The reigning world champion and the current world number one, Ros Canter and Oliver Townend, dominated the major classes at Burgham International Horse Trials.
Lincolnshire’s Ros won the AW Jenkinson-sponsored CCI4*-S section M on her World Equestrian Games individual and team gold medallist Allstar B, just adding two time-faults to her record-setting dressage score of 19.7. Allstar B, 16, is owned by Ros and Caroline Moore, and it was Ros’s first CCI4*-S victory.
She said: “What a legend Albie [Allstar B] is. I felt a huge amount of pressure this week, but he was on fire in every phase.”
Ros also took the Newton Hall CCI2*-L on seven-year-old Izilot DHI, whom she owns with Alex Moody.
“He’s pure class,” said Ros. “He’s one of the most talented horses I have ever sat on. For this job, I think he has everything.”
Piggy March completed on her dressage score of 21.8 in second place on Brookfield Inocent, while Izzy Taylor and Monkeying Around were third.
Oliver Townend took three classes: CCI4*-S section L on Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class – who won this class two years ago – Howard Russell Construction CCI3*-S section J on Cillnabradden Evo and CCI3*-S section K on Miss Cooley. Oliver has now won eight international classes at Burgham in the past few years. Ballaghmor Class, the 2017 Burghley winner, finished on a final score of 24.2, having led throughout the competition.
“He’s as good as he’s ever been, if not better,” said Oliver. “I didn’t come here with the aim of winning this with him; if he was in the position to win, we’d let him, and the ground was beautiful and it was a very high quality field. He cruised round and made it all feel very easy. It was all very much within his comfort zone.”
Second in CCI4*-S section L were Laura Collett and Mr Bass, winners of this class in 2017. The pair added nothing to their dressage mark of 25.8 and finished 3.1 penalties ahead of Sarah Bullimore and Reve Du Rouet.
Event Director Martyn Johnson said: “We have seen absolutely top-class competition at Burgham this week, and it isn’t over yet – the jumping phases of the CCI2*-S take place tomorrow [Sunday, 23 August]. We received a huge number of entries and it has been a considerable challenge to accommodate them, but, due to Covid-19, the rescheduled Burgham was the first international competition of the British calendar and we were determined to put on a great show. The Burgham team have worked extremely hard to make the event as safe and enjoyable as possible for everyone, and we have been rewarded with superb sport and excellent conditions for the horses, which the riders have really appreciated.
“We have had to close our doors to spectators this year in accordance with government regulations, but we are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to Burgham in the future to see the superstars of eventing competing in Northumberland.”
> Download the official event programme
> View times and full results from the competition so far
> Walk the Cross Country Courses on Cross Country App
Keep up to date with all the action through our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.