Zara Tindall has withdrawn from the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials after High Kingdom was found to be “not 100%”.
The London 2012 Olympic team silver medallists were set to make their second appearance as a combination at the Lincolnshire four-star (1-4 September), which would also have been Zara’s seventh Burghley start.
The combination last competed at Burghley in 2011 and finished 10th.
“High Kingdom trotted up at home and was not 100% so the decision was not to risk him at Burghley,” a spokesman for the event told H&H today (Monday, 22 August).
“Zara is obviously very disappointed about this but the decision was taken in High Kingdom’s best interests.”
High Kingdom missed last season due to an injury sustained in his stable at Kentucky in April 2015.
The 15-year-old has competed at six events this season, including at Aachen (13 August), finishing 22nd.
Most recently the pair were in action at the British open championships at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe (5 August) — jumping double clear and adding 18.8 cross-country time-faults to their 29.1 dressage to finish fifth.
The pair were notably left off the list of British eventers selected for this year’s Olympics.
Zara, who now competes under her married name Tindall, had her best Burghley result in 2003 on Toytown when finishing second to Pippa Funnell. This was Zara’s first attempt at the four-star.
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Ben Hobday’s popular four-star campaigner Mulrys Error is also among the other withdrawals, although Ben is still entered on his other ride Ramilo.
Australia’s Christopher Burton is down to one horse after withdrawing TS Jamaimo, with whom he finished third here last year.
Astier Nicolas, who won team gold and individual silver at the Rio 2016 Olympics, will also miss this year’s event, as will Izzy Taylor.
There is still a host of world-class riders on the start list, including past winners Mark Todd, Pippa Funnell, Caroline Powell, Andrew Hoy, Andrew Nicholson and Oliver Townend
Don’t miss Horse & Hound’s Burghley preview — out Thursday (25 August) — featuring a cross-country course assessment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.
