Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati will be the sole representative from Austria at this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (29 August-2 September). The Lincolnshire event will also mark her first four-star attempt.
“I’m definitely so excited for Burghley,” says 31-year-old Katrin, who rides full-time from her Austrian yard.
Katrin’s Burghley ride will be chestnut mare Cosma, who is just nine-years-old and therefore the youngest horse in this year’s field.
Katrin bought Kosma as a yearling, unseen.
“I rode her full brother and thought he was a very good horse, so I took a chance on Cosma,” explains Katrin, who doesn’t have a trainer, but instead chooses to be self-taught.
Although she would love to say Cosma isn’t a stereotypical chestnut mare, Katrin admits that she definitely is.
“She is a crazy chestnut mare and quite a nervous and spooky character, but we know each other so well.”
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Blyth Tait walks the 2018 Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course
Former double Burghley winner Blyth Tait walks the cross-country course for this year's event, giving his views in videos of
Cosma has jumped up to 1.40m and has also jumped regularly at two-star level and in the World Breeding Championships.
“I’ve watched the Burghley cross-country preview and I think Cosma can do it, as long as she doesn’t jump too high, which she can sometimes do,” says Katrin, who will arrive at Burghley next Tuesday (28 August). “We had a good season last year, including finishing 24th in the European Eventing Championships, so I’m hoping for the best.”
Read Blyth Tait’s thoughts on every fence on the cross-country course, plus ratings and his overall impressions, in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine (dated 30 August). Full Burghley form guide also included in this issue, with vital stats and H&H’s expert assessment of every combination competing.
