Badminton Horse Trials winners Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier have put in a personal best score in the Burghley Horse Trials dressage, starting strongly in their bid to be the fourth pair to do the British five-star double in the same year.
“She’s pretty cool at the moment, isn’t she? She’s an out and out professional, she goes in and does a job,” said Caroline. “She thinks the crowd are all here for her and she loves it.”
Greenacres Special Cavalier, owned by Chris and Michelle Mann and her rider, is a butty, chunky, attractive mare and not the most typical stamp of a modern event horse, but her work has really moved up a level since she scored 30 at Badminton in May. Today the 11-year-old by Cavalier Royale showed great activity and accuracy and established changes for third at this stage behind Ros Canter (Izilot DHI) and Emily King (Valmy Biats).
“She’s just training to a different level now,” said Caroline. “Once horses learn the movements, it becomes a lot easier for them. She’s stronger – she’s a big, long mare and it’s taken a long time to get the balance right and once you’ve got balance, you can get the neck and the finished picture becomes a lot nicer. It’s just been a work in progress.”
Caroline and Greenacres Special Cavalier were the New Zealand alternates at the Paris Olympics and although the rider said the mare wasn’t too impressed with being a spectator, they have benefited from the training on offer to the squad as well as from the mare’s increasing strength and maturity.
After her Burghley Horse Trials dressage, Caroline Powell sent special good wishes to one of her team, who was kicked in the face at home yesterday and will have an operation today.
“Speedy recovery, Alison – don’t be too long, it’s a bad way of getting time off,” she said.
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Greenacres Special Cavalier bids to become the fourth horse to win Badminton and Burghley in the same year – the others being George (1977, Lucinda Green), Priceless (1985, Ginny Elliot) and Master Craftsman (1989, Ginny Elliot).
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
