What a day. I was up early this morning at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials to give Mr Bozzie Buckley (Cornacrew) a spin up by the main arena, in preparation for our dressage test at 11.10am. He was pretty wild going to and from our session, but actually worked very well so I was pleased.
A little later at 8.30am, Ruth Edge gave me a lesson near the stables and Boz worked really well. He tends to get more hot and bothered the longer you warm him up for, so I was keen to put the work into him earlier and then warm up for a shorter period before his actual test.
It worked a treat and I am thrilled with how he went. He knows where he is, so is excited to be here and so I think held it together extremely well to score 55.4, which is his best score to date at Burghley. We’re all so pleased.
Simon Grieve and Cornacrew at Burghley 2015. Picture by Peter Nixon
Dressage done, it was time to walk the course with Bozzie’s owner, Maria Buckley. She is not a good course-walk companion, as every other comment is, “Oh goodness, that’s big” or, “Poor Bozzie, that looks so difficult” so I have to put my brave pants on and persuade her and at times myself that we are more than capable.
Seriously though, I love the track, it is big and bold, but I expect nothing less from a CCI4* and I’m very excited at the prospect of tackling it.
After the course-walk I went to the Celebrity Talk Area and had a chat with the super Jonty Evans on stage, which was fun, followed by bumping into numerous friends and current and former work colleagues. As Burghley is so local for me it’s a great social occasion too.
Simon Grieve and Jonty Evans in the Celebrity Talk Area at Burghley 2015
I’m off to the cocktail party in Burghley House now, which is always a very well-to-do affair, so I shall be on my best behaviour. I hope the champagne doesn’t go to my head too much, but even without it I can safely say that I’m thrilled with my boy Boz, and feel so lucky to be able to ride SUCH a special horse.
Grievesy
