Everything Horse magazine Everything Horse magazine, October 2015 | Page 6

BURGHLEY 2015: When All Was Said and Done... S From Superhero’s to Captain Philips’ gruelling Cross Country Course, the 2015 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials spectators witnessed it all! Written by Amy Bennett 6 o a number of weeks have passed after the close of the most memorable Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in probably half a decade, journalists have run out of superlatives for the event and all the media hype is dying down, but just as all is said and done, we find out that this years’ winner – Michael Jung from Germany not only wins Burghley but also the European Championship a week later with a broken leg! Just when you think this man couldn’t be any more of a machine, this unbelievable news is released and Mr Jung finds himself rocketing from heroic equestrian to just plain old Superhero status. For those of you who sadly missed the action at this vintage Burghley, do not fear! I am here to give you the run down and my views on this very special event. Having lead in the dressage phase jointly with William Fox-Pitt on Fernhill pimms, Michael set out on course riding the very promising young mare Fischerrocana FST, with his sights firmly set on pole position. However, the mare lost her footing in the water after just the fourth fence and both horse and rider took a ducking. The mare was none the worse for her excursions, but Michael was seen limping away. On questioning, Michael passed off the injury in every press conference, “it’s comfortable enough, you can’t feel the pain on the horse”, and went on to complete the Everything Horse Magazine • Issue 25• October 2015