Tom Bird is back at Defender Burghley Horse Trials for the second year running, once again riding Cowling Hot Gossip, the first horse he ever backed and rode away at the age of 15.
The aim was for Tom to take the 13-year-old British-bred gelding to intermediate level “to get some mileage”.
It’s far to say they surpassed that goal, as they jumped clear around their first Badminton in the spring and also Burghley last year.
“We got him as an unbacked five-year-old from a breeder up in Yorkshire called Myles Nicholson. We’ve been on the whole journey together and he’s a very special horse to me,” said Tom.
“When he was very young, he used to have a little bit of attitude and would spin and drop his shoulder. He’s kind of grown out of that, though, and he’s very well behaved 90% of the time.
“When he’s not, he likes to let everyone know about it.”
Good breeding
The 23-year-old rider is based in Shipston on Stour in Warwickshire and added that the horse is “very personable”.
“He loves to be fussed and the centre of attention, and just a best friend really,” said Tom.
Cowling Hot Gossip is an SHB(GB)-registered gelding who is owned by Tom’s mother, Fran, and his aunt, Helen Kerry.
He is by Away with the Fairies, a son of the RID Gloun Rover, out of Just Jazz by Welton Ambassador.
Just Jazz is also the dam of Cowling High Roller, the horse that competed to four-star level with Sam Gillespie.
Tricky changes
Tom and Cowling Hot Gossip scored 43.2 in the dressage arena today.
“He doesn’t find this phase the easiest, but he went in, stayed relaxed,” said Tom.
“The [flying] changes have always been his weak points. I’ve practised them a lot, and possibly, as it turns out, practised them a little bit too much, because he gave them to me a bit early.
“But that’s the way it goes sometimes. I’m pleased with him and we’ll move on to Saturday.
“It [the cross-country course] all looks very rideable, and if you’re disciplined with your line, it’s all there to jump in front of you.”
Main image by Tim Wilkinson
