WHILE the five-star action dominated the headlines at last weekend’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, there was plenty more for spectators to watch at the venue, among which the four- and five-year-old Burghley Young Event Horse Championships.

Before taking all the glory on Sunday, Piggy March guided her husband Tom’s home-bred stallion Cupid March to win the four-year-olds on a combined score of 83.6. Cupid March is by Clarksville and out of Valentina II.

The Irish Sport Horse gelding Cooley Cloverland, owned by Kate Walls and ridden by Ros Canter, was runner-up and actually finished on the same score as Piggy and Cupid March but had to settle for second place as a result of the winners having a fractionally better jumping score. The dark bay gelding by Cavalier Land was bred by Peter Rice out of Clover Light Girl (Clover Hill).

Ireland’s Susie Berry and her own Take It 2 The Limit-sired Zingi finished third on a score of 84.6. Peter Rice also bred the seventh-placed Lagans Ricardo Boy (Cavalier Land z Ricardo Z), ridden by JP Sheffield. The Judith Sossick-bred Loughview Verdis Dream (Verdi – Loughview La La x Limmerick) was fifth, while sixth was another ISH by Cavalier Land, Monbeg Lands, bred by Michael Byrne.

“It’s always nice to have a horse in this class but this has a different feel, having bred him. This is a totally new venture for us at the March Stud and it’s my husband Tom’s baby. Despite being a stallion, he’s been a beautiful horse to ride and such a sweet horse to do at home,” commented Piggy March.

Popular winner

Jack of Clubs, ridden by Robyn Gray, was a popular winner of the five-year-old championship. The bay Duke if Hearts gelding is out of Nicola Wilson’s former five-star mare ISH Annie Clover (Newmarket Venture x Clover Hill) and was bred and owned by Nicola Wilson’s mother, Mary Tweddle.

Robyn moved to Nicola’s yard back in January and, following Nicola’s bad fall at Badminton, has taken over the ride on the young horses. “It’s great to be able to bring some good news to Nicola who has been so supportive throughout. The young horses I am currently riding are a credit to her – she produced them as four-year-olds and I feel very privileged to be sitting on them.”

Jack of Clubs won on a score of 84.8, just ahead of runners-up Max Warburton and Morningstar Van Altrido wjp was awarded the full 10 marks by Captain Mark Phillips for the ‘wow’ factor gallop final phase, as opposed to the winner’s seven, but missed out on the top spot by 0.3 of a penalty. Ros Canter and Silvesters Finess completed the top three.