Twenty-year-old Cassie Sanger is the youngest rider in the Defender Burghley Horse Trials field and she has been based with defending champion Ros Canter since arriving in the UK earlier in the season.

The American journalism student is competing here for the first time aboard Redfield Fyre, after making their five-star debut in Kentucky in April.

“I’ve been over here since May and I think it came at totally the right time for me,” said Cassie.

“I was really looking for someone to bring me into their programme and just be such a supportive person and she [Ros] is exactly that.

“People ask me what it’s been like and it’s exceeded all my expectations so I’ve ended up deciding to stay for quite a bit longer, and stay as long as she’ll keep me around.”

Online study

Cassie was the 2025 recipient of the Wilton Fair Grant, which supported her travel to compete in the UK.

“A lot of my friends are actually all abroad in Europe, so that’s fun. I’ve been able to get the school to let me do online [study] instead of being at a base programme somewhere else,” said Cassie.

“I’m going to have to go home for a little bit this winter, skip out on the English winter which everyone’s telling me is really not a good time. Then I’ll be back full time.

“I’m committed to seeing it all through, which is a little bit crazy, but it’s worth it.”

‘It’s intimidating being the youngest’

Cassie hails from Wilmington in Delaware, close to US eventing stars Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin.

She started riding when she was eight and began eventing aged 12.

“It is a bit intimidating knowing you’re the youngest and probably least experienced one here, but I also think it kind of works, because that naiveness gets you through and you’re just excited to do it all,” she said.

“I was walking the course yesterday thinking to myself that now being at five-star level so young, it’s kind of trained me and that’s all I know.

“All the courses look big and beautiful, but I’ve gotten used to it.”

“It’s my first time to Burghley, so I haven’t ever seen it in person. It was really cool getting to walk up to all the iconic places, but I think it’s a [cross-country] course that really suits my horse and he feels ready for it, so I’m excited to get out there.”

Ros’ influence

Cassie added that she has been working hard on the dressage phase under Ros’ watchful eye.

“His flying changes are what they are right now. We’re going to try and figure them out this winter because I think that’ll push us into a different place once we get those, especially in a five-star test, when there’s four of them,” said Cassie.

“I really thought his trot work was so much better and stronger, so I’m pleased with it.

“I went in not having a tonne of confidence. Kentucky went well but I just felt like I wasn’t riding as well as I could be,” continued Cassie.

“Ros is great on every aspect: the mental side and also the training at home, that’s where I think our focus lies.

“Then when you go to the show, it’s really no different, because what you’ve done at home, you just try and carry it through.

“It’s a bit easier when you get to the show, because you’re not trying to push and do this and that, so she’s taught me a lot about the training at home.”

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