andrew nicholsonOliver Townsend and Andrew Nicholson with Ballaghmor Class at Oliver’s yard, Gadlas Farm, near Ellesmere in Shropshire in the UK, on the 8th January 2020
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Andrew Nicholson, the five-time Burghley winner and cross-country coach to the Swiss eventing team, analyses Burghley’s five-star course and shares which riders impressed him in his exclusive H&H column. “When I walked the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course early on the Friday morning of the event, I thought it had a smoother feel to it than in 2022. It posed difficult questions, but riders could get into the swing of it a little earlier, which is a sign of designer Derek di Grazia knowing the place better second time around,” says Andrew.
Wills Goodhew riding TREFILAN QUICKSILVER in the Open Championship of The Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, placed 5th
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
What increases your chances of jumping clear across country? Researchers behind three major eventing safety studies have looked at factors associated with safe completion of FEI cross-country courses, by analysing 107,000+ starts between 2008 to 2018. The study, published in the peer-reviewed Equine Veterinary Journal, focused on what contributes to increased or reduced odds of jumping clear across country.
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
