FROM one spectacular backdrop to another—six weeks ago, Team GB’s gold medal-winning team in Versailles, Paris, provided the best possible advertisement for five-star eventing. Two out of the three horses in the triumphant Olympic squad were Badminton winners: London 52, ridden by Laura Collett, also the individual bronze medallist and part of the winning Tokyo team in 2021; and Lordships Graffalo with Ros Canter. The third, JL Dublin, mount of the now world number one, Tom McEwen, has twice been highly placed at Kentucky, the premier event in the US.
That the British selectors favoured five-star (top-level) equine form will, it is hoped, give a shot in the arm to the world’s highest-rated competitions, of which Defender Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire (September 5–8) is the second oldest. Apart from the obvious pressure and intensity of the occasion, an Olympic cross-country course is officially a grade lower (at four star) in difficulty and length than the likes of the famously challenging ones at Burghley and Badminton. As a result, many nations do not even factor in five-star form into their selection criteria; for many, a bold, galloping ‘Burghley horse’ is nowadays a different beast from a prospect for championships where cross-country courses tend to be twistier.
There are seven five-star events in the world—two here, two in the US, one each in France, Germany and Australia. Some would say this is too many in the northern hemisphere and is spreading entries too thinly. Fortunately, Badminton and Burghley have history on their side and remain a ‘tick box’ and a rite of passage in most riders’ ambitions, but the start list at Burghley, albeit star-studded, will still be shorter than in previous decades.
Denne historien er fra September 03, 2024-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 03, 2024-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
