What a perfect name for a Swiss horse whose coat is the color of a chocolate bar: Toblerone.
The 19-year-old gelding and his rider, Nadja Minder, headed the 5-star Defender Burghley Horse Trials after the first day of dressage with 29.5 penalties. And as the second day wrapped up on Friday, Toblerone still led the way.
The oldest horse in the field has the honor of being the first Swiss entry to head the standings in the 65-year history of the British event.
The combination has been seen regularly on the Swiss team since for five years. They were the pathfinders at the European Championships last year. They were twentieth at Burghley in 2024.
“It was really cool,” said 30-year-old Nadja after her ride.
“Toblerone is a pro now and I just have to make him believe he can do good dressage. When a horse knows its job so well, it is just about getting them fit and supple and Piggy March [the 2022 Burghley winner] has helped me a lot with that.”
Having a Swiss take the lead may provide a bit of temporary solace for the team, which lost a star, Felix Vogg, when his mount, 2025 Maryland 5-star winner Cartania, was not able to compete because of a low red blood cell count.
The favorite, if you’re looking at the odds, is Falco (30.5), the mount of New Zealand’s Tim Price. He is behind British entry Gemma Stevens on Chilli Knight (29.6)
“I am a bit of a sucker for Burghley,” said Tim, who is also aboard Global Quest (32.1), standing sixth. Timm won Burghley eight years ago with Ringwood Sky Boy.
“I love it here, and maybe that comes through, because the horses have been really nice and relaxed,” Tim mused.
“I think everyone comes from a very busy year to this point and we all just take a bit of a breath, other than the very formidable cross-country we have to deal with tomorrow.”
Characterizing Burghley, he said it “has got a grandeur, It is such a lovely place to come, and we are all here giving the biggest competition in the world a go, so there is a real nice honesty here with all the riders and everything.”
Speaking about his longtime partner, Tim said, “Falco has got a really interesting story, because he is missing a few teeth and he has had a couple of issues that have had him on the sidelines over the last few years, but he looks better than ever.”
A tumor in his digestive system meant him taking off six or eight months, Tim pointed out. Another condition meant he had to have his top incisors taken out.
“But he is a good eater, and he would never let that get in the way of a good meal, and he is much happier without them in. He has been an amazing little horse for Sue Benson, who owns him, and I over the last 12-13 years, and yeah, he is just one out of the box.”
The top-placing American in fifth is Caroline Pamukcu on HSH Blake (32). Caroline also is fourteenth on HSH Tolan King (34.4), her ride on Thursday. Caroline rode Blake on the bronze medal U.S. team at the world championships last month, but had a fall cross-country and didn’t finish the course. Hence, Blake’s reappearance at Burghley.
Gemma, a member of Britain’s gold medal team at the championships, was eliminated there for three refusals, finishing her appearance in the title meet as her squad’s drop score. She rode Flash Cooley, a different horse than her Burghley mount.
Will Coleman, another member of the bronze medal team, is the next-highest-place American on Very Dignified, ninth on 33.2.
Other U.S. placings are Britain-based Tianna Coudray, eleventh on D’artagnan (33.8) and Jennie Brannigan with FE Lifestyle (36), seventeenth.
The other U.S. entry is Cassie Sanger with Redfield Fyre (38.2) in twenty-seventh place. .
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