Richard Jones targets perfect send off for beloved horse at Burghley Horse Trials
By Ben Hart at Burghley
Rutland’s Richard Jones set his sights on giving mount Alfies Clover the perfect send off at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials.
Jones, 43, confirmed that this will be Alfies Clover’s final Burghley after 115 events and 11 years of competing as a pair.
The 17-year-old gelding recorded a score of 36.3 in the dressage phase of the famed 5* event leaving a fairy-tale finish within reach.
“He was good, quite excited and a bit revved up today which he isn’t normally, which is hopefully a good thing with Saturday in mind,” said Jones.
“Maybe he’s learning to enjoy dressage now at the age of 17. This will be his last event but it doesn’t change how we approach the cross-country. He’s in great shape and I’ll give him the ride like he’s a 10-year-old.
“There’s no other horse I’d rather be sat on. I bought him as a three-year-old and have had him ever since with the support of his owners. We've produced him all the way through and we’ve had a lot of great results at this level.”
This year’s Defender Burghley sees a record-breaking field of entrants - the strongest on record - with eight 5* winners in the mix.
Saturday’s cross-country phase is often seen as the decisive leg of the Burghley challenge but Jones says that merely being a part of the show is a huge honour.
“I don’t think the dressage will be relevant in the scoring. The brushes off the leaf pit look bigger than anything at any 5* event I’ve ever done,” said Jones.
“You can never feel relaxed at Burghley, it’s a 5* and it’s a very strong track. Most of the significant questions are in the first five minutes. There’s one fence that is almost like a 6* fence.
“Burghley is special because it’s the most difficult cross-country in the world. It’s the biggest test and the riders know that.”
Defender Burghley Horse Trials (5-8 September 2024) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world's top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk
