Harry Meade jumped three brilliant rounds in the Defender Burghley Horse Trials showjumping today to pilot his horses to third (Cavalier Crystal), fourth (Annaghmore Valoner) and 12th (Superstition). He was fault-free on Cavalier Crystal and Superstition and just had the upright at fence 10 down on Annaghmore Valoner.
“That would have just been a bit greedy and embarrassing for everyone else if he’d done three double clears,” joked Laura Collett, who was commentating for Burghley TV.
Burghley Horse Trials showjumping: Harry Meade’s performances
Harry took part in the Burghley Horse Trials showjumping on Mandy Gray’s and his own Superstition (15th overnight) this morning as he couldn’t jump all three horses in the afternoon session (for the top 20), so had already set the standard when the final showdown began at 2.15pm.
He then jumped Charlotte Opperman’s Cavalier Cyrstal, fifth after cross-country, out of order as the first to go this afternoon and put in a great clear.
Annaghmore Valoner, owned by Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Julier Carter, was in third overnight, but the mare, who was making her five-star debut this week, conceded that spot to her team-mate Cavalier Crystal – who was repeating her result from last year – with her four faults.
“I was thrilled with all in the first phase, they were magic yesterday and then we had clears with two of them today and the third horse was beautiful and just breathed on a pole – we had 2.9 clears and it wasn’t quite enough [to win] but third, fourth and 12th was a wonderful weekend,” said Harry afterwards.
“It wasn’t my day and I wouldn’t have won if I’d jumped clear. I hate watching at the end – I walked away and put my fingers in my ears as I can’t watch friends jumping and will them to have fences down.”
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Harry added: “I guess for me it’s been a bit of a whirlwind week, trying to give every horse the best opportunity in every phase and do them justice and I hopefully did that. With all three horses it was a great outcome, they’ll all go home better horses, really happy.
“Cavalier Crystal hopefully cemented that her place last year wasn’t an anomaly. Annaghmore Valoner was my wildcard coming here and for her to pull out that kind of perf was really exciting and hopefully she’s got bigger things in her.”
Harry is well known for prioritising and loving the five-stars and said: “I grew up as a little boy wanting to do this sport, wanting to ride at the big events. That includes Burghley. For me, it’s been a long project to produce horses that are happy and confident and resilient and able to not just flourish, but flourish when conditions are at their worst.
“Event director Martyn Johnson said we had perfect weather – I was hoping for heavy rain to make it tougher! To produce horses who can come to the fore round tough courses like Burghley is what I spend my life doing and I’ve got a wonderful team behind me. It’s what we do every day of the year and I just really want to be sitting where Ros is sitting.”
It wasn’t to be today, on the 60th anniversary of his father Richard’s victory here at Burghley on Barberry, but Harry’s time will surely come.
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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.
