16 minute read
THE RETURN OF BURGHLEY
This month we’re celebrating the return of Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, the first event since 2019. The eventing competition is one of the most challenging in the world, says the two-time winner, Olympic medallist and local rider Andrew Hoy. This month we speak to Andrew, then to TV presenter Rosie Tapner who will cover this year’s event for the new Burghley TV service, and to Phillip & Guy Herbert who are hard at work constructing and managing this year’s fences...
ANDREW HOY’S BURGHLEY
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Local event rider and Olympian Andrew Hoy has claimed the silverware at Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials not just once, but twice, in 1979 and 2004. He also trains the next generation of five-star standard event riders, so who better to offer advice and insight for future talent?
“I’m having an office day,” says Andrew Hoy with absolutely no enthusiasm. “My skills are on a horse, not in an office!” Happily though, Andrew has a great team around him, including his wife and marketing lead Stefanie.
“Initially, I stayed on the Gatcombe Park estate and I did work with the future Princess Royal but I was really more independent, and moved to the UK to settle in Somerby permanently in 1993.” “Competing in an event like Land Rover Burghley “A team is only as strong and successful as its weakest Horse Trials, both horse and rider need to be at the element, so if I’m not personally enthusiastic about top of their game, but there also needs to be a true administration, having somebody who is enables me and complete partnership, both horse and rider need to concentrate on the part of the role that I do enjoy. to calibrated to work together.” We’ve an absolutely brilliant team, good people “Bringing a horse on to compete at Burghley is around us who understand, for example, nutrition, usually a journey of about five years, any at everyequine transportation, a really good vet and so on.” stage the most important aspect of that working In addition to being a Land Rover Burghley Horse relationship is to always work with the animal, to Trials winner on two occasions, Andrew has respect and understand their temperament won three consecutive Olympic gold medals, a silver in the Olympics, four World Championship medals, and is The Latest Land Rovers and their physical well-being.” “It’s like a working relationship between two human colleagues. If you’re boththe only Australian athlete to have cooperating to deliver a presentation,competed in seven Olympic games. Land Rover has been the event’s you’ve got to both know and trust thetitle sponsor since 2005. This year, Andrew started riding from the age you’ll be able to see the brand new other’s ability to fluently deliver a of six and at just 20 years old, he won Defender 130, with best-in-class interior space for up to eight well-rehearsed pitch.” his first CCI4* competition. The sportsman has remained at the forefront passengers plus peerless comfort and off-road ability! “When you really work well with a horse it’s a complete partnership, youof eventing since and has trained around communicate well and you’re able to 20 riders including his current protégé Isabel anticipate one another’s thoughts and actions.”Finemore, who’s based at Hoy Team’s stables in Somerby near Grantham, Melton and Oakham. “Technical knowledge take years to hone, but that’s essential for achieving the physical posture and skill“I was born and raised over in Culcairn, Australia, to ensure you’re in balance, harmony and rhythmbetween Sydney and Melbourne. I was competing in with the horse. When that happens you achieve thethe World Championships in 1978, so my visit to the ability to make all of that effort look effortless.”UK was for quarantine purposes, before travelling back home. It was supposed to be a six month stay but I “You can never do anything with an animal using force, liked the place so much I stuck around for two years!” only good communication. That sounds like spiritual or philosophical advice, but it’s really not. Being in harmony with the horse can help you overcome the Main: Based in Somerby, Andrew Hoy competed at the London Olympics on Rutherglen, shown here taking part in the crossphysical demands, like a ballet dancer lifting up their fellow dancer, the weight suddenly appears weightless country round. Andrew has won Burghley twice and will this because of the smoothness of the movement.” month compete in the World Championships in Rome.
“During the cross-country round of the competition, you’re moving at about 540 metres every minute, about nine metres a second. Despite that, I never get off the horse experiencing any pain, because horse and rider are both in synergy with one another.” Eventing is the toughest equestrian challenge, but fundamentally, it’s designed to test the same thing in three different ways: harmony between horse and rider. The sport was popularised in the 1950s and its three elements evolved around the historic use of horses in the military, with dressage, cross-country and jumping disciplines designed to emulate parade duty, to replicate a soldier carrying a message back to their commanding officers and finally a jumping round to test that a horse hasn’t been overworked.
“My current horse is Vasilly de Lassos, an Anglo Arab gelding of about 17hh. We’re not competing in this year’s Burghley Horse Trials as the FEI World Championships 2022 take place two weeks later.” “I’m looking forward to visiting the event though, we’re really lucky to have a world-class fixture so close by, and it’s always a really enjoyable spectacle for spectators who enjoy the very best talent that the sport of eventing has to offer.” n
BURGHLEY BASICS:
n Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials has been held at Burghley since 1961. The event first came to Stamford following an outbreak of Foot & Mouth on the Harewood Estate, the location of the previous fixture. The 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled because of Covid, so the last event was in 2019. n The event takes place in the Elizabethan parkland and covers 530 acres of the estate. n The event is both a world class sporting fixture and a country/lifestyle event beloved even by those who are less concerned about watching the competitors. n Eventing fixtures comprise of dressage on Thursday and Friday, the cross-country round on Saturday and the showjumping round on Sunday. n Eventing’s governing body, the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), designates Burghley a five-star event, the most challenging level of competition, one of only six such fixtures in the world. n The competition sees about 80 horse and rider combinations vying for a first prize of £100,000. Winning it, and two other events –the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event and the Badminton Trials – in succession constitutes the Rolex Grand Slam of eventing. n 170,000 visitors will enjoy Burghley. The event is worth £20m to the local economy.
THE CROSS COUNTRY COURSE
BUILDING BURGHLEY’S GREATEST CHALLENGES
Working alongside Burghley’s cross-country course designer Derek di Grazia – it’s Philip Herbert’s job to construct the obstacles for one of the toughest equestrian challenges in the world...
Sworn to secrecy, Philip Herbert and his team have been working hard for months to finesse the obstacles that this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials participants will face as they tackle the cross-country round of this year’s competition. “Normally, creation of the course begins before the previous year’s Horse Trials has even taken place, but with Covid, this year’s course has been a little longer in the making,” says Philip, who works alongside his son, Guy. Philip is based in Oundle, but his team also has a workshop and barn adjacent to Burghley Park Golf Club. The team is responsible for constructing and positioning 45 ‘jumping efforts’ which may comprise a single obstacle or several for this stage of the competition. “I work for a number of pony clubs, and for larger eventing fixtures like Thoresby Park – formerly the Belton fixture – but I’ve worked with Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials since 1981, firstly alongside Mark Phillips and now with Derek di Grazia.”
Main: Burghley’s cross-country course is one of the most challenging for riders and the most thrilling for spectators. Its 45 obstacles have been created in workshops adjacent to Burghley Park Golf Club by Philip & Guy Herbert and their team. A Word About The
“The FEI stipulates the maximum safe dimensions for an obstacle – 1.2m high, up to 4m wide and up to 3m front to back.”
“Once the course designer has determined the obstacles, and their placement, we can begin their construction. In years gone by they were all permanent obstacles with posts in the ground and rails. From the late 1990s we began to use forklift trucks and now most obstacles are portable, removed and stored in our barns. They weigh anywhere from half a tonne to three tonnes, and usually, about a third of the course is different each year, allowing for new interest and a fresh challenge each year.”
The Sponsors
“Obstacles are brought out of storage, washedAside from title sponsor Land Rover, some other event sponsors include and then repainted before
Joules, Bates Saddles, Le Mieux they’re moved into positionand Fairfax & Favor, who also have a shop and decorated with wood in Stamford. chips, greenery and props.” “At one point, when Land Rover was making pick-up trucks, the vehicles were used as obstacles themselves, but their vehicles are a bit larger and more expensive to serve that purpose these days!” “The skill of a course designer isn’t just the dimensions of the obstacles themselves, but where they’re positioned in relation to one another. It’s surprising but even the colour of an obstacle is given consideration when planning the course.”
“Much research has been conducted into a horse’s visual perception, and we know they can see white or blue more easily than green – especially against a grass course – so an obstacle covered in green foliage is more challenging. A horse’s vision is less acute immediately in front of them, too.” “It’s information like this which really leads us to work with Burghley’s course designer to create a five-star course which is as challenging a test of horse and rider as possible, whilst still ensuring it’s safe in the eyes of the technical delegate and ground jury. We design the course to be challenging, but safe, making it one of the most thrilling for competitors and spectators alike, and of course, making most of the fantastic Burghley parkland!” n
Main Ring Masters
EXCITING RIDING DEMONSTRATIONS IN THIS YEAR’S MAIN ARENA
The Main Arena of this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials includes thrilling riding demonstrations beginning on Thursday with Yogi Breisner’s Educating the Racehorse. The former performance manager for British Eventing helped the team to secure four Olympic medals, so his advice is worth its weight in gold! Friday sees Carl Hester MBE delivering a dressage masterclass, as a competitor once ranked 12th in the world for dressage. Other riding displays include the Shetland Pony Grand National on Saturday, and Fell Pony Society display on Sunday. n
Dog Agility
TAKE PART IN A NEW DOG AGILITY EVENT SPONSORED BY JOULES
The thrill of agility! A brand new event this year for dog-lovers, as Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials hosts a new ‘Have a Go, Dog Agility’ challenge in association with Joules. The Horse Trials sponsor will host the challenge in the Joules Marketplace, opposite World of the Horse. If you’re bringing your four-legged friend along, remember that Burghley also has a ‘dog crèche,’ where pup can be left, looked after, for up to two hours, whilst you have lunch, for example. Proceeds for the service are this year going to Samsalin Dog Rescue. n
Future Stars
BURGHLEY FAVOURITE RETURNS TO JUDGE REVAMPED COMPETITION
Captain Mark Phillips, designer of Land Rover Burghley’s cross-country course for 30 years until 2019, will judge the final of the highly prestigious Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse competition this year. The series, founded in 1990, is a leading showcase for future stars of top-level eventing. It has had a major ‘reboot’ for 2022 to keep pace with the modern sport. The prize-money on offer at the final, which takes place on Friday 2nd September, has been increased significantly with a first prize of £1,250. n
PREPARING FOR BURGHLEY
NEW FOR ‘22: BURGHLEY TV, LIVE WITH ROSIE & NICK
This year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials sees the launch of a brand new digital TV service hosted by Vogue cover model and eventing fan Rosie Tapner alongside fellow presenter Nick Luck...
Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is a massive event, spanning more than 530 acres with lots happening simultaneously... so even if you’re there, seeing absolutely everything that’s going on is pretty tricky. Thankfully, this year, we’re delighted to report that there’s a brand new digital TV service created by organisers of the event and fronted by broadcasters Rosie Tapner and Nick Luck. The service will combine livestream footage of the event with expert commentary, plus
n Winner: The most recent winner of The Burghley Horse Trials was Pippa Funnell in 2019 on Grafton Street, achieving 180 points. n Success: The most successful competitor in the competition is William Fox-Pitt, who won the title in 1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011. n Great Britain: Since 2001, a GB rider has won the competition nine times. A New Zealander has taken the title six times, an Australian three times and a German has won it once too. n Refreshing: During the competition, 20,000 ice creams are consumed, plus 26 gallons of Pimm’s and 4,857 glasses of Champagne, especially Pol Roger as the Champagne house is a key sponsor. n Broadcasting: The Sound of Burghley is the event’s own radio station,which broadcasts to a radius of 10 miles on FM and online, with digital listeners in 78 countries. The event also has its own TV channel available to view via subscription for live coverage via the event’s website, www.burghley-horse.co.uk.
analysis, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, as well as pre-recorded material. “You can watch the service from home, if you’re unable to be at the event in person, or live whilst you’re at the event and then you can it watch again after the competition has finished to see anything you might have missed,” says Rosie. Naturally covering an event like Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials necessitates expert knowledge. Rosie was raised in rural Hertfordshire and grew up with horses; her mother Alex was a keen eventer as well as a hacker and hunter. After completing a degree in Digital Media at Oxford Brookes, and after competing in the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood in 2018 and 2019 and at Ascot in 2018, Rosie worked with Racing TV to cover fixtures for The Jockey Club’s in-house TV service and presented Sky’s Racing League coverage in 2021. And did we also mention that Rosie’s media career follows her appearance as a Vogue cover model after being signed to the Storm FACTS & FIGURES: The Best Burghley Trivia... n Shopping: There are over 600 trade stands including Joules, Musto and local businesses like Fairfax & Favor, The George of Stamford, Warner’s Gin and accountants and business advisors Duncan & Toplis. n Royalty: HRH The Princess Royal competed at the event in 1971, and presented the prizes in 2011, whilst Captain Mark Phillips served as course designer having won the trials himself in 1973. Zara Tindall competed most recently in 2019 and went head-to-head with Pippa Funnell in a nailbiting finale! Land Rover Burghley’s Official Charity
agency for which she has The Household Cavalry Foundation also fronted campaigns for is this year’s Horse Trials official Balenciaga, Burberry, Selcharity. The Foundation provides fridges & Ralph Lauren.charitable and pastoral support to serving soldiers, operational “That was 10 years ago,casualties, veterans and dependants. and I really enjoyed it but now I’ve discovered a love of broadcasting, which also means I can get behind the scenes with all the people I admired when we attended Burghley as a family when I was younger.” “I’ve already completed pre-recorded interviews with people like William Fox-Pitt and Pippa Funnell for Burghley TV, which was amazing, and we’ll have a walk-through of this year’s cross-country course and insight with experts like Carl Hester and Yogi Breisner – who are also hosting our riding demonstrations in the main arena – so we really get behind the demands of each eventing discipline.” “As someone who has watched Burghley as a spectator, it’s great to be able to get behind the scenes to really understand what goes into competing in a world-class eventing fixture. To be able to bring that to our audience, as well, is great.” “The service will cost £20/year, and it will offer everyone a richer, more in-depth way to enjoy unprecedented access to all of the drama and excitement of a CCI5* event!” n Subscribe to the new Burghley TV streaming service for £20/year at www.burghley-horse.co.uk.
Timetable: Burghley Horse Trials
PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE FOR THE 2022 EVENT, SUBJECT TO CHANGE! Thursday 1st September
07.30 Gates Open. 09.00 – 17.30 Shops Open. 09.00 – 17.00 Main Arena: Dressage. 12.30 approx Main Arena: Yogi Breisner, Educating the Racehorse. 09.00 – 17.00 Ring 2: LeMieux Pony Club Team Jumping Competition. 18.00 Showground Closes. Friday 2nd September
07.30 Gates Open. 09.00 – 17.30 Shops Open. 09.00 – 17.00 Main Arena: Dressage. 12.30 Main Arena: Carl Hester Dressage Masterclass. 09.00 - 17.00 Ring 2: Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final. 18.00 Showground Closes. Saturday 3rd September
07.30 Gates Open. 09.00 – 17.30 Shops Open. 10.30 approx Shetland Pony Grand National. 11.00 – 17.00 Cross Country. 18.00 Showground Closes. Sunday 4th September
07.30 Gates Open. 09.00 – 17.00 Shops Open. 09.00 Main Arena: Final Horse Inspection. 10.30 Main Arena: Showjumping. 12.00 Main Arena: The Fell Pony Society Display. 12.20 Main Arena: Racehorse to Riding Horse (HOYS) Qualifier. 13.55 Main Arena: Military Band. 14.30 Main Arena: Showjumping. 15.25 Main Arena: Parade of Hounds. 15.40 Main Arena: Presentation of Prizes. 09.00 – 17.00 Ring 2: BSPS Gold Cup Sports Pony Competition. 17.00 Showground Closes (no admittance to Burghley Park after 15.30). n
Find Out More: Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials takes place from 1st-4th Sept. Thursday/Friday/Sunday £22/adv, £24/on site. Saturday £38/£42. Car parking £12/day adv. Four day admission £92/adv, car parking £40/adv, membership from £265. See www.burghley-horse.co.uk or call the box office on 0344 581 4980. n
