At the 2011 Burghley Horse Trials - part 2

To compete at the Burghley horse trials you have to be brave, for the size of the fences are not for the faint-hearted. However, to have reached the standard that is required, riders and their horses have had to overcome fear in plenty and have the necessary skill, stamina and strength to compete at this level - not just on the cross-country course but also in dressage and showjumping disciplines. It certainly draws the crowds with over 140,000 people attending.


In part 1 of these posts on the Trials - click here for link - the photograph below was also the first photograph shown, but before the trials began. It looked a huge, solid jump (and was) but the horses cleared it with ease. It is often the smaller jumps where a tired rider or horse come unstuck. Fortunately, this year, there were no major casualties although, sadly, these do occur from time to time.





Burghley, because of its status as one of the top eventing locations, not just in Britain but worldwide, attracts the superstars of the equestrian world, from both the UK and overseas. Ollie Townend won Burghley in 2009 and was a favourite to win this year. It wasn't to be, with one of his horses being eliminated on the cross country, the other having to retire.


Mary King, is always enthusiastically applauded whenever she appears and is supposed to be the person most young 'horsey' girls want to be when they grow up! Not surprising really, for she gets results and is a charming person as well. She came third on her own homebred Kings Temptress.


The water jumps always attract the crowds and there is nothing more they like to see than a rider get a good ducking! This year their were few such moments. Apart from small ponds to jump in and out of, the Capability Brown lake also featured as an obstacle. There can be few more magnificent views than this with Burghley House, one of the greatest Elizabethan buildings in England, in the distance.





Another photograph that appeared in the first post was the one below. This image has a horse clearing what is the biggest jump on the course. To guage the height look at the press photographers being dwarfed by it ..... This jump was another that the horses took with ease - it is more of a frightener for the rider. The press and the television crews all help to create the atmosphere at Burghley which is , to my mind anyaway, the greatest horse show of them all.



Zara Phillips, daughter of the Princess Royal and grand-daughter of the Queen was another competitor here. She came in tenth place on High Kingdom.



The winner - and for a record sixth time - was the popular William Fox-Pitt. Known as 'Mr Cool', William sits quietly on his horse, unlike some riders, and appears to have no nerves whatsoever. I wonder if that is really so!



But Burghley isn't just about horses! For many of us, Burghley and events like it, are places where we can meet up with old friends and aquaintances, a place to relax in late summer sunshine, a place to bring all the family including our dogs. It's a place where we can shop, where we can picnic and where we can dream of one day riding a horse well enough to compete here.












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Comments

  1. Oliver Townend competes here in the states as well. Very well liked and respected! The last jumping photo gives me the shivers!! Wonderful photos, Johnson. OH!,...She Dog looks fabulous.

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  2. Thanks, Grouchy, for taking time to comment. The jumps frightened me and I was only imagining what it would be like to be on a horse!

    Johnson

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  3. My first thought...I bet the horses quiver with excitement achieving those jumps...they must absolutely love their success...just look at the one doing the high jump with the cameras watching ."Look, I am fabulous" and beautiful!

    I am not a horsey type but the photos were thrilling as was the description. Thanks for sharing this.

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  4. It's surprising, Bren, that when I take non-horsey friends to things like eventing, they get quite caught up in the atmosphere and excitement.

    You definitely have to be a horse fan 'though to sit and watch the dressage!

    Thanks for taking time to comment.

    Johnson

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  5. How ironically - I found this article now when my son goes to London to watch his girlfriend competing at Longines Global Champions tour! Life is full of coincidences!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Tatyana for your very welcome response. Much appreciated.

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