US first-timer ticks off ‘bucket-list’ ambition at Burghley

The United States-based rider is no stranger to success at elite level eventing, finishing second at the Defender Kentucky five-star earlier this year and winning individual gold at the 2023 Pan-American Games in Chile. Such consistent form also underpinned team selection for the Paris Olympics and recent World Championships in Aachen, where the USA won bronze.

Burghley, though, is a whole new experience, and she has arrived in Lincolnshire with two rides, HSH Tolan King and HSH Blake, contesting an event that has twice seen American winners during its 65-year history in Stephen Bradley (1993) and Bruce Davidson (1974).

Caroline was first to go as dressage began on Thursday morning in glorious sunshine, delivering a solid score of 34.4 on HSH Tolan King, and she said: "I am so honoured to be here. It has been a bucket-list event of mine, and I thought it was a perfect opportunity to come overseas and do Burghley this year.

"Burghley is one of those big competitions that we all want to go to. Hopefully, I will get to a point in my career when we will have enough horses to do the likes of Burghley, Kentucky and Maryland, and that is my ultimate goal."

HSH Blake is among Friday afternoon's dressage starters, so it was HSH Tolan King that took centre-stage as pathfinder among 48 starters in the quest to become 2026 Burghley champion.

"He is a dig-deep fighter, a super horse," Caroline added. "He was first out at Kentucky this year for me, and first out at Maryland. We have our new team trainer Karyn Shuter, and we thought Burghley would possibly be something to have a good crack at this year."

And having been away from home for around five weeks, Caroline was keen to stress the importance of her family and support team.

"My daughter and my husband are here, and I have my parents," she said. "I have a massive support team here and at home, and everyone in the barn kind of plays separate roles, chipping in when they can."