Ros Canter leads from the front
Olympic team gold medallist Ros Canter (GBR) swooped into a commanding lead at the end of the first session of dressage at Defender Burghley Horse Trials on an outstanding score of 19.9 — a personal best — with Izilot DHI.
Second into the Main Arena this morning, the 11-year-old gelding, who is owned by Alex Moody, delivered a stunning test that demonstrated harmony and energy in equal measure.
“Since our last five-star at Luhmühlen [in June], I’ve been working really hard on stepping Izilot DHI’s work up to the next level,” said Ros after her test. “I’ve been trying to get him more in self-carriage, lighter and really getting him to dance. I was delighted with him in there and what’s so exciting is that I still feel there is another gear to come.”
Izilot DHI (Isaac), who already has Blenheim and Pau titles to his name, has a reputation for being spooky but his attention never looked to waver from his rider. “He had a little sideways glance at a flowerpot at one point, but other than that he felt great,” said Ros.
The 2019 Defender Burghley winner Pippa Funnell (GBR) made a good start to her 2024 campaign with a solid test on the Ross family’s MCS Maverick, which currently leaves her in second place on a score of 28.3.
“He’s so talented on the flat, but isn’t easy to manage in an environment like this,” said Pippa. “This is a tricky test for him as it has a lot of walk in it and he doesn’t find that easy, but he stayed with me and kept breathing.”
Tom Jackson (GBR) and Capels Hollow Drift, who were second here in 2022, currently lie in third place on a score of 28.6. The elegant grey produced some superb trot work, which garnered a clutch of eights and a few nines, but mistakes in the flying changes proved costly.
First-timer Felix Vogg, a member of the Swiss Olympic team, currently sits in fourth place on a score of 28.8 with the mare, Cartania.
This afternoon’s dressage resumes at 2pm when Nicky Hill (GBR) and MGH Bingo Boy will be first in the arena.
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