World's best eventers head to Burghley

The world's leading riders will battle it out to scoop the top honours at eventing's Autumn classic, The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials which start tomorrow in Stamford, Lincolnshire.
The 99-strong field boasts entries from 11 countries, with 19 riders tackling the event for the first time, and chasing the £50,000 first prize. There are nine riders under 25 years old, and at the other end of the experience scale are past winners: William Fox-Pitt (GBR) on Ballincoola (Burghley winning partnership in 2005), Andrew Hoy (AUS) on Master Monarch (2nd in 2006; Andrew won in 2004 and 1979) and Andrew Nicholson (NZL) (winner in 2000 and 1995).

Last year's winner, Lucinda Fredericks is resting her top horse, Headley Britannia, so the competition is wide open for this year's entries, headed by World and European Champion, Zara Phillips riding Ardfield Magic Star. In 2003 Zara was second on Toytown.

Of the New Zealand contingent, this year Andrew Nicholson rides Lord Killinghurst, Armada and Silbury Hill; Dan Jocelyn rides Maraitai; Caroline Powell rides Lenamore; Joe Meyer rides Black Andy; and Cantebury's Annabel Wigley rides Black Drum.

The Australians are out in force, led by top performers Clayton Fredericks riding Nullabor and The Frog, and Andrew Hoy on Master Monarch; they are joined by Sammi McLeod and Enchanted; Matt Ryan on Bonza Katoomba and Bonza Puzzle; and Sam Griffiths on Connigar Bay.

With Badminton 2007 winner Lucinda Fredericks out of contention, the Rolex Grand Slam will start afresh. The winner of Burghley will need to go on to win at Kentucky and Badminton next year to clinch Eventing's most lucrative prize of $250,000 for winning these three CCI**** competitions consecutively. The feat has only ever been achieved once, by Pippa Funnell in 2003.

This year Captain Mark Phillip's cross country course is running in an anti-clockwise direction with plenty of opportunity for spectators to get great views of all the action. Mark describes his course as, “Without doubt, the most difficult course seen in the world this year,” adding that: “The winner that takes home the Land Rover Trophy and Burghley's biggest ever prize will be a true and worthy champion.”