Townend and Fox-Pitt have eyes on record

A win this year would put them into the record books as the first horse and rider combination to win the famous three-day event two years running.

However, the Yorkshireman, who had a golden year last year winning both Badminton and Burghley,will have to face some strong opposition.

Among the leading riders competing are William Fox-Pitt, who has won Burghley on five occasions; Olympic gold medallist Mark Todd, also a five-times winner; British team rider Mary King, a winner in 1996; Olympic rider and Bramham favourite Andrew Nicholson; this year's Badminton winner Paul Tapner and the three-times British Open champion Ruth Edge.

Fox-Pitt has entered his four-star winner, Macchiato, and the German-bred Seacookie and a sixth victory for him would be a record. Townend also has a second ride with Ashdale Cruise Master, the horse he was riding in Kentucky earlier this year when he had a serious fall.

Townend was in with a chance of winning the 230,000 Rolex Grand Slam for winning consecutive four-star events, Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky. A crashing fall on the cross-country course ended his chances. He broke his collarbone, four ribs, sternum and shoulder in the fall.

But both horse and rider have bounced back to winning form.

Also among the 105 riders competing for the 50,000 first prize will be Beverley's Gary Pasonage.

The former Olympic rider, who is based at Molescroft, last competed at Burghley nine years ago and will be riding Fernhill O'Dea, who will be making his debut at four-star level.

Several up-and-coming combinations will be attempting to complete Capt Mark Phillips's testing three-mile cross-country course for the first time.

Among them are this year's British Young Rider team gold medallists Laura Collett, with Ginger May Killinghurst, and Emily Llewellyn, with Pardon Me II.

The event begins on Thursday next week with dressage which continues on Friday along with the four and five-year-old finals of the Burghley Young Event Horse competition.

The cross-country phase will begin at 11am on the Saturday followed by the show-jumping on Sunday.

TWO Yorkshire Pony Club mounted games teams have qualified to compete for the Prince Phillip Cup at the Horse of the Year Show in October.

Some 400 teams start out at the beginning of the year all trying to win one of only six places at HOYS, so for Yorkshire to have two teams in the final is quite an achievement.

The teams are whittled down through area finals to zone finals and then the Pony Club Championships.

The Rockwood Harriers came second to the Badsworth Hunt at their area competition which meant both teams qualified for the zone finals.

This was won by the Badsworth, who secured their place at HOYS, as we have already reported.

The Rockwood had to settle for second best again but this did qualify them for the Pony Club Championships.

"With true Yorkshire grit they were consistent throughout the competition, leading all the way and they managed to secure that last and all important place at HOYS.

"It is 10 years since the Rockwood have qualified and it was a very well deserved result," said their trainer, Alma Brambles.

The team members are Ben Wright, Noah Brook, Becky Morris, Peter Downs, Nicola Wright and Beth Sykes.

"If anybody would like to sponsor the team with jackets or any other equipment we would be most grateful," said Alma. Her number is 07802567384.