A demanding Derek DiGrazia cross-country course at Burghley couldn’t derail overnight leader Tim Price of New Zealand on Vitali, but Great Britain’s Ros Canter–who won the European championship just three weeks ago in France, hit the ground when Penco’s Crown Jewel left a leg at a triple bar arrowhead in the 20ABC combination.
Luckily both horse and rider were okay, but that’s just another example of how fast things can change for even the most experienced riders.
Tim had a record-setting dressage performance on his Holsteiner with a mark of 18.7, but 8 time penalties cross-country brought his total so far to 26.7.
British riders are lined up close behind him, with Oliver Townend’s faster trip (4.8 time penalties) on the Irish veteran Ballaghmor Class leaving him less than a rail back of Tim on 29 penalties. Oliver had an unlucky break, literally, earlier in the day when a rein snapped while he was at the 17th obstacle with Tregilder and had to retire. He also retired his other mount, Swallow Springs. A total of 13 horses retired, and eight were eliminated from the field of 58 starters.
Tim has little bit of breathing room from third-place Brit David Doel. His score on the Dutchbred stallion Galileo Nieuwmoed is 33.7, so that’s nearly two rails, but not quite. Wills Oakden and the Irish-bred Oughterard Cooley are at 34.9. The top five is completed by Ireland’s Sam Watson, 35.8 with the Irish gelding SAP Talisman.
David and Wills had no time penalties, while Sam accumulated just. 0.4.
The USA’s Boyd Martin is seventh on his Olympic partner, the Trakehner Tsetserleg, with 37.7 penalties, only 0.3 behind Britain’s Harry Meade and the Irish mare, Crystal Cavalier.
Boyd is also 12th with On Cue (42.6). Other U.S. riders and their rankings are Will Faudree, 11th with Mama’s Magic Way (42.2), Grace Taylor on Game Changer, 16th, 46.5, and Jennie Saville, FE Lifestyle, 17th, 46.7. Tiana Coudray was eliminated with Cancaras Girl.