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Personal bests, a long-awaited second five-star appearance, and Brits in the top spots: all you need to know from Burghley Horse Trials dressage day one

Bethany Stone Bethany Stone

    • The opening day of Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage saw a field of 26 take to the main arena, bidding to post a low score on the board ahead of Derek di Grazia’s tough cross-country track.

    Less than 18 penalties covered the whole field after the final test, with a four-strong group of Brits claiming the only sub-30 scores at the Lincolnshire five-star.

    Here’s a round-up of all the stories from today’s at Burghley Horse Trials dressage

    • The fifth to go, Irishman Joseph Murray, took an early lead with 10-year-old Belline Fighting Spirit, displacing Harry Meade on his first of three rides of the competition, Et Hop du Matz

    Find out what the riders had to say about their tests

    • British rider David Doel and 14-year-old Galileo Nieuwmoed achieved a five-star personal best score

    Read on for why it was “the best he’s ever gone in the ring”

    • Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy pulled a stunning sub-27 score out of the bag. Meanwhile, amateur superstar and 2024 Badminton runners-up Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint “lost a bit of softness” in the big atmosphere. Lucy and “Paddy” broke a run of bad luck to contest their second-ever five-star

    Digest the riders’ reactions here

    • Titans Piggy March and Harry Meade rode back-to-back tests after the afternoon break. Both horses got five-star personal bests, but who went into the lead?

    Find out here

    • Alex Bragg and 12-year-old Ardeo Premier delivered a consistent, polished test to score sub-29

    Read what Alex had to say about accuracy paying off

    Read the competitors’ perspectives here

    • Sarah Morrilly, groom to Emily King’s ride Valmy Biats, reveals what the five-star stalwart gets up to at Burghley. Spoiler alert: grazing features heavily

    Discover Valmy’s laid-back five-star routine – and the mule friend who waits for him at home

    • Tom Strawson, who works full time outside the sport, made his five-star debut with his bargain thoroughbred Public Address.

    Find out more about Tom’s trajectory in eventing with this former point-to-pointer

    To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Burghley and other major shows this year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website, from £1 a week. Horse & Hound’s 20-page magazine report on Burghley is published in 11 September issue, including full analysis and exclusive comment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.

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