British rider Mary King has set the standard at The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials and is heading a British one, two, three at the end of the first day of dressage.
 
In perfect conditions for dressage Mary and Gilllian Jonas’s 14-year-old Apache Sauce performed a fluent and consistent test which despite an error of course towards the end of the test took the lead with a score of 44.8. They remained unbeaten for the rest of the day.  “That’s the first time in a long time that I have done that,” said Mary referring to the mistake. “I was so lulled into being calm and correct I didn’t hear the bell – but I think that what I lost in the error I made up for with better marks for the movement,” said Mary, who last won Burghley 14-years ago in 1996 with Star Appeal. Apache Sauce, a British-bred gelding by the Thoroughbred Endoli and Mary have been placed here previously – the pair was 12th last year and fourth in 2008.
 
“I was particularly pleased with him today. He is a bit of a redhead and not a consistent horse in dressage but I think that as he gets older he is settling down a bit – although the calm conditions helped.”
 
William Fox-Pitt, who will join Mary in the British team for the forthcoming World Equestrian Games in Kentucky at the end of the month, is currently in second place with Macchiato. Just two penalties behind the leaders their score of 46.8 is almost 10 penalties more than the score they received last year. “I am delighted,” said William. “That was his best ever test however there is a lot to do over the next few days and how he goes cross-country will depend on the first 10 fences as he is the sort that can tend to hold their breath.” Both riders will be back in the arena tomorrow afternoon with their second rides.
 
Twenty-one year-old Laura Collett has got her first Burghley off to a good start with a mark of 47.0 for her test which puts her and Ginger May Killinghurst in third place. While it is a first time at Burghley for Laura – a member of this year’s gold medal winning British Young Rider team – 15-year-old Ginger May competed here with in 2004 with Bermudan rider MJ Tumbridge and was latterly ridden by Andrew Nicholson. “I am thrilled with her test,” said Laura of Ginger May who is one of just seven mares in the competition.
 
Pippa Funnell and the French show jumping bred Mirage D’Elle are fourth and James Robinson and the veteran Comanche sixth. Irish-Army Captain Geoff Curran and The Jump Jet broke the British stranglehold to be placed fifth. Geoff from Co Waterford is based at the Army Equitation School in Dublin.
 
The local Fitzwilliam Pony Club was the winner of the Pony Club inter-branch show jumping competition – supported by the Animal Health Trust. The quartet of; Amy Wells (Austin), Will Rawlin (Jester), Sophie Beaty (Little Big Man) and Emily Meredith (Pudding), the only team to finish on a clean sheet over the two round competition, received their prizes from Pippa Funnell.