After the dressage phase at the Defender Burghley CCI5*, Oliver Townend leads the tightly packed leaderboard aboard Cooley Rosalent, the 2024 Kentucky champion. Despite some early spookiness, Townend delivered a polished test scoring 22, positioning himself as a strong contender for the win. Close behind in second is reigning champion Ros Canter with Lordships Graffalo, who impressed with flawless flying changes and a score of 22.4. Other notable performances include Tim Price and Vitali in third, Samantha Lissington achieving a personal best on Lord Seekönig in fourth, and Piggy March with MCS Maverick in fifth.
The competition remains wide open with just 21.2 penalties separating the entire field, promising an exciting cross-country phase designed by Derek di Grazia. Riders like Emily King, Christoph Wahler, and Austin O’Connor also posted strong dressage scores, setting the stage for a dynamic weekend. Many competitors have made strategic equipment and training adjustments aiming to improve their standings, while some have opted out of other championships to focus on Burghley. With 50 horses set to tackle the challenging cross-country course, the leaderboard is expected to shift dramatically as the event progresses.
