Piggy March (GBR) riding Vanir Kamira during the cross country phase of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, in the park land surrounding Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK between 31st August - 4th September 2022
(Image credit: Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials / Peter Nixon)
1. Vanir Kamira becoming a most well-deserved Burghley champion
Piggy March and 17-year-old Vanir Kamira won the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials this weekend having started as favourites. This makes Trevor Dickens’ mare only the 14th horse ever to win both Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley. “Burghley is the toughest event in the world and probably the hardest to win,” said Piggy. “To have a horse that’s come second twice and fifth once and only has just over four time-faults in four cross-country rounds, she’s a true Burghley horse and deserves to have her name on a plaque on Winners’ Avenue. I can’t think anyone here doesn’t think she deserves it.” Indeed there wasn’t, and the pair’s cool composure throughout the competition set them apart.
2. How the youngest rider at Burghley handled her nerves (and finished fifth)
Alice Casburn, 20, finished fifth at Burghley on her mother Caroline’s Topspin, a second-generation home-bred, moving up from eighth after cross-country with a clear round showjumping. But she admits family friends recall her crying at the thought of going in a ring to jump 70cm. “I shake when I get off and I stood there shaking for a good couple of minutes. I can’t believe it – to have finished off my year like this is phenomenal. I’m so grateful, he was fantastic,” she said.
Alice Casburn and Topspin finish fifth at Burghley 2022
(Image credit: Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials)
3. The 19-year-old mare who jumped clear inside the time at Burghley
Meanwhile, Jonelle Price’s fabulous cross-country round on the 19-year-old superstar mare Classic Moet moved her up from 25th after dressage to third ahead of showjumping, though two showjumps down dropped her a place to fourth. The mare has now completed a record 12 out of 12 CCI5* cross-country clears. “She showed me that she still deserves to be here and she felt as good as ever today,” said Jonelle. This year’s course was clearly tough, though you wouldn’t have thought so if you’d only seen this wonderful mare skip round.
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Sarah has worked at an equestrian journalist and editor since 2004 and has held the position of Horse & Hound Editor-in-Chief since 2014. She has reported for Horse & Hound from major championships including Europeans and World Equestrian Games. She has co-written books on horses and horse sport including The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. She has owned and ridden horses since 1993, and worked for and trained with Olympic gold medallist event rider Leslie Law prior to going to university. While studying for a BSc at London School of Economics Sarah also worked for top British dressage rider Louise Spate.
