Burgham International Horse Trials cross country videos
Thursday was a good day at at Burgham International Horse Trials in Northumberland for New Zealand with Clarke Johnstone scoring two national level wins and Caroline Powell is in pole position of the Holme Dodsworth Metals CCI4*-S section D
Two wins so far at Burgham for Clarke Johnstone
Clarke, who has four horses in competition here, took two wins on his first day of competition with the two eight-year-olds, Ceralda taking the win in the Project Pony Intermediate section J1 and Lt Holst Mackintosh winning the Novice Section H. Clarke will be back with Sparky Lad, owned by The Limitless Lodge’s Tim Boland, competing in the CCI4*-S Section C.
That class is currently led by Oliver Townend riding his 2024 Kentucky winner Cooley Rosalent on a score of 23.9, but it is a close thing with Oliver having just 0.6 of a penalty over Izzy Taylor and Barrington Alice while Scotland’s Wills Oakden is in third with 25.3 on Keep It Cooley.
Cooley Rosalent finished runner-up at Badminton Horse Trials this spring, and Burgham is just her second run back after her post-five-star break.
“‘Rosie’ feels fantastic” says Oliver “She feels a lot stronger again than she has felt previously; she’s developing all the time and I felt that some of her work was as good as it has ever been. She’s still slightly fresh, but more than anything this is a very important preparation run for a big event in the autumn.”
Oliver also won the AW Jenkinson Intermediate section J on Thursday with a new ride, HK Horses’ Thunder Bird Z.
“I’ve only had him a very short time, but he’s won both of his first two runs with me within 10 days, and he’s very good fun to ride. He’s a beautiful horse who has been well-produced by Richard Howley and Morgan Kent of HK Horses,” said Oliver.
Other national class winners today at Burgham included Lizzie Baugh, who took the Cussins Homes Open Intermediate on En Taro Des Vernier, Sean Henderson riding Future Cloudy Pleasure in the Novice Section G and Indie Vaughan-Jones riding HK18 in the Novice Section I.
Douglas Crawford won the BE100 Section L on board Cooley Showman, Robyn Gray took the BE100 Section M with A-Z II and Brazil’s Sebastian Roldan Olivera won the BE100 Section N riding Rachan Wishful Thinking.
Caroline Powell leads the CCI4*-S Section D
Caroline Powell is flying the flag for New Zealand in the CCI4*-S section D, leading the way on a dressage mark of 23.3 aboard Nicholas and Fiona Lambert’s 10-year-old Legally Grey.
“He was bought for Fiona Lambert’s ‘big birthday’ as a three-year-old and he’s the most stunning horse. Everyone has been very patient, and it’s lovely to show people now what he can do. There’s a lot more to come from him, which is very exciting” says Caroline.
Caroline has half a penalty in hand over Paris 2024 Olympic team gold medallists Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Izzy Taylor and SBH Big Wall are third on 24.4.
Tom McEwen tops section A of the CCI3*-S, sponsored by WL Straughan & Son Ltd, after dressage on Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry’s Brookfield Danny De Muze. The pair pulled off a score of 20.7, giving them a clear lead of 2.2 penalties over Sweden’s Therese Viklund and Sella.
In the Houghton Country CCI3*-S section B, Bubby Upton is in the lead with a mark of 24.9 on Magic Roundabout IV, owned by her mother Rachel and the Zebedee Syndicate. Sitting in both second and third is Elizabeth Barratt on Big Boss Melo (26.5) and Ride For Thais Chaman Dumontceau (28). Elizabeth therefore is in prime position in the final trial for selection for the British team for the European Young Rider Championships next month.
An Eventful Life is filming all competitors on cross country at Burgham International Horse Trials - order or view cross country videos here
