Ros Canter rides Lordships Graffalo down the centre line during her Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage test to sit second going into cross-country.
Michele and Archie Saul’s Olympic team gold medallist Lordships Graffalo looked more connected and polished in the Burghley sunshine today than in Paris. He scored several nines, plus a 10 for his final halt from Nick Burton at E. Carl Hester, who was commentating, complimented Ros on her “skilled test riding”.
“I was delighted with Paris, but knew we could do better,” said Ros. “The past couple of weeks, after he’d had a bit of a break, we’ve been trying to work out what I was struggling with. I had a lightbulb moment about seven days ago on straightness. We got straight and everything is so much easier.
“I felt quite a lot of pressure on him today – I usually get stressed but not nervous for dressage, but I was nervous.”
Ros said she was pleased “Walter” maintained his usual relaxation today after experiencing the atmosphere in Paris.
“I had a good plan and didn’t do too much with him this morning and he felt great, really great. I do find him slightly tricker than Izilot in some ways, he gets that bit stressed with pressure and work so I have to be more careful and it’s more of a question mark whether I can pull off the clear round, but when I get on him, I realise what a dude he is. He just loves it, he loves the people and being in an environment like that.”
Ros said she will be going out to be competitive across country on both her horses tomorrow.
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Many thought Ros Canter might be pipped by the final pair to go in the Burghley Horse Trials dressage, last year’s first-phase leaders Tim Price and Vitali, but they scored 22.3 to claim third at this stage.
Surrey-based French rider Gaspard Maksud and the flashy mare Zaragoza – a bay with three white socks – impressed on their Burghley Horse Trials dressage debut as the first to go in the final session today, bar a few moments when the mare was a touch unsettled in her mouth and showed her tongue. They cantered briefly in the transition out of walk rather than trotted, but scored a nine from Christina Klingspor at C for their final halt.
“When you pull it off at a big event, it’s always a bit emotional,” said Gaspard, who feels he has a point to prove this week after being left off the French team for the Paris Olympics. “She is hot and I had to manage her at the end, but it felt like she knows why she’s here and wants to do her best.”
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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.
