Tim Price and Vitali set a new record for dressage at the Burghley Horse Trials, taking over the lead with 18.7, the first sub 20 score in Burghley history. And boy, did they make it look easy. It also marked a personal best for Price at any international level.
Vitali, a 13-year old Holsteiner, has finished in the top ten in all three of his five-star starts. At Burghley last year he scored a 21.3 and finished third.
Tim Price describes Vitali as a “quirky little horse. He has done some good scores at this level once or twice, but I do believe he can do better, and he’s proven it today — he just needs full attention on the job. And then, once he’s got that concentration, then he relaxes a little bit and I can really ride him, and then it’s poetry.”
Certainly, that was the case today!
Sitting in a tie for second place after dressage is Oliver Townend — on two of his horses. Ballaghmor Class and Swallow Springs, both secured a score of 24.2. Townend is also in 13th place on Tregilder with a score of 30.5.
Tomorrow is cross-country day at Burghley. You can watch the rides on Burghley TV, which is a bargain at $25.