Author: Amy Powell

Class by Name, Class by Nature.

Amy Powell
Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class for GBR winners of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, in the parkland of Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the 30th August to 3 September 2023.

Under the beaming sunshine, the Defender Burghley Horse Trials arena once more witnessed a historic afternoon as Great Britain’s Oliver Townend is crowned the winner for his third time on board Ballaghmor Class. The 16-year-old Irish Sports Horse is no stranger to the hallowed turf of Burghley, having won here in 2017 as a fresh faced 10-year-old at his first five star, as well as notable results in 2018 and 2019, finishing second and third respectively. “He jumped as good as he’s ever jumped, what can I say about him?…

Read More

Tim Price Retains his Lead at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

Amy Powell
Tim Price riding Vitali for NZL during the cross country phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, in the parkland of Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the 30th August to 3 September 2023.

After a day of the usual thrills and spills at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, despite the shuffling leaderboard beneath him, New Zealand’s Tim Price remains on top. Adding eight time penalties to his overnight score to lie on 26.7, Tim’s breathing space at the top is somewhat diminished, to leave him without even a fence in hand over Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class going into tomorrow’s show jumping phase. “He’s shown his class again, he didn’t feel like the horse I’ve had around this place last year, but for…

Read More

A Record Breaking Day of Dressage at Defender Burghley Horse Trials

Amy Powell

The familiar green and white stripes that adorn the stands of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials arena are no stranger to historic moments, and today just happened to be another one of those days. After 58 riders completed the CCI-L 5* event’s dressage test, it’s New Zealand’s Tim Price and Vitali that sit on top of the leader board with the best 5* score since comparable records began back in 1978, of 18.7 penalties. The 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding is no stranger to the hallowed turf of Burghley House, having finished…

Read More

It’s third time lucky for Ros Canter at Badminton

Amy Powell
Rosalind Canter riding Lordships Graffalo for (GBR) wins at Badminton Horse Trials 2023

At a damp and muddy Badminton Horse Trials presented by Mars Equestrian, it was third time lucky for Britain’s Ros Canter who bettered her 2022 runner up spot with Lordships Graffalo to take home the coveted trophy along with a hefty £105,000 first prize. The 2023 Badminton win sees Ros and her ride solidify their place in the history books as only the third combination since 2008 to lead from start to finish. Another moment to savour is the pair now become one of only five riders in history to…

Read More

Only 30 Finish Badminton Cross Country While Ros Canter Remains Top of the Leaderboard

Amy Powell

After a day of thrills and spills across the country today at the Badminton Horse Trials presented by Mars Equestrian, Ros Canter remains in pole position with Lordships Gruffalo whilst the rest of the leader board shuffles around beneath her. Amy Powell reports on the cross country action. With the heavy rain yesterday, the soft ground combined with the longest Badminton track we’ve seen in a number of years, it was always going to be influential, and boy did today’s results reflect that. Only 30 horse and rider combinations made…

Read More

New Dressage Leader Crowned on Coronation Day.

Amy Powell

After the completion of a very soggy day two of dressage at the Badminton Horse trials 2023 presented by Mars Equestrian, a new combination tops the leader board on the day of King Charles’ coronation. Amy Powell reports on the day’s events. With very different ground conditions inside the white boards today and as the rain teemed down, it is all change at the business end of the competition as Ros Canter takes the lead with the horse she piloted to runner up spot here last year, Lordships Gruffalo, on…

Read More

An Indomitable Top Three After Day 1 of Dressage at Badminton.

Amy Powell

On day one of the Badminton Horse Trials 2023 presented by Mars Equestrian, we see two British stalwarts battling it out for the top spot, closely followed by the current World Number 1 after the first 44 competitors have completed their dressage. Amy Powell reports on the day’s action. Olympic Team Gold medallist, Oliver Townend, produced a fluid and accurate test with 15-year-old Swallow Springs to score 23.2 penalties, leading by the narrowest possible margin over fellow Brit, Gemma Stevens (née Tattersall), riding Jalapeno who sits just 0.1 penalties behind…

Read More

Piggy March and Vanir Kamira tell their own story for a win at Burghley

Amy Powell

After a nail biting finish to a truly epic event, the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials culminated in an historic first win for Great Britain’s Piggy March on board the indefatigable Vanir Kamira, Amy Powell reports. Entering the arena on the final day of competition with two fences in hand over their nearest rivals, March and “Tilly” (as she is known at home) had a job on their hands to navigate a show jumping track which had only produced seven clear rounds throughout the day. The combination are capable of…

Read More

Piggy March Reclaims the Lead after Cross Country Day at The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

Amy Powell
Piggy March Burghley Horse Trials 2022

After a three year hiatus, the parklands of Burghley House once more saw a thrilling day of cross country at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Thursday’s dressage leader, Great Britain’s Piggy March, reclaimed the top spot on board Vanir Kamira after a shakeup of the leader board, Amy Powell reports. Stopping the clock just one second over the optimum time of 11 minutes 20 seconds, March gave a cross country masterclass on board the 17-year-old mare. Eating up the undulating terrain, the challenging course never looked to trouble the…

Read More

Royal Windsor Rolex Grand Prix Sees a New Name Take the Title

Amy Powell
Gregory Wathelet riding Nevados Swinners Royal Windsor Horse Show

Royal Windsor Rolex Grand Prix Sees a New Name Take the Title Words by Amy Powell The pinnacle class of Royal Windsor Horse Show, the CSI5* Rolex Grand Prix, saw the world’s top showjumpers battle it out in front of a packed crowd for a share of the £500,000 prize pot. The 32-strong start list read like a who’s who of the sport’s best, but the taxing track of 14 fences designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral saw its fair share of carnage in the first round with only three progressing…

Read More

Day of Five Star Showjumping at Royal Windsor

Amy Powell

Day of Five Star Showjumping at Royal Windsor Words by Amy Powell. In the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, showjumping’s elite lit up the arena once more at Royal Windsor Horse Show. Saturday hosted no less than two 5* classes delighting the packed crowds with a truly international list of competitors. Kicking off proceedings was a 27-strong field contesting the CSI5* 1.50m Falcon Stakes – a Longines ranking class. The tough first round track saw no less than 17 combinations fall by the wayside including serious contenders such as Scott Brash…

Read More

Foal to Five Star

Amy Powell
Chedington Equestrian Bicton Park 5* - Gemma Tattersall and Chilli Knight

Foal to Five Star On the final day of the Chedington Equestrian Bicton Park 5*, the Devon crowd was treated to top class action from a limited but talented field of some of the World’s best riders. Giving them the first all-female top three at a British 5* event in 18 years. The only rider to complete on their dressage score, finishing on 27.9 penalties was Great Britain’s Gemma Tattersall onboard Chris and Lisa Stone’s Chilli Knight, a horse she saw being born as a foal. The combination jumped an…

Read More

Bicton Provides a Day of Five Star Competition

Amy Powell
Pippa Funnell

Bicton Provides a Day of Five Star of Competition Having stepped up to the plate to host the UK’s first five star event since 2019, The Chedington Bicton Park 5* Horse Trials certainly delivered on an action packed day of cross country and with a trio of Britain’s finest women taking the lead, it proved that girls really do run the world. Overnight leader after dressage, Pippa Funnel produced, in her words, “the best 5* cross country ride I’ve ever had” to cross the line with 4.8 time penalties with…

Read More