Pippa Funnell has taken an early lead in the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials dressage, scoring 26.2 with Billy Walk On.
The 13-year-old by Billy Mexico received a nine from the judge at C for their entry and, although they did not frequently reach such dizzy heights again, the tall, elegant bay was given consistently strong marks. This pair also led the dressage at the one-off five-star at Bicton Horse Trials last year.
Pippa said she was delighted with Billy Walk On’s test, but “a little bit disappointed” that the judge at E, Judy Hancock, had given her a mark 4-5% lower than the other two judges, Andrew Bennie and Katrin Eichinger-Kniely.
“That was frustrating because I felt I got the balance right with him,” said Pippa, who said the horse felt “lovely and fresh” but had had “just enough work” because as a big horse, he doesn’t go so well if he has done too much before his test.
“I would say it was definitely a personal best for him at this level. I was very happy, it’s just a shame that judge wasn’t the same as the other two.”
Pippa is the reigning Burghley champion having won on the event’s last running in 2019. The two renewals since have been cancelled due to Covid-19.
“It feels as though it was only a year ago – it’s frightening how quickly three years go – they just fly by. But it’s great to be back here,” said Pippa.
The rider added that it’s “wonderful” to be at Burghley on a home-bred as well as “super” for the horses’ owners, Barbara and Nicholas Walkinshaw.
New Zealand’s Tim Price was the first rider into the Burghley Horse Trials dressage arena this morning, riding the Numero Uno Syndicate’s Bango, and scored 29.8.
The 16-year-old chestnut – whose best previous result here is fifth – showed some tension, particularly in the walk and halt where his marks dropped as low as a two and a three, but he also pulled off some good work which was well rewarded by the judges.
Tim said: “It’s funny how you arrive at a score – last time I was here a few years ago, he did a similar score, 29 something, but it was altogether just a nice test. This had some real highlights with a couple of mistakes, so I’m actually pleased with that sort of trend. I’m pleased with him because these horses haven’t been out much, the atmosphere’s like nothing else and he stayed with me.”
Bango has only had one cross-country run since Kentucky Three-Day Event last year.
“He sustained a little injury last year in lead up to Bicton, the pop-up five-star that we were lucky to have last year, so I just gave him the time as he’s really designed for these [big events],” said Tim. “It was going to be a push to get him ready for Badminton, so I just took him quietly through to this and only gave him one run.
“The ground’s been so firm everywhere – I’ve been looking forward to coming here, where the ground is like nothing else in the world, so it was just having him ready for this day really.”
The fifth rider in the session, US Burghley debutant Woods Baughman equalled Tim’s score of 29.8, with his own and his parents Kim and James’ C’Est La Vie 135. Woods and Tim therefore hold equal second going into the coffee break.
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