Brilliant Burghley returns

Barbara Young watches the action at the 2022 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, where Britain’s Piggy March claimed the championship title.

The 2022 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (1st-4th September) attracted huge crowds which returned to the 16th-century stately home’s rolling parkland for the first international horse trials since 2019 due to the enforced break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Burghley’s 60th anniversary of what’s been dubbed “the world’s greatest 5* equestrian event” saw four days of exciting action with leading riders from across the globe competing for the top prize of £100,000.

Winner Piggy March, two-time individual European silver medallist and twice runner-up at Burghley previously, impressed with Trevor Dickens’ 17-year old mare Vanir Kamira, proving a perfect partnership as they rose to the challenge over the three days of competition.

The combination finished ahead of fellow British rider Tom Jackson on Capels Hollow Drift, with Tim Price from New Zealand in third on Vitali, just ahead of his wife and fellow Kiwi, Jonelle on Classic Moet.

“It’s the best feeling in the world, a dream come true,” said Piggy afterwards. “Vanir Kamira (Tilly Bean) so deserves this – to win at Burghley is so special and I’m delighted that she will have her name on Winners Avenue, she absolutely deserves it and this is what dreams are made of.”

Out of 52 starters, there were 18 debutant combinations, including 20-year-old Alice Casburn, the youngest rider at this year’s showpiece event.

Riding her mother Caroline’s homebred Topspin into fifth place, the pair has had an outstanding year collecting an individual bronze medal at this year’s Young Riders European Championships.

Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse
Open to four- and five-year-olds, the aim of the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse series is to encourage breeders and trainers to produce future world class three-day event horses.

Judges look for an athletic, loose moving horse with a promising jumping technique and attitude which, with correct training and production, will develop physically and mentally into a future international prospect.

The winner is selected having gained the highest overall marks from four sections: dressage, jumping, suitability and type and potential to gallop.

Piggy March was the winner of the four-year-old class with Cupid March, a 16.2hh bay stallion, owned by Jane March, Susannah Paybody, Susie Wood and March Stud Ltd, bred by March Stud.

The five-year-old championship was won by Jack of Clubs, ridden by Robyn Gray.

The 16.1hh bay gelding by Duke of Hearts out of Annie Clover, was bred and is owned by international event rider Nicola Wilson’s mother, Mary Tweddle.

“He was brilliant, I can’t fault him,” said Robyn afterwards. “There’s a big atmosphere in there and he rose to the occasion. We just came to have a fun and for the horse to enjoy it. The more people watching him the more he likes it – he’s got quite an ego so his head will be even bigger now!”

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