Leg 4 Barbury - 8 previous winners
This weekend the Event Rider Masters heads to The St James’s Place Barbury Castle Horse Trials and the stunning natural amphitheatre in the heart of Wiltshire in the UK.
Quick Facts:
7 Nations
6 of the World’s Top 10 Event Riders
2 former ERM Series winning riders
8 former ERM Leg winning riders – the most we’ve seen in one place
5 former Barbury 3* winners including combination Polystar I and Chris Burton
Last week’s hot favourites, World Number 1 Oliver Townend & Cillnabradden Evo, France’s Thomas Carlile & Upsilon and previous CIC3* Barbury victors Chris Burton & Polystar I all line up at Leg 4 to face off once again.
Three horses in this weekend’s field are making their 25th start at CIC3* level this weekend - Treason (Sarah Cohen), One Two Many (Nicola Wilson) and Fernhill by Night (Liz Halliday). To give that some context, the statistical favourite Polystar I is making only his fifth start at this level.
The dressage record set by Tom Carlile & Upsilon here in 2017 is not only the ERM dressage record - 20.5 (30.8) but also equalled the previous Barbury record set by Lucinda Fredericks & Headley Britannia in 2008.
The last person to come from outside the top 5 after dressage to win the CIC3* at Barbury was Nicola Wilson on Oppostition Buzz in 2010 where they climbed from 7thafter the first phase.
Upsilon hasn’t been outside the top 5 in any international competition he has completed, could he retain his 2017 Barbury title this weekend?
With Cillnabradden Evo on a run of 15 clear Show Jumping rounds and 11 of those having been in a row with Oliver, the pair have never knocked an international pole at any level – could this be their 3rdERM win together?
Chris Burton & Polystar I could make it a back to back winning streak with a victory this weekend, the only other pair to achieve this was Oliver Townend on Cillnabradden Evo who won Gatcombe and Blair in 2016.
Incidentally Oliver and Thomas Carlile could both become the first person to take three ERM legs on the same horse if either wins this weekend.
Gemma Tattersall could also achieve 3 ERM Leg wins although impressively her wins would be on three different horses – Quicklook V at Chatsworth 2017 & Artic Soul at Gatcombe in 2017.