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There is no doubt that the lead story of Burghley, 2003, was Pippa Funnell's winning the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. Pippa's consecutive wins at the Rolex-Kentucky CCI****, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI**** and the Burghley Masterfoods CCI**** was an unprecedented feat. Many years may pass before anyone equals this record.

The sub-plot was all about 22 year old Zara Phillips and Toytown, placing second, in their very first CCI****. Zara is the first person to ride at Burghley who is the child of two previous Burghley winners: HRH Princess Anne, who won on Doublet, in 1971, and Captain Mark Phillips, who won on Maid Marion, in 1973.

Pippa Funnell and Zara Phillips made Burghley, 2003, truly memorable!

The focus of this article will be about the Americans who competed at this historic Burghley, with results and photos of each one.

John Williams, of Middleburg, Virginia, rode Carrick to an impressive fourth place. Carrick, an 11 year old chestnut Canadian bred gelding, is owned by Veronese Atkins, Elise de Papp, Dianne Tichell. Ann Williams and John. John and Carrick were members of the USET's Gold Medal Team at The World Equestrian Games, in Jerez, Spain in 2002.

Carrick received a 49.0 in Dressage, for equal 9th; was double clear Cross Country, to move up to 4th; and had one fence down in Show Jumping for a final score of 53.0.

John and Carrick have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

Bruce Davidson, of Unionville, PA, twice Individual World Champion and a former Burghley winner, in 1974 with Irish Cap, placed 6th, on Mrs. Joan Bergmann's and Mrs. Deborah Furnas' Little Tricky.

Little Tricky scored 54.0 in the Dressage Phase for23rd place; Tricky's double clear Cross Country moved the pair up to 9th place; and a double clear Show Jumping put them in 6th place. Bruce and Little Tricky were one of only four pairs to finish on theor Dressage score.

Bruce and Little Tricky have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

John and Bruce were the only Americans to have final scores in the 50's.

Cindy Rawson, who resides in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, and Mr. Donald Collier's and Mr. Robert Futh's Ashdale David's Way, a British bred 10 year old gelding, placed 12th. Cindy may be a stranger to home bound Americans, as she has lived abroad for more than 10 years. Nonetheless, she is well known in England and Europe, where she has competed at several of the major 3-Day Events, including the Punchestown CCI***, the Saumur CCI***, the Pau CCI*** and the Boekelo CCI***. Cindy has been the Coach of the Swiss Olympic Team.

Cindy and Ashdale David's Way placed 7th in the Dressage phase on a score of 44.4; added 18.8 time faults on Cross Country, for 63.2 and 19th place; and Show Jumped clean to advance to 12th place on a final score of 63.2..

Cindy and Ashdale David's Way have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004. She will do her training sessions in England with Mark and Sandy Phillips.

David O'Connor, of The Plains, VA, and Xandarius, Ltd.'s Tigger Too, a 12 year old thoroughbred who was 4th at the Foxhall CCI***, in 2001 as well as 3rd at the Fair Hill CCI***, in the same year, finished 15th. David is the reigning Olympic Individual Champion.

Tigger Too had a score of 51.8, for 15th place, in the Dressage; added 2.4 time faults Cross Country to advance to 8th place on 54.2; and had three rails down in Show Jumping for a final score of 66.2.

David and Tigger Too have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

Amy Tryon, of Redmond, Washington, and Mr. Mark Hart's and her own 11 year old thoroughbred gelding Poggio II placed 17th on a score of 69.0. Amy and Poggio were members of the USET's Gold Medal team at the World Equestrian Games, in Jerez, Spain, in 2002. They also placed 4th at the Winnipeg Pan American Games, in 2000. Amy finished 11th at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI**** with My Beau, in 2002.

Poggio II scored 58.2 in the Dressage phase for equal 34th; they moved up to 29th on .8 of a time fault on the Steeplechase and 10 time faults on Cross Country for 69.0; and Show Jumped clean for a final score of 69.0 and 17th place.

Amy and Poggio II have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List for 2004.

Cindy, David and Amy were the only Americans to have final scores in the 60's.

John Williams of Middleburg, VA, and Robert Boekman, Mary Delton and his own 11 year old thoroughbred gelding Sloopy finished in 18th place. Sloopy had been 6th at the Foxhall CCI***, in 2002 as well as 8th at the Fair Hill CCI***, in the same year.

Sloopy had a score of 58.8 in the Dressage phase for equal 39th place; he added 8.4 time faults mon Cross Country for 67.2 and 27th plsce; and 4 faults Show Jumping gave him a final score of 71.2 for 18th place.

John and Sloopy have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

William Coleman, III, of Gordonsville, VA, and the 14 year old Irishbred chestnut gelding Fox In Flight, owned by Tivoli Farm, of Gordonsville, VA finished in 26th place. William and Fox In Flight won the Under 25 Section at the Bramham CCI***, earlier in 2003.

Fox In Flight had a score of 59.2 for 45th place in the Dressage Phase; added 4.4 time faults Cross Country to rise to 20th place; and had three down in Show Jumping for a final score of 75.6, good for 26th place.

William and Fox In Flight have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

Karen O'Connor, of The Plains, VA, rode Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thompson's Upstage, a 12 year old New Zealand bred bay gelding, who had placed 6th at the Rolex-Kentucky CCI****, in the spring, of 2003.

Upstage's score of 63.8 in the Dressage Phase put Karen in equal 56th place; .8 of a time fault Cross Country moved the pair up to 22nd; 12 Show Jumping faults made for a final score of 76.6 and 27th place.

Karen and Upstage have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

Lindsay Smith-Pozarycki, of Bellevue, Washington rode her own Holy Gallant, a 12 year old thoroughbred gelding, who had completed the Foxhall CCI***, in 2002 and the Rolex-Kentucky CCI****, in the spring of 2003.

Holy Gallant and Lindsay had a Dressage score of 62.4, for 52nd place; 10 time faults on Cross Country moved them up to 33rd, on 72.4; 3 rails, for 12 faults, in the Show Jumping gave them a final score of 84.4 and 31st place.

Lindsay and Holy Gallant have been named the # 1 Ranked West Coast Alternates for the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List , for 2004.

Stephen Bradley, of Leesburg, VA, rode Mrs. Marla Land's 10 year old bay Russian bred gelding From. Steve represented the USET at the Barcelona, Spain, Olympic Games, in 1992, and he is a previous winner of the Burghley CCI****, with Sassy Reason, in 1993.

Steve and From had a great start, scoring 43.0 in the Dressage Phase, for 5th place, the highest placed American in that Phase; unfortunately, they had 20 faults at fence # 27, the Lakeside Seat, the fence into the last water, near Lion Bridge, as well as 21.6 time faults, for 84.6 and 42nd place; four rails down in the Show Jumping for a final score of 100.6 left them in 40th place.

Steve and From have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

Darren Chiacchia, of Springville, NY, rode Ms. Eden Dedrick's 10 year old bay Gelding Power Ty, who had twice completed the Rolex-Kentucky CCI***, in 28th place, in 2001 and in 33rd place, in 2003.

For the first time in six previous tries, Darren, at last, was able to finish. He had been a DNF twice with Jaguar, in 1998 and 1999; twice with RG Renegade, in 2000 and 2001; and twice previously with Power Ty, in 2001 and 2002.

This year Power Ty finished the Dressage Phase on a score of 60.2, for equal 47th; the pair picked up 20 faults at fence # 24, the Cat's Whiskas, as well as 19.6 time faults, for 51st place; four Show Jumping faults made for a final score of 103.8, good for 41st place.

Darren and Power Ty have been named the 8th Ranked East Coast Alternates for the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004

Heidi White, of Chadd's Ford, PA, rode her own British bred 10 year old bay gelding Northern Spy, who completed the Rolex-Kentucky CCI****, in the spring of 2003 and the Foxhall CCI*** and the Fair Hill CCI***, in 2002.

Heidi and Northern Spy had a 49 in the Dressage Phase for equal 9th; on Cross Country, 20 faults at fence # 10, the Brush Valley Crossing, plus 28.8 time faults dropped her to 49th on a score of 97.8; 8 jumping faults and 2 time faults in the Show Jumping led to a final score of 107.8, for 44th place.

Heidi and Northern Spy have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

Sara Kozumplik, of Clifton, VA, rode her own 13 year old bay gelding As You Like It, who had completed the Rolex- Kentucky CCI****, in the spring of 2003, as well as the Burghley Masterfoods CCI**** and Rolex, in 2002.

Sara and As You Like it scored 64.4, for 61st place, in the Dressage Phase; incurred 22 time faults on Cross Country for 86.4 and 43rd place. and 32 faults in the Show Jumping for a final score of 118.4 and 46th place.

Jonathan Holling, of Ocala, Florida, rode Mrs. Jennifer Holling's 9 year old British bred chestnut gelding Lion King, who had completed the Rolex-Kentucky CCI****, in the spring of 2003.

Johathan and Lion King had a 79.2, in the Dressage Phase for 79th place; 40jumping faults, 20 at jump # 10, the Brush Valley Crossing, and 20 at fence # 24, the Cats Whiskas, as well as 28.0 time faults for 147.2 faults and 57th place; two rails down for 8 Show Jumping faults made for a final score of 155.2, and 52nd place.

Jonathan and Lion King have been named 5th East Coast Ranked Alternate to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

Amy Tryon, of Redmond, WA, rode The Woodstock Group's Woodstock, who had been 2nd at the Foxhall CCI***, in 2002 and had finished the Burghley Masterfoods CCI****, in 2002.

Amy and Woodstock had a 58.6 in the Dressage Phase, for 38th place. Amy withdrew Woodstock before Cross Country, after he had been noticeably unlevel pulling up after the Steeplechase.

Amy and Woodstock have been named to the US Equestrian Federation's Eventing Winter Training List, for 2004.

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The Burghley Challenge - Great Britain vs the USET

The Burghley Organizers designed a head to head challenge for the Mountain Horse Challenge Cup between seven British and seven Americans, all of whom were entered at the 2003 Burghley Masterfood CCI****, in September, 2003. The one on one pairings were modeled on golf's Ryder Cup.

The pairings were as follows:

#8 - Jeanette Brakewell, GBR, Plantagenet of Rushall vs.
#7 - David O'Connor, USA, Tigger Too

#22 - Pippa Funnell, GBR, Primmore's Pride vs.
#21 - Amy Tryon, USA, Woodstock

#35 - Zara Phillips, GBR, Toytown vs.
#34 - Heidi White, USA, Northern Spy

#68 - Polly Jackson, GBR, Limestone Rise vs.
#67 - Bruce Davidson, USA, Little Tricky

#96 - Leslie Law, GBR, Shear H2O vs.
#95 - Karen O'Connor, USA, Upstage

#107 - William Fox-Pitt, GBR, Ballincoola vs.
#106 - William Coleman, USA, Fox In Flight

#120 - Mary King, GBR, King Solomon III, vs.
#119 - John Williams, USA, Carrick

After the Dressage Phase, the USET led 4 points to three points. David O'Conner, Bruce Davidson, William Coleman and John Williams led for the USA; while Pippa Funnell, Zara Phillips and Leslie Law led for Great Britain.

After the Cross Country Phase, the score remained the same with the same four Americans still leading their pairings and the same three Brits leading their pairings.

At the end of the competition the USET won as follows:

David O'Connor and Tigger Too, 15th on 66.2 beat Jeanette Brakewell, who retired after a bad fall on Cross Country.

Pippa Funnell and Primmore's Pride, 1st on 41.8 beat Amy Tryon, who withdrew after Steeplechase.

Zara Phillips and Toytown, 2nd on 45.8 beat Heidi White, who had a stop on Cross Country.

Bruce Davidson and Little Tricky, 6th on 54.4 beat Polly Jackson, who had a stop Cross Country.

LeslieLaw and Shear H2O, 11th on 61.2 beat Karen O'Connor, 27th on 76.6.

William Coleman and Fox In Flight, 26th on 75.6 beat William Fox-Pitt, 28th on 77.0.

John Williams and Carrick, 4th on 53.0 beat Mary King, who withdrew after Dressage to replace Jeanette Brakewell on Great Britain's Squad for the European Championships.

(Above right, Mark Phillips accepts the Mountain Horse Challenge Trophy for American Riders who won the Team Challenge at Burghley.)