Big line-up of Australian riders this weekend at Blenheim

Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials will host the final leg of the popular 2017 Event Rider Masters Series from today and Rio Olympics team mates Shane Rose and Chris Burton are hoping for another one-two finish.

The Aussie pair finished first and second at Blair Castle with Shane Rose and Virgil taking the number one spot on the podium.

“That was really fantastic and a great moment for all of us to have Aussies up there in one and two,” said Chris Burton.

Burton is a big advocate of the unique ERM format, especially the winner and placegetters presentation that is modelled on other sports like Formula One with riders celebrating with jeroboams of champagne.

“With the way they present the winners and placegetters on the podium you get to feel like a real sports person and recognised for what you work so hard for,” he said.

That day at Blair Castle, Shane Rose created history by becoming the first Australian rider to win a leg of the ERM series since its introduction in the UK in 2016.

“’When we were on the stand and I was the first Australian rider to win an ERM class that felt pleasing to have done and even more special finishing one-two with Chris,” said Rose.

Rose will start CP Qualified at Blenheim Palace this week. It will be the big grey’s first major competition since Aachen.

“He’s a really competitive horse in this format, it’s a good platform to show his skills but I don’t know how he handles the mud and that’s my only doubt at Blenheim.”

“He’s going really well on the flat and I’m going to do everything I can to finish on top of the podium again and finish the season off really well,” he added.

Rose is currently in fourth position in the ERM Series with 58 points. UK rider Gemma Tattersall has already secured the series with after setting an unassailable lead on 108 points. View the full leaderboard here.

A big line-up of Australian riders will compete in the different classes at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials this weekend.

You can watch the Event Rider Masters CIC3* class live from today onwards on http://eventridermasters.tv/ with :

Chris Burton & Graf Liberty will be on at 12:16am AEST (Saturday)
Bill Levett & Shannondale Titan will be on at 12:24am
Sammi Birch & Hunter Valley II will be on at 12:40am
Shane Rose & CP Qualified will be on at 2:04am

In addition to the Event Rider Masters action, there are plenty of other activities taking place across the weekend, including the CCI3* and CIC3* 8 & 9-year-old classes.

Slightly less demanding than the CCI3* with a less technical and shorter cross-country course, the special CIC3* 8 & 9yo class attracts some of the very best up and coming horses of this age group.

Our Australian representatives in that class will be: