After the challenges the weather threw at this year’s FEI Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International Horse Trials, with torrential rain overnight into Saturday, everyone was hoping for a brighter day on Sunday and the North Norfolk climate delivered.
Glorious sunshine coated the site on Sunday morning and further helped the already drying ground. With the show jumping moved onto the dressage field and the Alec Lochore designed cross country courses looking great, the stage was set for some top-class jumping action and the horses and riders did not disappoint.
In the CCI-S 4*, Laura Collett and Dacapo led from start to finish, adding just 3.6 cross country time penalties to their dressage score to finish on a total of 27.3. Laura was thrilled with the performance from the gelding owned by Mrs Gillian Morris-Adams, Mrs Diana Chappell, Mrs Carolyn Taylor, Mr and Mrs M. Smedley.
“I’m absolutely delighted with Dacapo,” she said. “He’s just gone fantastically round the 4* cross country; he gave me a brilliant ride.
“I’m really pleased for the owners and the horse really. He’s been in amazing form for the last 12 months and luckily seems to be continuing it, so roll on Badminton!”
Piggy March and the hugely popular mare, Vanir Kamira added yet another superb performance to their glittering record, taking second on a score of 28.9, and Oliver Townend completed the top three, finishing third with Tregilder (30.6)
Bubby Upton was another to deliver an impeccable jumping display, another nothing to her dressage score of 25.4 to take the CCI-S 3* honours with Joy Jackson’s Viktor Krum.
“I’m absolutely delighted for the horse and for his owner, Joy Jackson to have managed to secure the win this week,” said Bubby. “He was amazing. It’s been a fantastic week for him in every phase at Burnham Market.
“It was also really nice to pick up the win because he finished second behind my other horse at Lincoln and narrowly missed out on the win at Thoresby, so he really deserved the win this weekend.
“He’s delivered every time out so far – this is only my third run on him, it’s a very new partnership still, so it’s really exciting for him and his owner that he got the win he deserved at Burnham Market.
“I’m just unbelievably lucky to be able to ride him and it’s a huge honour for me and I am unbelievably excited to see what the future holds with him.”
Mollie Summerland and Flow 7 also delivered in the jumping phases, keeping a clean sheet to finish on their dressage score of 28.8 and move up to finish second; whilst Oliver Townend took another third place, this time with Finley Du Loir (31.3).
Whilst the disappointing decision had to be taken to cancel all intermediate classes on Saturday due to the weather, thankfully the Advanced class was able to go ahead – with the jumping phases moved to Sunday.
With a lot of riders seeking runs before the big spring targets like Badminton, this was a competitive class that was very much enjoyed by the crowds. The lead kept changing throughout the cross country, but in the end it was France’s Gaspard Maksud who took the top honours with Zaragoza II, owned by Jane Young and Martin Thurlow. They picked up just four cross country time faults to finish on a score of 33.9. Second place went to Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On (34.3) and third to David Doel and Ferro Point (36.8).
Full results from across all the days are available here.
All the action from Sunday’s cross country is available on catch up via your mobile, tablet, TV or desktop with H&C+. Visit the Horse & Country website to find out more.
For more information and images, please contact Alison Coleman on 07737 263648 or email alisoncoleman@creativeotter.co.uk.
Photo: Laura Collett & Decapo (copyright: Hannah Coleman.)
