FOR the first time in the competition’s history, a Swiss rider, Nadja Minder, tops the leaderboard in the CCI5* going into today’s cross-country phase of the Burghley international horse trials.

She does so at a score of 29.5 penalties on the oldest horse in the 48-strong field, the 19-year-old Swiss Warmblood gelding Toblerone who she began competing in 2020. The only other rider on a sub 30-penalty score after dressage is Britain’s Gemma Stevens who held the early lead on Thursday with the 16-year-old stallion Chilli Knight (29.6).

Last to compete yesterday afternoon, New Zealand’s Tim Price moved into third on the second of his two rides in the 48-runner field, the 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding Falco; he also lies sixth with the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Global Quest (32.1). Britain’s Max Warburton, who had been in third place at close of play on Thursday, goes into today’s stage in fourth on the 12-year-old ISH gelding Deerpairc Revelry (31.2).

The USA’s Caroline Pamukcu is competing two 11-year-old ISH geldings by Tolan R at Burghley. She was first to enter the dressage arena with HSH Tolan King, who is in 14th place on a score of 34.4, but lies fifth with HSH Blake (32) on whom she was fourth-last to go yesterday.

Irish riders

There are six Irish riders in the field, the highest-placed of whom is Lucy Latta with the 15-year-old British Sport Horse gelding RCA Patron Saint (18th on 36 penalties).

England-based Susie Berry is in 23rd spot with the 15-year-old ISH gelding John The Bull (37.2), on whom she was third-last to go, and in 40th place with the year-younger ISH mare Clever Trick (40.5). Also based in England, Austin O’Connor is in 26th place on the 12-year-old ISH gelding Sixmilewater (38).

Sam Watson, who was first into the arena yesterday morning, occupies 39th place on the 12-year-old ISH gelding Ballyneety Rocketman (40.5) with Joseph Murphy rounding off the Irish challenge in 45th on board the 15-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Calmaro (41.4). The cross-country action is due to get underway today at 11am but will start without the USA’s Tayla Mason who has withdrawn Centennial (20th on 36.2).

No Irish rider finished in the top 10 in yesterday’s Dubarry Burghley young event horses classes but five of the top 10 five-year-olds are registered as Irish Sport Horses, a number which was matched in the four-year-old class.