 Star cross-country course had the maximum jumping efforts for five-star (45 on the direct routes), with an optimum time of 11 minutes 30 seconds – in the middle of the permitted 11-12 minutes. This resulted in an average of one jumping effort per 146m.

The recent eventing World Championships – run under slightly different permitted parameters – packed the maximum permitted 42 jumping efforts into a time 1 minute 40 second shorter than Maryland’s. This resulted in an average of one jumping effort per 133m, making it likely the time would be more difficult to get than at Maryland, and so it proved.

Of course, distance per jumping effort is just one factor in how tight the time rides – other factors such as terrain, the nature of the jumping efforts and the layout of the track will also play a part.

Perfect weather and going

Conditions will always affect how tightly the time rides and perfect weather and going helped the horses and riders yesterday.

“The ground conditions have been fantastic here the past two years and they can be pretty relentless – the ground can almost be bottomless, so I think Ian is experienced with knowing that,” said US rider Tamie Smith. “I’m not certain that there would be many inside the time if if we’d had the rain that we got last week here.”

Oliver Townend countered: “I don’t think you should ever wheel the time at a five-star pending rain – you wheel it properly and either it rains and we cope or it doesn’t. It was a little bit disappointing [that the time was so easy] and whether Ian says it or not, I know he’ll be quietly disappointed.

“But I can guarantee you as he learns about the venue he’ll start to get more clever about how he’s going to slow everyone down. It’s the second running and he’s changed the course a lot, so it’s nearly like a first time again.

“But we’re all loving the event – we love the course, Ian being designer, but we’re still in the very early stages. We’ll still be back next year. It’s all positive but still needs just one big tweak.”

Maryland 5 Star cross-country course-designer’s view

Course-designer Ian Stark said: “I’m expecting to get a bit of abuse about too many getting inside the time, but for me it was perfect footing, some great riding, some bold and fast and brave riding. I would much rather see 10 get inside the time than five on the floor. So I was a little concerned about so many getting inside the time, but I can live with it.

“Would I have wheeled it any differently? I was pretty tight on the walking and the two technical delegates walked it separately and the three of us were within 20 metres of each other. So how do you walk it differently? Do you cheat? Do you lie? Do you cut in to make it tighter than it is? No, is the answer.

“Various people said to me after last year and will probably say again this year that it would be a better competition if the time was unobtainable but for me with an unobtainable time, there is no limit to how much you push the horses to go faster and if you can’t make it, it’s too demoralising long term for the horses.

“Can I make it tighter? I’m not sure I can. I’m incredibly lucky here with the phenomenal terrain and ground. I’ve very much gone for my philosophy that cross-country riding is going from A to B, not going around in endless demented circles in 20 acres. So I’ve made use of the gallop stretches.

“Maybe I can look at slowing them down a little bit more, at putting in slightly more technical questions – that might be something I think about in the future. But I love today. I’m known as being a bit of a tough person at home sometimes, by my family and friends, and this lot moved me to tears at the end today. I was pretty emotional because I just thought it was a great day and I loved watching it.”

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Tim Price and ‘young talent’ lead Maryland 5 Star as dressage leader faults across country

Pippa Roome — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 22:12:52 +0000

Tim Price has taken the lead after the Maryland 5 Star cross-country today (15 October) with the five-star first-timer Coup De Coeur Dudevin.

The world number one and Jean-Louis Stauffer’s 10-year-old put in one of 13 clear rounds inside the time over Ian Stark’s track today.

“I just really tried to be patient with him so that he could find his way and not feel like he was under too much pressure and he was great,” said Tim.

The New Zealand rider was one of the last to go today over the Maryland 5 Star cross-country track, so he knew that the time was very achievable before he set out.

“I always have a policy that I start in a nice quiet rhythm, I build it in the middle and I reap the harvest at the end and that’s what I do on all my horses, but I just exaggerated that a little bit more and was very slow at the start and just let him pop around a bit,” he said.

Tim said that the horse helped him out at the last water, the Mars Sustainability Bay at fences 23ab and 24abc.

He explained: “All the horses have been popping in there over that crab with no problems, so my original plan was to gee him up a bit coming up to crab to make sure we got in there but I didn’t feel I needed to do that. So I just lobbed up there, but it left me in a bit of a no man’s land feeling canter and so when I went to put him together, he just kept lobbing along.

“I just stuffed it up, really. But he sorted it out and got us in there and through it no trouble, so I couldn’t be more happy with him. He’s such a young talent and I’m pleased that’s vindicated bringing him here.”

“He’s amazing, because even the best horses I’ve ridden around these five-stars come home strong and a bit tanky and the strides gone long and then you just have to manage them home. Whether it’s his inexperience, not knowing himself in that scenario, but he came home so controlled.

“I jumped off the bank [at fence 26c] and we’ve walked that a 100 times, talked to all the riders and it’s a short four strides to get that job done. You have to be quite in control. I just jumped off there and he just balanced and he added a fifth stride. It was just like child’s play then to go on four strides to the last element, safe as a house. So that wasn’t to plan, but it was a really nice thing to happen.”

Tim moved up from second because the dressage leader, young home side rider Woods Baughman, collected 20 penalties at the final element of the Mars Sustainability Bay water, as C’est La Vie became increasingly exuberant and difficult to ride towards the end of the course.

“I knew when we bounced the in of the rail-ditch-log that things were about to go really south,” said Woods. “He just doesn’t like to slow down. He gets on such a massive stride that I think he feels a bit indestructible. It’s not even that he’s going that fast, it’s just he gets so big he doesn’t fit anything any more [in terms of strides in distances].”

US rider Allie Knowles was third after dressage with Morswood, but dropped down to ninth with 6.4 time-faults.

“He did literally everything I asked. I’m frustrated that I had time because in hindsight, I could have made up 15 seconds time somewhere. It was mine to lose and I lost that placing, which is frustrating, but relatively I’m very green at the five-star level – I’ve done it less than 10 times and this is the fastest time I’ve been yet so at least we’re heading in the right direction and that horse is just unbelievable,” she said.

France’s Astier Nicolas lost his fourth place after the first phase when he and Babylon De Gamma had a stop at the second of the Sport Corp Corners – open left-handed corners over water – at fence 21.

US rider Tamie Smith now holds second place on Danito, with Oliver Townend in third for Great Britain on As Is.

Tim Price takes second in Maryland 5 Star dressage: ‘He’s a proper five-star horse’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 21:49:39 +0000

World number one Tim Price has taken second place at the end of the Maryland 5 Star dressage, after scoring 27.4 today (14 October) with Coup De Coeur Dudevin.

The 10-year-old, who is owned by his breeder Jean-Louis Stauffer, is making his five-star debut and in his first year competing with the New Zealand rider after starting his career with Chris Burton and then being ridden by Tim’s wife Jonelle last year.

“He’s a very talented horse. I really believe in him as a proper five-star horse – a Burghley and Badminton kind of horse and now Maryland, which I put in the same category as those other famous ones and that’s why he’s here,” said Tim.

“He’s inexperienced, but he’s here to get some education on the job. All I want from him in the dressage is to be relaxed, to show himself in the true light where he’s working and that’s what he did – a few mistakes, a bit unestablished, a bit comes and goes, but the quality underneath it all and the relaxation is what really makes me very happy with him.”

Tim added that the horse’s canter work is currently hampered by him being so “big behind” in this pace, but it will improve as his balance gets better.

The pair scored 27.4 to sit 0.2 of a penalty behind Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135, who took the lead yesterday and have held onto it today.

Alexandra Knowles – known as Allie – has moved into third with a personal best score at five-star of 28.8, riding Katherine O’Brien’s Morswood.

Allie Knowles and Morswood after their dressage test at Maryland 5 Star 2022. (Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

“We have definitely been working towards that – he’s always had it in him and he’s a much stronger horse this year,” said Allie, who finished 11th here in 2011 on this horse.

“Last year was his first year at the five-star level and he did a great performance, but he’s just more mature now, stronger in the hind end, stronger in his back and his self carriage is certainly more than it was before. So you know that kind of test is in there and you just sort of hope it comes out of the right moment – and it did.”

Allie described the chestnut as a “through and through ginger pony”.

“He’s a nuisance all the time, in the very best way,” she said. “He’ll follow us around like a dog, he’ll try to escape his stall. I came out of the ring and he was excited, then we hit the first blade of grass and his head’s on the ground, ready to eat. He is all heart and personality.”

Allie added that the 14-year-old is gentle with her nearly two-year-old daughter Addie, “but fierce on the cross-country”.

Now that the Maryland 5 Star dressage is over, attention turns to tomorrow’s cross-country phase, which starts at 2.06pm local time (7.06pm British time).

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