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Last Years Winner Tim Price Is Back at Burghley With Three Rides – Will He Retain His Title?
Main Image courtesy of Julian Portch Photography- all rights reserved and are subject to copyright (Tim Price and Xavier Faer ) Tim Price NZL It will be a sixth consecutive visit to Land Rover Burghley for British-based Olympic New Zealand rider Tim Price (40) the current title holder of the event. He won last year’s event with ‘Ringwood Sky Boy’ who is one of his three entries this year. Tim who is based near Marlborough in Wiltshire where he runs a competition yard with his wife Jonelle, is currently Number One in the FEI World Rider ranking. With Ringwood Sky Boy, Tim was a member of the fourth placed New Zealand team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. ‘Bango’ was 10th at Burghley last year and recently a member of the winning team at the Nations Cup in Cappoquin (2nd individually). With ‘Xavier Faer’, he was 3rd at Lexington in May and the pair has previously also been 3rd at Badminton – although this will be a first Burghley for Xavier Faer. Tim grew up on a farm in Oxford, North Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. Surrounded by horses from an early age, it seemed natural that Tim would follow a career into horses. He showjumped to World Cup level before deciding that as the majority of the horses he was working with were New Zealand Thoroughbreds they were naturally more suited to eventing. With the NZ thoroughbred ‘Vortex’, Tim won the CCI2* at the National Championships in New Zealand. The pair went on to compete at 4* level and also won back-to-back Retraining of Racehorses Championships at Barbury Castle (2012/13). Tim and Jonelle (Richards) began dating in 2001. Two years later they came to the UK to prepare for Burghley with their advanced horses ‘Desamoray’ and ‘Mazetto’, with the aim of competing at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2004 both horses went to Badminton and the pair relocated to their current base in Wiltshire the following year. In 2014 Tim achieved the biggest win of his career to date when heading the 4* (now known as 5*) at Luhmühlen with ‘Wesko’ with who he previously won at CCI one, and three-star level (Blair Castle). The pair was a member of the NZ team for the 2014 WEG. Tim and Jonelle married in New Zealand, in 2013 – they now have a two-year-old son called Otis. Tim’s brother Cam is CEO of Keyflow Horse feeds and his brother Brad is a ‘genuine cowboy in Australia’. Tim trains with British dressage rider and international judge Isobel Wessells and Luis Alvarez Cevera. Outside of eventing he loves travel, camping, skiing and golfing. Ringwood Sky Boy owned by Varenna Allen, Robert Taylor and rider is a 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. He is by the Irish-based Holstein, Courage II – also the sire of Cooleys Rorke Drift and Duke of Cavan and is out of a mare by the influential Irish thoroughbred Sky Boy. He was bred by Myles Mahon of Enniscorthy in Ireland and has been produced through the levels by Tim. He is described as a ‘complicated and sensitive horse who trusts Tim more than anyone else on the planet’. The pair has ten 4* completions. Bango, (aka Uno) owned by the Numero Uno syndicate, is an...
read moreTwo rides for Michael Owen at Burghley this year – We caught up with him to find out more!
Main Image – courtesy of Tim Wilkinson Eventing Images- All rights reserved and Image is subject to copyright Michael Owen GBR British rider Michael Owen (40), is a professional rider and freelance instructor who is based at Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre in Cheshire. I have been based at kelsall kill equestrian centre for 7 years where I have a barn of 10 stables. I mix Eventing with training people. I event up to 8 horses from Be100 to CCI5*. My ultimate goal is the win a 5*. He last competed at Land Rover Burghley in 2018 gaining 15th place with ‘Bradeley Law’ – the pair then completed Badminton this year. It will however be first event at the level for his 2019 ride, ‘Jims Pal’ who Michael has on the Burghley entry list along with Bradeley Law. I got into horses because of my Mum who worked in racing. I started riding when I was 8years old at a riding school, and then got my first pony at 11 and joined Burton Cheshire Forest PC. Several ponies later, I rode at the pony club championships and FEI pony trials for a season. I then moved onto horses at the age of 16. Michael came to prominence aged 21 when he made his 4* (now known as 5*) debut at Burghley (2000) with ‘Perks of the Job’ who he acquired when he was 17 and brought through the levels from a five-year-old. With Perks of the Job, he made his Badminton debut aged 23 in 2002. My first horse was Perks of the Job who was a 4yo. He took me to Burghley twice, and Badminton twice. He then acquired the six-year-old King Bob who he rode to four-star level and sold. King Bob was then ridden by Swedish rider Ludwig Svennerstal – the pair completed Luhmühlen, Pau and Burghley. Michael is however perhaps best known for his long partnership with ‘The Highland Prince’ who he competed for 12 seasons and retired in 2017. The pair completed Badminton and Burghley and in 2016 won the CCI3* at Ballindenisk. In February 2010 Michael made his racing debut a winning one, when winning an Amateur riders handicap at Wolverhampton with Albero Di Giuda. Michael enjoys playing golf. Michael trains with Ruth Edge. Bradeley Law, owned by Jane Jennings is a 14-year-old SHB(GB) registered British-bred gelding. Bred by his owner he is by the former advanced eventing stallion Mill Law out of Scarlet Lady who is of unverified breeding. He was produced by Mary Lofthouse to intermediate and Michael gained the ride in 2013. The following year the pair was 7th in the three-star at Blair Castle. Having unseated his rider at Badminton in 2016 Bradeley Law jumped three of the fences in the wrong direction on his way back to the stables. He completed the event in 2018 and 2019. I have two horses competing here this year: Bradeley Law Stable name Crocky 15yo Bay gelding 16.2hh Owned by the Jennings Syndicate Weakness is his dressage, can get very tense and excitable especially when there is big crowds watching. Exceptional jumper who is very fast. Jims Pal owned by Ashleigh Dean is a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. His breeding is not recorded. Michael has produced the grey gelding since a seven-year-old....
read moreGeorge Hilton-Jones Makes His Debut At Burghley Horse Trials 2019 #LRBHT
Main Image courtesy of Julian Portch Photography – All rights reserved- and is subject to copyright. George Hilton-Jones GBR It will be a first Land Rover Burghley for British rider George Hilton-Jones (33) who is based on the Northamptonshire / Buckinghamshire border between Towcester and Stoney Stratford where he runs his own competition and livery yard. With his 2019 Burghley entry ‘Efraim’, George completed his first 5* at Luhmuhlen this year, finishing in 22nd place. George began eventing with the Grafton Pony Club representing the branch at the Pony Club Championships. He competed for the Central England team at Weston Park and in 2004 was short-listed for the British Junior European squad. He then spent time In Australia working under international rider Stuart Tinney. On his return he pursued a degree in property at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester. Since 2010 he has concentrated on building up the yard based at his family home.Efraim aka Leo, owned by Isabelle Hilton-Jones is a 10-year-old Dutch-bred KWPN registered gelding. He is by the Belgian-bred Ultime Espoir (a grandson of Contender) of a mare by Murano (by Burggraaf). He has been brought through the grades by George. Results 2019 – Luhmühlen CCI5*L 22nd Efraim 2019 – Chatsworth CCI4*S Ret Efraim 2019 – Burnham Market CCI4*S 49th Efraim 2019 – Belton CCI4*S 50th Efraim 2018 – Blair Castle CCI3* 16th Efraim 2018 – Bramham CCI3* 42nd Efraim Tell me a bit about your background/growing up? I had the classic hunting and Pony Club orientated childhood, fully immersed in Grafton Pony Club life being very much encouraged and inspired by my Mother’s love for hunting. Quickly I found myself drawn more and more towards eventing by the thrill of the cross country and was a member of the Central JRN team. I have slowly built an event and livery yard with a few horses always in to sell. I started out with four stables and now have built up to having about twenty horses in at any one time. I am very lucky to have a small number of extremely supportive owners enabling me to have a string of super horses coming through the levels but am always looking for people and horses to join our journey. Tell me a bit about your horse. Efraim, or Leo as he is known at home, is a 10 year old KWPN gelding. I bought him from Ireland through Chris Hunt at Global Sports Horses as a gangly 5 year old. Originally he was bought as a project to sell on, I never dreamed he would be a 5* horse. He is owned by myself and my Mother, Isabelle Hilton-Jones. At this stage the dressage is his weakest phase, the changes are still a bit of a work in progress but when he trots down the centre line he suddenly realises where he is and just wants to get on with the cross country! Leo lives for cross country day but his enthusiasm can be a bit difficult to harness…! This is both of our first Burghley. Our first 5* was Luhmuhlen in the spring where Leo stepped up to the level with his usual gusto. We are still green at this level but I truly believe that he is a real five star competitor. What...
read moreEquine Fashion Icon Dee Kennedy Returns to Burghley this year with Chequers Playboy
Main Image courtesy of Julian Portch Photography – all rights reserved and are subject to copyright Dee Kennedy GBR British rider Dee Kennedy (42), from Crowton in Cheshire, last competed at Land Rover Burghley in 2017 with Chequers Playboy who is her entry this year. Dee comes from a non-horsey background. She persuaded her mother to let her have riding lessons and Dee then rode other peoples’ ponies on the show jumping circuit until she was 15. I come from a non horsey family but as soon as I could talk I was always obsessed with horses and didn’t stop asking if I could ride until I got my own way . She then pursued a brief career as a member of the three-girl band ‘Paperdolls’ and following the end of their contract with MCA records, in 2000, went back to horses and started eventing with ‘Big El’ a 17hh gelding bought from Carol Gee . Even though the pair was new to eventing they gained second place in their first event which ensured Dee was hooked on the sport. The pair competed to 4* (now known as 5*), gaining one Badminton and two Burghley completions. I started Eventing in 2000 And I had the perfect event horse so he got me hooked Following Big El’s retirement in 2009, Dee began competing up and coming rides including ‘Chequers Playboy’ who she has brought through the grades to 5*. Dee also competes in FEI showjumping and has competed at Bolesworth and Kronenberg CSI with her own ‘Valverde DH Z’ I live in Cheshire and I currently have 5 horses of my own and 6 horses that owners have sent me to compete . Some are for sale and some will hopefully be kept to go on and develop more . I’d really like to be able to keep producing horses to 5* level Chequers Playboy, (AKA Kenny) owned by the rider is a 17-year-old Dutch-bred gelding. He is by Kennedy (a son of Ferro) out of a mare by Flemmingh. He was sourced from Holland by Astrid Bolton and acquired by Dee as a 4-year-old. Kenny is now 17 , he’s Kwpn . I’ve owned him since he was 4 . He is actually very good at all three phases . He loves to show off so hopefully he will contain himself in front of such a big audience. He has been a super horse to me , being top 10 as a 4 yr old at BYEH final . He won a novice at 5 , a 2* at 6 and a 3* at 7 . I’m very lucky to have had lots of amazing memories with him at the biggest events in the world . Results 2019 – Alnwick CCI4*S 51 Chequers Playboy 2019 – Bramham CCI4* S 62 Chequers Playboy 2019 – Chatsworth CCI4* 23rd Chequers Playboy 2018 – Bramham CIC3* 23rd Chequers Playboy 2018 – Badminton CCI4* ret Chequers Playboy 2017 – Burghley CCI4* El Chequers Playboy 2017 – Bramham CCI3* Ret Chequers Playboy 2016 – Bramham CCI3* 13th Chequers Playboy 2016 – Badminton CCI4* W/D after dressage Chequers Playboy 2015 – Burghley CCI4* El Chequers Playboy (missed fence) 2015 – Badminton CCI4* EL Chequers Playboy 2014 – Pau CCI4* 16th Chequers Playboy 2014 – Bramham CIC3* 2nd Chequers...
read moreLAND ROVER CHALLENGES BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS VISITORS TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE TAILGATE PICNIC
Ahead of this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, taking place on 5-8 September, title sponsor Land Rover has collaborated with chef Simon Rogan and Event Rider Zara Tindall to encourage Burghley spectators to go the extra mile with their picnics this year. The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials has become almost as synonymous with picnicking as it has world class equestrian sport and the Land Rover Tailgate Picnic Competition – which traditionally takes place on cross-country day (Saturday) – has become a popular feature among horse trial goers. To inspire this year’s Burghley picnickers, Land Rover, whose vehicles are renowned for their famous tailgate – a feature that is commonly used as the perfect accessory for a picnic, has worked with Simon to create four delicious picnic recipes. In this video, Simon & Zara demonstrate the quick and easy method for creating four dishes. Simon also gives his top five picnic tips. Follow...
read moreLate Summer Feeding from Keyflow Feeds
There is definitely a nip in the evening air and the nights are noticeably drawing in, it is an important time to consider an Autumn feeding regime for your horse or pony, particularly for good doers, those in any level of work and those in competition work, as there will be seasonal variation in forage quality, including grazing and this years hay or haylage. Grazing continues to be a risk factor for good doers and laminitics, cold nights leading to lower temperatures can change the sugar content and fructan level in the grass, coupled with warmer days with temperatures even into their 30’s in some parts of the UK. Greater rain fall leads to seasonal grass growth in places that can contribute towards laminitis and pose a risk to good doers, remember your horse or pony does not need to be overweight to be at risk of laminitis, especially those with metabolic conditions. The risk of autumn grass can be as great and can often go unnoticed. In addition to forage now is a perfect time of the year to consider the vitamin, mineral and essential amino acid and protein component of your horses diet, forage should be balanced with a high quality balancer all year round. Keyflow have a number of options including Keyflow Perfect Balance®, Keyflow Nurture Pro® and Keyflow Golden Oldies®, please head to our website or get in contact if you would like to know more. This years forage is finally in, there will be variation in quality and nutritional value of hay and haylage depending on the type of grasses it contains, and the time of year it was cut and made. We were lucky enough to have a warm, dry Spring so early cut hay or haylage should be plentiful. Early cut forage tends to be higher in non-structural carbohydrates, these are the sugars the grass relies on for growth. The grass cut during the early part and the middle stage of the growth season is naturally higher in sugar and even once cut, dried and baled will hold a higher nutritional value and a higher sugar content when fed, Second cut forage where grass has regrown from an early cut in the spring and is then made again in late summer or early autumn, generally has an average level of sugar and an average level of non-structural carbohydrates. Both of these types of hay will likely have a lower structural carbohydrate content, this is the woody part of the plant, and the younger, immature plant is generally lower in lignified content than its later cut counterpart. The very best hay or haylage you can find for good doers is a meadow grass mix which is cut late on in the summer for the first time, this plant will have a higher level of structural carbohydrates therefore will take longer for the horse or pony to chew and longer for the hind gut to digest. As this plant is coming to the end of its growth phase the level of sugar in this grass is likely to be lower. Keyflow can offer some availability for forage analysis as can many feed companies if you would like to understand more about the...
read moreSarah Brown and Balhagarty Perfection complete their first Blair Castle SCBE90 Championships
Main Image courtesy of Julian Portch Photography – all rights reserved and is subject to copyright Sarah set out on the cross country and she wasn’t hanging about she was round and past me over the first few fences before I could get my camera out! She was going so well and they were making it look easy, yet the course had been causing problems later on and it was the same unfortunately for Sarah, they had a run out at fence 16 b Voltaire Design Arrowhead the second part of a combination which had caught quite a few out previous to their run then a stop at fence 17 Malcolm Lochran but they got through that and continued to finish the course in the style the set out in. For a first run at Blair it is a great achievement just to complete and Sarah was really pleased to do just that. So you have just completed your cross country , a couple of stops, talk me through your run as he looked like he set of great guns Yeah so he set off really well, the first combination what I was a bit concerned about (fence 9AB British Eventing Trakehner and Angled Brush ) he got quite close to but he jumped it really nicely. Then he jumped through the next few left handed combinations really well, then we came up to one that I was even concerned about and I got my line a bit wrong and he just flew past the second element which is unfortunate but turned him and represented him and he popped it fine so I can’t really complain at that. As we came up to the water as I had said there was a lot to look at and he was too busy watching the crowds and didn’t really see the fence until the very last minute and just stopped, but again came round represented him and he just popped it fine. I am really pleased with him, he is a really inexperienced horse. First time at Blair, will you be back here next year? Oh I hope so, it was a great experience and what a cross country course to ride round, its just such a privilege to be here, on him as well , you know he is a pet, he is part of the family and its nice to share it with him and with all my friends that are here also competing Follow...
read moreA Swanky Panky Blair – Emily Hedegcoe finishes 10th in the SCBE100 Championships
Main Image – courtesy of Dave Cameron – all rights reserved and is subject to copyright Cross country day certainly saw all things change for Emily Hedgecoe and her lovely horse Wickstead Swanky Panky as they climbed the placings to finish 10th so a clear cross country in the time definitely is what was needed. Emily certainly looked like she set out of the box with intention and a very positive attitude. From what we could see they made the course look easy and they just flew through the combinations near to where I was standing. They finished full of running and so lets hear what emily’s thoughts were on her cross country round and the course. We didn’t manage to catch up with you before you ran cross country, so when you walked it, what were your thoughts? So I was really scared of fence 8 ( Rails ) and 9 ab ( British Eventing Trakehner to Angled brush.) because it was a big trakehner and I thought if she stops at that then I am so stuffed and i’ll break my back!. I was scared of the water and lots of the 90’s were having problems at the water. but they both rode beautifully and my horse just jumped them out of this world – amazing so I am delighted! So you were flying out there and you have gone inside the time so you are finishing on your score of 34.5!, How did she feel out there? Oh awesome, when you have got a horse that will do that you just love them to pieces, wow. I can’t believe that she wants to to do it and wants to go and she loves it. The bravery and the trust along with everything is amazing. What does it mean for you to complete the grassroot championships at Blair again? Lovely, Beautiful, its Scotland, it’s the most beautiful place ever, I mean I love it so much, it’s so special I can’t even begin to tell you So whats next for you and Wickstead Swanky Panky ? So I will do the BE105 at Frenchfield in a couple of weeks, so that will be my first BE105 then maybe do a Novice next year – maybe! Does that mean you you will be back at Blair next year for the CCI2*L ?! Unlikely!! I think I am too old for that!!! We beg to differ and think that we could well see the back here in the future doing the Internationals!! They certainly make a good team so we will keep you posted!! Follow...
read moreThird place for Berkeley at Blair – CCI4*S
Images courtesy of Menzies Breen – all rights reserved and are subject copyright With Daisy in the lead, I am not going to lie I was feeling the nerves and I was pretty anxious when she went out of the start box, but it appears I didn’t need to be!! Despite me doing every jump with them (whilst sitting in the comfort of the media centre of course!! ) Daisy did a superb job and if marks could be award for style then she would most definitely have won, They made the course look ridiculously easy, everything looked to jump well and in a controlled manner. The first water fence 6 and fence Malcolm Lochran posed no issues and they jumped the House of Bruar Gate and Bothy at fence 10AB with absolute precision and style it really was a fluent round up to this point. This was not the end, they continued on a lovely rhythm to get a great shot at the Baileys Horse Feed Corner and then followed it up by being foot perfect through the water at The Land Rover Lost Garden which was fence 13ABC. This was becoming a real pleasure to watch and a round I will remember for a long time as these fence are by no mean small, the line and shot at fence 19 AB the LandRover Log and Arrowhead was superb and a fantastic piece of riding. The whole round was just delightful, However at the end there was a temporary issue of 15 penalties for a flag which had gone but Daisy had gone inside the flag and the video footage was reviewed and the penalties later removed thankfully. Despite Daisy’s round being one of the nicest smoothest cross country rounds I have seen for some time it was unfortunately not within the time, but no one did make the time, she had just under ten penalties in hand when she set out but incurred 11.2 time penalties dropping her to 3rd place which is still an amazing result. especially considering there was only 4 penalties separating the top 5 and only 1.5 penalties between Daisy and Nicolas Astier who won the section. We caught up with Daisy after her round, whilst her horse was cooling off and to be honest looked that fit he could have ran round there again!! Tell us about your Cross Country Round I had a fantastic ride, I assume the time is pretty dam near impossible to get, because even though I didn’t take a pull for the first five fences I still wasn’t on my minute markers, so thought oh god!! I knew that Astier and Sam had gone like the clappers, so I just went as fast as I could also in the back of my mind is that he has got Blenheim long format in a month’s time, but I went pretty dam fast actually!! The horse was amazing! He was super bold and he was a bit strong in places because its quite twisty turny and I had to do a bit more setting up than what I would have done if he had been less strong, but I wouldn’t have changed the way he went for anything, he was so straight, so brave, so careful. How...
read moreThe Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials wraps up for another year
Emilie Chandler & Cortfadda Diamond © Julia Shearwood CCI4*-L Emilie Chandler won her first ever CCI4*-L event here at Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials with Maria Doel’s Gortfadda Diamond, a horse who she believes has real 5* potential. The pair had the luxury of three fences in hand over runners-up Rosa Onslow and Diamond Sundance going into the show jumping arena but they required none of this buffer, concluding their Blair campaign with a classy clear round, although like all competitors in this small class, they picked up time faults. “I’m thrilled he jumped clear,” admitted Emily. “This win is really special as I think an awful lot of him and I’ve not been this close to a big win since finishing second in the U25 Championship at Bramham in 2002.” Gortfadda Diamond was none the worse for wear after posting the fastest cross-country time on Saturday. “He felt quite bright in the collecting ring,” said Emily, “and I was almost thinking I should have worked him harder. He’s just an amazing horse – he’s come on so much in the last year and I’m very proud of him.” Scotland’s Rosa Onslow and Diamond Sundance added just .8 of a time penalty to their two-phase score to finish second, with Simon Grieve and Mr Fahrenheit III third. CCI3*-L Eleanor Hope celebrated her 20th birthday in fine style at Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials, winning the CCI3*-L class on Limestone Romeo. Eleanor, a student at Reading University, was 13th after dressage with a mark of 36.1, but added nothing to that score to take her first senior international title. “I’m very relieved – I didn’t expect it and it’s a very good birthday present,” said Eleanor. “The second and third riders both jumped clear and I knew I couldn’t even have a time-fault.” Eleanor’s parents, Margaret and Simon, bought eight-year-old Limestone Romeo from the Goresbridge Going For Gold sale as a five-year-old, and Eleanor has produced him through the grades herself. Victoria Wilson was second, just 0.6 of a penalty behind Eleanor, on Dont You Know. Victoria, 20, finished on her dressage score of 36.7 at her first long-format three-star event. “I only came here for a qualifying score – I can’t believe it,” said Victoria. “He’s phenomenal – he’s the only horse I have to event, I did my first ever British Eventing competition on him; he’s taken me all this way and I hope we’ve got much further to go.” Third was Ashley Harrison, who also completed on her dressage score (38) on Zebedee IX. It made up for quite a dramatic week for the 26-year-old: Ashley’s lorry broke down on the way up to Land Rover Blair Castle from her Hampshire home, she dropped her phone in the loo and Zebedee IX lost a shoe yesterday after the cross-country. “But this makes up for it – it’s a brilliant event and I’ll definitely be back,” she said. “He made the cross-country feel as easy as it could be yesterday.” Charlotte Parry-Ashcroft’s showjumping clear on Wil Jack B King meant she rose from seventh to fourth, while Emma Hobday and Shadow Copperwood finished fifth. CCI2*-L Hayden Hankey scored his first ever international win in the CCI2*-L class at Land Rover Blair Castle. The Cheshire-based 39-year-old...
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