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It didn’t take long this morning for the leader board to change. Second to go, William Fox-Pitt rode into the ring on Ballincoola and took command from the get-go. Cool, calm and collected, his extensions were brilliant, too- just what we’d expect of the Badminton winner. He ended the day in third place.

Three Americans rode this morning: Kim Morani had a disappointing-ride and scored 64.4, tied with All’s Fair ending up equal 74th. Zydeco was obedient but lacked passion for Gretchen Butts, who seemed leary of pushing him to show more impulsion, marked at 61.8 for 62nd. Linden Wiesman and Primitive Gold should have had a brilliant performance but it was marred by several breaks, to finish on 54.2, in a three-way tie for 29th.

They weren’t the only riders to be disappointed; Andrew Nicholson, of New Zealand, on his former Burghley winner Mr.Smiffy was down the list at 57.0 on Thursday.

The final three Americans rode Friday afternoon. John Williams rode Sloopy to a smooth, forward test, with a couple of breaks to score 60.6, tied with McKinlaigh and Jeanette Brakewell’s first ride, for 57th. Jan Thompson with Task Force, had a solid test, to end up tied with Bill Levett, of Australia, for 23rd at 52.6.

Cindy Rawson and Ashdale David’s Way were the stars of the contingent with a brilliant test to put them eighth right after lunch, at 47.2. They ,ended up 11th. The mellow bay gelding looked sleepy warming up, but after a shy at the new statue of Lord Burghley jumping an Olympic hurdle (remember Chariots of Fire?) he played to the crowd and was on his very best behavior!

In his last Burghley, probaby his last event before he returns to New Zealand to train racehorses, , Blythe Tait rode Eze; but, did not have a fittingly successful result to move into sure contention, placing = 39th at 55.6.

As expected, however, Pippa Funnell had a lovely ride on Cornerman, dramatic and accurate, with only little flippy hops in his last changes to mar perfection. They received a number of 9s and two 10s from the French judge, who had complained earlier, at lunchtime, that he was going to “cut their reins- so riders would let their horses go forward.” (Pippa is pictured at the right above. Photo courtest of the Burghley Web Site.)

At the very end, the well-known riders with two horses changed the standings again. First Polly Stockton rode Tom Quigley in a supple, forward test to slip into a tie with Shear H2O at 46.0. Andrew Hoy rode Master Monarch to 49.2, bested by Caroline Pratt and Primitive Streak at 48.4 and Bumble Thomas with The Psephologist at 49.0. Andrew Nicholson rode last year’s third placed Lord Killinghurst to a brilliant second (behind Pippa again) with 40.2 in a smooth, fluid test. (Andrew and Lord Killinghurst are pictured at the left. Photo courtesy of the Burghley Web Site.)

It was almost hot today and the same is promised for tomorrow; but, if the breeze continues it should not be too tough on the horses. The summery weather has helped to dry the ground which was in miserable condition from 4” of rain over the last month. Only today did we learn that as of Monday they were seriously thinking of canceling the whole event! But it’s on, and the testing course laid out for tomorow will see many changes (in the rankings), as it should.

Final Results after two days of Dressage:

1. CORNERMAN, Pippa Funnell (GBR) 74.00 77.20 78.00 = 35.4
2. LORD KILLINGHURST, Andrew Nicholson (NZL) 72.40 75.60 71.60 = 40.2
3. BALLINCOOLA, William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 70.80 73.60 70.80 = 42.4
4. MOON FLEET, Andrew Hoy (AUS) 71.60 70.00 69.60 = 44.4
5. TANGLE MAN, Polly Stockton (GBR) 67.20 74.40 68.80 = 44.8
6T. SHEAR H2O, Leslie Law (GBR) 67.60 70.80 69.60 = 46.0
6T. TOM QUIGLEY, Polly Stockton (GBR) 68.00 68.80 71.20 = 46.0
8T. SHILLELAGH GOLD, John Marsden (GBR) 67.60 72.40 66.80 = 46.6
8T. FOREIGN EXCHANGE, Terry Boone (GBR) 70.40 71.60 64.80 = 46.6
10. ENCHANTED, Sammi McLeod (AUS) 69.60 72.00 64.40 = 47.0
11. ASHDALE DAVID'S WAY, Cindy Rawson (USA) 66.80 69.20 69.60 = 47.2
12. KARL D'CYMBELINE, Lucy Kemplay (GBR) 69.60 67.60 68.00 = 47.4
13. PRIMITIVE STREAK Caroline Pratt (GBR) 66.40 70.00 66.80 = 48.4
14. VOLNAY, Cressida Clague-Reading (GBR) 66.40 72.80 63.60 = 48.6
15T. MALLARDS TREAT, Matthew Wright (GBR) 68.80 66.00 67.20 = 49.0
15T. THE PSEPHOLOGIST, Marie-Louise Thomas (GBR) 66.00 70.00 66.00 = 49.0

Other American Scores are as follows:

23T TASK FORCE, Jan Byyny Thompson (USA) 66.00 66.80 62.00 = 52.6
29T. PRIMITIVE GOLD Linden Wiesman (USA) 62.40 64.80 64.40 = 54.2
34. NORTHERN SPY, Heidi White (USA) 61.20 62.80 66.00 = 55.0
57T. SLOOPY, John Williams (USA) 58.40 62.00 58.40 = 60.6
57T. McKINLAIGH, Gina Myles (USA) 60.80 61.20 58.00 = 60.6
62. ZYDECO Gretchen Butts (USA) 60.00 61.60 54.80 = 61.8
63T. 3 MAGIC BEANS, Nina Fout (USA) 58.80 58.00 59.20 = 62.0
74T. ALL'S FAIR, Ashley Macvaugh (USA) 58.8 57.6 54.8 = 64.4
77. TEST RUN, Kim Morani (USA) 53.60 59.20 58.00 = 64.6

90 horses competed.

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Day Two, Thursday, September 2nd

As the sun goes lower in the western sky, the judges still have a case of Thursday-itis. Fives and sixes are more common than sevens. Perhaps this is deservedly so, as I have seen quite a few tense, not very happy horses.

Moon Fleet, however, turned in a happy, very smooth performance for Andrew Hoy this morning, and was appropriately scored at 44.4. (Andrew and Moon Fleet are poctured at the right at the Shoulder In. Photo courtesy of the Burghley Web Site.) He immediately followed Polly Stockton on Tangle Man. The big chestnut was powerful and positive, and was rated at 44.6 by judges Mrs. Jean Mitchell, of Ireland, Mrs. Sue Baxter,of Great Britain, and Guy Otheguy, of France, but lacked the finesse of Andrew's elegant black former racehorse owned by Mrs. Susan Magnier, (better known in the racing world) which won Luhmuhlen two years ago. Standing fourth now is Terry Boon with his Bramham winner, Foreign Exchange, on 46.6. He also had a seamless, elegant ride.

Heidi White did the best of the American rides to date. At 55.0 she is in eleventh place. Ashley Macvaugh had a so-so ride on All´s Fair and scored 64.4, before lunch. Nina Fout and 3 Magic Beans were tense and unsettled, and had a 62.0. McKinlaigh with Gina Miles had a forward, accurate test which even drew good marks from the most difficult to please of the three judges, but then blew the final changes which brought them down and also affected her collective marks negatively, to end with 60.6.

Olympic Gold Medalist Leslie Law rode next to last on the day and was probably unlucky not to have drawn for tomorrow. At 46.0 he moved past Terry Boon to be placed third with a quiet, correct and even test which was a pleasure to watch. (Leslie and Shear H2O are pictured at the left. Photo courtesy of the Burghley Web Site.)

So, are the judges saving all the 8's and 9's to spill out on the Friday scores? What Sally O. calls the ¨halo effect¨ did not rub off for Leslie, although the crowd roared when he appeared and finished just as they did at the trot up, and for Pippa Funnell as well. She rides near the end on the morrow. Stay tuned…

Sara Futh

Andrew Hoy last won Burghley 25 years ago, riding Davy, when he was 20 years old. "The course here is the strongest I have seen for a long time," said Andrew. "There are some serious questions early on and the ground is still a little sticky in places though the sun is doing a great job".

( Lady Victoria Leatham, the chatelaine of Burghley House, is
pictured above with Leslie Law, Great Britain's Olympic Individual
Gold Medalist from Athens, 2004. Leslie holds the late Marquis of Exeter's
(Lady Leatham's father) Gold Medal from the Amsterdam Olympic
Games, 1928, which he won in the 400 yard hurdle race.
Leslie has yet to receive his own Gold Medal.
Photo Courtesy of the Burghley Web Site.)

Current CCI**** Dressage Results at the end of Thursday's Competition

Judges : Mrs Sue Baxter GBR (E) ,
Miss Jean Mitchell IRL (C) ,
Mr Guy Otheguy FRA (M)

1. MOON FLEET, Andrew Hoy (AUS) 71.60 70.00 69.60 = 44.4
2. TANGLE MAN, Polly Stockton (GBR) 67.20 74.40 68.80 = 44.8
3. SHEAR H2O, Leslie Law (GBR) 67.60 70.80 69.60 = 46.0
4. FOREIGN EXCHANGE, Terry Boone (GBR) 70.40 71.60 64.80 = 46.6
5. ENCHANTED, Sammi McLeod (AUS) 69.60 72.00 64.40 = 47.0
6. VOLNAY, Cressida Clague-Reading (GBR) 66.40 72.80 63.60 = 48.6
7. MALLARDS TREAT, Matthew Wright (GBR) 68.80 66.00 67.20 = 49.0
8. MINUTO, William Levett (AUS) 62.00 69.60 63.20 = 52.6
9T. ONYX , Viktoria Carlerback (SWE) 64.40 63.20 64.00 = 54.2
9T. CALL AGAIN CAVALIER, Caroline Pratt (GBR) 61.60 62.80 67.20 = 54.2
11. NORTHERN SPY, Heidi White (USA) 61.20 62.80 66.00 = 55.0

Other American Scores from Thursday are as follows:

28T. McKINLAIGH, Gina Myles (USA) 60.80 61.20 58.00 = 60.6
31. 3 MAGIC BEANS, Nina Fout (USA) 58.80 58.00 59.20 = 62.0
36T. ALL'S FAIR, Ashley Macvaugh (USA) 58.8 57.6 54.8 = 64.4

45 competitors completed their Dressage on Thursday.

Editor's Note: The above placings will change continuously until the end of the second competition day. The scores, of course, will remain the same. Scores are in the following order - E, C, M.

* * * * * * * *

Sara Futh will be reporting the Burghley CCI**** for eventingetc. Her first report is below:

Wednesday, September 1, 2004

Burghley DAY ONE

Sunny skies and summer temperatures, which have been sadly lacking in the UK, as well as at home, greeted us on arrival in Stamford for the 2004 renewal of the Burghley Horse Trials.

Eighty-three horses were presented to the judges at the first veterinary inspections. Two failed to pass: sadly Will Faudree’s Antigua was one of them. After traveling all the way to Athens and back to Britain, a bad nail in a new shoe last week put paid to his chances for a grand summer. We hope to see him at Fair Hill next month!

The other ten US horses fared better, so we will be represented by, in order of go, Ashley Macvaugh and All’s Fair, Nina Fout and Three Magic Beans, Gina Miles and McKinlaigh, Heidi White with Northern Spy, Kim Morani, Test Run, Gretchen Butts and Zydeco, Linden Wiesman – Primitive Gold, Cindy Rawson, Ashdale David’s Way, John Williams and Sloopy, and Jan Thompson with Task Force.

We have walked only a short section of the x-c course; more to report on tomorrow. So far it seems as big as usual and consistent in difficulty, no gifts, no impossible fences, but a steady unrelenting seven k. of serious effort over 28 obstacles including eleven combinations. Till tomorrow, with Zara P riding as the guinea pig at 8:40 a.m. – cheers, Sara

READY STEADY GO

Bathed in Glorious autumn sunshine the 2004 Burghley Horse Trials got underway this afternoon with the first horse inspection held in the main arena.

Ninety five horses representing 12 counrtries came in front of the ground jury of Jean Mitchell (IRL), Guy Otheguy (FRA) and Sue Baxter (GBR).

Four horses were sent to the holding box with two No. 19 Antigua (Will Faudree USA) and No.104 Gymcrack Fortune (Sharon Hunt GBR) not passing and being eliminated from the competition.

Cheers and applause greeted British Olympic Gold medallist Leslie Law, and fellow team silver medallists William Fox Pitt, Pippa Funnell and Jeanette Brakewell just a taste of the warm welcome that will follow them for the next four days.

Ninety one competitors will start in dressage which starts at 9.am tomorrow . Zara Phllips will be the 'Guinea pig' rider with Springleaze Macaroo at 08.40am

(From the Burghley Web Site.)

* * * * * * * *

97 Horses Entered at the Burghley CCI****
Including 11 Americans

Four members of Great Britain's Silver Medal Team from the Athens Olympic Games will compete at the Burghley CCI****, which starts Wednesday, September 1st, with the First Veterinary Inspection.

Leslie Law (GBR), the Individual Gold Medalist and member of the Brits' Silver Medal Team will ride Shear H2O. Pippa Funnell (GBR), the Individual Bronze Madalist, brings Cornerman. (Pippa and Cornerman are pictured at the right jumping The Jetty at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI****, this spring.) William Fox-Pitt (GBR) will ride Ballincoola. Jeanette Brakewell (GBR) runs Highland Spirit.

Sarah Cutteridge (GBR) whose Olympic mount, The Wexford Lady, went wrong at the Markopoulo Equestrian Center, prior to the competition, has entered Erbium and Future Perfect.

Also watch for Bumble Thomas (GBR) with the The Psephologist and Nabataean Treat.

Australia has a very strong contingent featuring Andrew Hoy, fresh from Greece, riding Master Monarch and Moon Fleet as well as Sammi McLeod with Enchanted and Wendy Schaeffer on Koyuna Sun-Glo.

New Zealand's Blyth Tait, a former Olympic and WEG Gold Medalist, will be making his farewell Eventing appearance before retiring to New Zealand to train race horses. He will ride Eze. Fellow Kiwi Andrew Nicholson has entered Lord Killinghurst, Mr. Smiffy, and Flush Banker. (Andrew is pictured at the left on Flush Banker at the Mitsubishi Badminton CCI****, this spring.)

The following Americans are scheduled to run:

Nina Fout, 3 Magic Beans

Ashley Macvaugh, All's Fair

*Will Faudree, Antigua

Cindy Rawson, Ashdale David's Way

Gina Miles, Mckinlaigh

*Heidi White, Northern Spy

Linden Wiesman, Primitive Gold

*John Williams, Sloopy

*Jan Byyny Thompson, Task Force (Jan and Task Force are pictured at the right jumping into the water at the Mandatory Outing, at the Horse Park of New Jersey, in July.)

Kim Morani, Test Run

Gretchen Butts, Zydeco

*Named to the Athens Olympic Games Short List