The change in weather came quickly with just one hour between the two shots above as the rain moved in
Considering the lead-up to the Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International Horse Trials, it was amazing that the event enjoyed two days of competition in (almost) good weather conditions with horses able to get a run on really good ground. But on late Friday afternoon, the rain arrived and continued steadily throughout the Advanced and Novice cross country and, even worse, continued through the night
By morning the heavy rain had mainly cleared but the damage had been done. Event organiser Alec Lochore of Musketeer Event Management was ‘gutted’ but the call had to be made to cancel the final day due to the condition of the ground
Burnham Market International is traditionally held over the Easter weekend and therefore runs from Thursday to Saturday with the CIC2* and CIC3* classes scheduled to finish their dressage, show jumping and cross country on the final day. However it was not to be with the event's first abandonment .....
Two of the three sections of the CIC3* had completed their dressage on Thursday and Friday with Pippa Funnell leading Section B on board Billy Beware (21.7) ahead of Nicola Wilson on Bulana (23.3) and Aoife Clark on Fernhill Adventure (24.1). The final rider into the arena on Friday was Oliver Townend who has dominated the 3* class at this event for several years with an impressive 10 wins since 2007; this year he had just his 2017 Burghley winner, Ballaghmor Class entered in the CIC3* while his other Badminton/Kentucky CIC4* entries – Cooley Master Class, Cooley SRS and MHS King Joules were competing in the Open Intermediate and the Advanced classes. Ballaghmor Class was down the field a tad in 24th place (29.7) but no doubt Oliver would have been keen to make up ground in the following phases had they taken place
Australian riders Bill Levett and Kevin McNab were also up in the top 20 after dressage with Bill’s Alexander NJ and Kevin’s Casperelli in equal 12th place on 27.2 and Kevin also had Brookfield Innocent in 17th place. Bill was looking forward to getting Alexander NJ out again but their plans have been marred and, as Bill says “You certainly can’t replicate competition by training at home”. Poor Lissa Green didn't even get to practice her dressage on Hollyfield II as she was one of the competitors drawn on Saturday morning
As it is, the riders who had their top horses entered in the national classes were the ones to get a good run on Friday. Looking at the results from the Advanced and Intermediate classes there are a few Badminton-bound combinations who will be very pleased with their performance and others who may be looking at some more cross country competition (weather permitting) before the big event
The Badminton-bound Irish rider Padraig McCarthy on board Mr Chunky had a good run in the Advanced, finishing second on 42.2, almost 10 penalties behind the winner Piggy French on Quarrycrest Echo. Quarrycrest Echo is not aimed at Badminton and Piggy produced the second fastest time of the class (the only person to make the time was Harry Mutch on Ramlo to move into sixth place) but many of the Badminton horses would not have been pushed too hard at this point in their preparation
Tina Cook’s Calvino II was the next best placed Badminton-bound combination in seventh place (47) but Tina’s other two Badminton horses Star Witness and Billy The Red both had whoopsies on cross country at Fences 10 and 5 which was surprising and unfortunate as both horses show jumped clear and Billy The Red’s dressage was seriously good
Oliver and MHS King Joules were eighth, starting with a very good dressage score of 27 and adding just time on cross country while Mark Todd on Kiltubrid Rhapsody (above) and Tim Price on Ringwood Sky Boy also had a very dressage scores and clear show jumping rounds, boding well for May. Britain’s Sarah Bullimore, who did so well at les Etoiles de Pau last year, also looks on track with her two Badminton horses Reve Du Rouet and Valentino and it would have been a very encouraging run for young Alexander Whewall heading to his first Badminton with Chakiris Star
The sad news of the day came with the statement that Kathryn Robinson’s Badminton horse Let It Bee had collapsed and died between fences during the Advanced class
“It is with great sadness that we announce that number 860, Let It Bee, ridden and owned by Kathryn Robinson, died while competing in the advanced class at approximate 5p.m. at Burnham Market International in Norfolk on 30th March 2018,” advised Musketeer Event Management said in a statement “Let It Bee, a 17-year-old gelding, collapsed between fences 13 and 14. No further details are available at present”
