September 3, 2022 
It was a proper cross-country day at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials CCI5*-L and there were major changes on the leaderboard but also no changes at all.
That is the beauty of eventing.
Britain remains in the top spot after a day of cross-country and two mares make the top three.
It was clear early on that Derek Di Grazia wasn’t messing around his first year designing the Burghley course. Time played a huge factor in the standings on Saturday as did the number of elements certain fences had, which ran through a good portion of the alphabet. The Holland Cooper Leaf Pit and the Trout Hatchery had ABCDEF elements, and the Defender Valley went from A to E.
“The very experienced riders dealt well with the mental challenge of the course,” said Di Grazia.
But at the end of the day, it was Piggy March (GBR) and Vanir Kamira who jumped from fourth after dressage to the top of the leaderboard after producing one of the quickest rides of the day to add only 0.4 to her dressage score, leaving her on a total of 23.0.
“She’s a pleasure and she knows her job, it’s just me not doing something stupid, to be honest,” said March. “She warmed up very well…and coming to the start box I could feel she knew why she was here and was very excited to get on and do it, which is a great feeling as a rider.”
With a quick ride and rider instincts being tested left and right, March made it look easy. “I don’t think I swore much on the way around. She was on the button. She’s just got such heart and grit.”
March heads into show jumping tomorrow with little room for error. Tim Price (NZL) and Vitali are nipping at her heels on a score of 26.5, after producing a clean trip with 5.2 time penalties to remain in second place.
Price was first out of the gate on Bango. “I got a feel for the terrain, which I hold in almost the highest regard when it comes to riding around Burghley.”
Bango jumped a clear round with 14.4 in time faults, putting them in 12th place.
Price headed out on the 12-year-old Vitali halfway through the day. “I didn’t know what to expect. He is an inexperienced horse very much so at this level, especially at Burghley.”
The pair only added 5.2 in time to their dressage score.
“I really wanted it to be an experience I could take forward to future Burghleys and 5* competitions.”
The biggest and most impressive move of the day was from Jonelle Price (NZL) and Classic Moet. They started their day in 25th position and were the only pair to come in clear and under the time, which power launched them into third place. A feat she managed without the use of her stopwatch.
“I was going blind,” Price said, noting that her watch stopped working after three minutes. “I guess there is something to be said for getting up into a true rhythm and trying to stay there and making economical lines.”
Classic Moet is now 19 but she doesn’t show her age. “She lives for the Saturday, really, the rest of it is all just sort of a necessary evil in her mind. But she showed her class again today… she just kept jumping and fighting and most of all she just kept galloping and that is what you really want around a track like Burghley.”
The pair ended their day on a score of 32.2, putting a little pressure on her husband Tim Price.
Yesterday’s leader Kitty King (GBR) and Vendredi Biats had six time penalties and popped a frangible pin at fence 19.
Sarah Bullimore (GBR) who started the day in third place, retired after a run-out at fence 7 saving Corouet for another day.
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials conclude Sunday with show jumping crowing the winner.
