British Olympian and debutants storm up Burghley leaderboard with fast cross-country rounds

Gemma Stevens put in a super Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country round this afternoon, coming home with just 2.4 time-faults to move into second at this stage, with some strong scores still to come in the final section of the day.

Gemma occasionally looked to be discussing control with the Stones’ Chilli Knight on the approach to fences and he caught a knee on the front rail of the second corner at the Rolex Corners (fence 16ab), but overall they were much more in sync than at Badminton in May. They stayed clear and came home with a brilliant result.

“He flew round today, he was absolutely phenomenal,” said Gemma Stevens after her Burghley Horse Trials cross-country round. “You could say I’m a little out of practice. The last few years I’ve not had the rides at this level, so coming back to it is scary. I’ve been doing a lot of showjumping and not had so many event horses, but now I’ve got some amazing ones coming through.”

Monica Spencer had a super round with the thoroughbred Artist to come home with 8.4 time-faults on her first trip round the Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course. She sits third on the “scores in the clubhouse” leaderboard.

“After watching the footage, I knew I’d have to fight the whole way and that’s exactly what it felt like,” she said, “But the horse was awesome, he kept jumping what was in front of him, and I’m rapt with him.

“This morning, the course felt like a huge, huge challenge, and you’re almost wondering how you’re going to get through all those flags, but now that I’ve done it, I guess I just have more self belief and I thank you my lucky stars that I’ve got a horse like him.”

France’s Nicolas Touzaint also went well on his Burghley debut, finishing with 8.8 time-penalties on his Tokyo team bronze medallist Absolut Gold HDC. He holds fifth at this stage.

Wills Oakden has slotted into 15th with the grey A Class Cooley, who had 19.6 time-faults in his first five-star cross-country completion.

“I’m pleased with that round – we all want to blaze round and go inside the time and look like absolute heroes, but it wasn’t about that today, for him. It was about getting a really good education and coming home, safe, sound and having learned a lot for next time,” said Wills.

“He’s been to two five-stars now, both haven’t quite gone to plan, so today, it was about trying to give him the best competition possible for the future. He’s a horse that I think could do really well down the line – I hope he will – but he wasn’t going to do it without experience. He dug deep, he kept going. He’s got another whole range of gears available, so long as I can keep the control and today I could.”

Jesse Campbell put up an incredibly brave display today, after losing his wife Georgie in a cross-country fall earlier this year. The New Zealand rider piloted Cooley Lafitte round for a jumping clear and 15.2 time-faults on his Burghley debut, looking up to the heavens as he finished.

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