Localrider Magazine
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October 2014 • VOLUME XIV NUMBER 9
Gemma Tattersall dazzles at Burghley Horse Trials
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BURGHLEY
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials
Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th September 2014 • Words by Julia Longland
Andrew Nicholson and Avebury took the lead after cross country
Main photo: Andrew Nicholson and Avebury celebrate their third consecutive Burghley victory Below: Andrew Nicholson pictured with the Land Rover Burghley trophy
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Jock Paget and Clifton Promise jumped a clear round to finish runners-up
Sam Griffiths and Happy Times, third
ndrew Nicholson, the world No.2, wrote his own chapter of eventing history at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials when he and the gallant grey Avebury became the first partnership to achieve a hat-trick of wins after four days of enthralling competition. They signed off with a flourish by completing a clear show jumping round with two time penalties, to deafening applause from the arena crowd. If Badminton winner Sam Griffiths had left the fences standing on Happy Times, Nicholson would have been under intense pressure to go clear as only 3.7 penalties, less than the price of a fence, separated the two after the cross country. But Sam made two mistakes, plummeting to third, and gave the leader two fences leeway. “I was desperate to do a clear round,” he said, “to put pressure on Mr.Cool, but my ploy did not work.” In a strange twist Nicholson’s fellow Kiwi, Jock Paget, on Clifton Promise, finished runners-up, 7.1 penalties adrift. Paget won Burghley in 2013, but had been stripped of his victory after the 16-year-old Promise tested positive for the sedative reserpine. He was exonerated by an FEI tribunal only weeks before this September’s event from any wrong doing, after the herbal supplement supplier admitted he had not applied quality control when he mixed the product. Paget had not been expected to compete at Burghley, but diverted Promise after pulling out of the World Equestrian Games in Normandy with an early run out across country.
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William Fox-Pitt and his 2014 Kentucky winner, Bay My Hero, fourth
Sophie Jenman and Geronimo
Harry Dzenis – Highest Placed Rider under 25
Gemma Tattersall and Arctic Soul jumped clear to finish fifth
Nicholson, 53, had been runner-up on Avebury last year, but was promoted to winner after Clifton Promise tested positive, has now scored his fifth Burghley title. His run started with Buckley Province in 1995 and Mr.Smiffy in 2000. Past champion Ginny Holgate came closest to a hat-trick when she won from 1983-1986, but 1983 and 1985 were on Priceless, 1984 was on Nightcap and 1986 was on Murphy Himself (as Ginny Leng). It has never been achieved at Badminton, the closest being Sheila Willcox, who won in 1957-1958 on High and Mighty and in 1959 on Airs and Graces. Avebury’s triumph was a heart-stopping moment for owners Mark and Rosemary Barlow. Mrs.Barlow, who has raised over £2 million for the British team, has supported Nicholson for 25 years. Meeting him first when she sent him her difficult hunter, Spinning Rhombus, with whom he formed such a bond that they won team silver at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Avebury a winner from the start Avebury was bred by Nicholson as a means of getting the rating on his property changed. “If I bred a horse I could get my rates down by £5,000 as it would be classed as a stud,” he said, with great honesty. “I owned the dam and competed his sire, Jumbo (on whom he won the young horse class at Le Lion d’Angers) up to 3 star level,
so I bred Avebury. I sold him as a four-yearold to a friend, then bought him back.” Andrew was full of praise for the way his fighting grey tackled the 32 fence cross country course, clocking the day’s fastest time for 5.6 penalties. “He loves it, he knows why we are here and what he has to do,” he said, “I ride him like I have just stolen him, really fast out of the traps, he thrives on being asked to take all the short cuts.” Despite the huge victory smile Nicholson did not forget earlier mishaps this year on his best horse Nereo. “I threw away Badminton, where I should not have fallen off and I was ninth in Normandy where I so wanted a medal so I was absolutely determined not to mess it up here for Avebury, and put a lot of pressure on myself to claw my way back up.”
Harry and Xam
Results after cross country Nicholson’s inspired cross country horsemanship on Avebury from the last draw of the day moved them up from fourth after dressage to take the lead, with Griffiths 3.7 penalties behind in second. Griffiths and Happy Times had been twice held up by stoppages on the cross country, one of them sadly the fatal injury to Sarah Squires’ Orto who injured his stifle at fence 19, the Rolex Combination, and was later put down. Oliver Townend was just over a fence away in third on Armada, Paget in fourth on Clifton Promise, Izzy Taylor fifth on
Harry and Dromgurrihy Blue Briarlands Matilda and William Fox-Pitt sixth on his 2014 Kentucky winner Bay My Hero, who had been poised in second after dressage but seemed unable to settle into his big galloping stride across country and unexpectedly collected 20.8 time penalties. Fox-Pitt thought the twists and turns might have made it hard for his horse to
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Fifth Burghley title
Sussex-based Harry Dzenis completed on both his horses, Xam and Dromgurrihy Blue. Speaking afterwards Harry said: “I was really pleased with both of my horses. Xam came from Ken Spencer and I have produced him from Novice. I am so pleased he went clear as he is amazing to ride cross country.” Harry spent the 2013 season working for William Fox-Pitt, who gave him the ride on the former Michael Ryan ride, Dromgurrihy Blue. Whilst at William’s Harry got to ride amazing horses and learnt so much in terms of both management and fitness of horses. The former Petersfield Pony Club member runs a small competition yard in Wisborough Green and the rumours are true, he does still wait tables occasionally at Chris Evan’s pub, The Mulberry Inn in Chiddingfold.
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