Wakefield's Kristina Hall-Jackson sets sights on success with Google at Burghley Horse Trials

The Wakefield-based rider made her Burghley debut last year in what marked both her and Google’s first ever 5* event, writes Abi Curran, Sportsbeat.

In 12 months since, the West Yorkshire eventing star has won the Laurence Rook trophy at Badminton Horse Trials, where Google was the only first-timer to finish.

The 26-year-old is looking to better their 25th place finish last year at Burghley after Google posted a personal best 5* dressage score of 30.9 in May.

“After Badminton she just had a few weeks down time,” Hall-Jackson said. “She’s building her fitness back up and having prep runs in time for Burghley.

“She feels really good and it’s quite nice to be going back and knowing what to expect at Burghley this time.

“We’re a lot stronger partnership this year, we’ve gained a lot of experience doing the 5*s and doing more 4*s.

“You build a stronger partnership the more tracks you do and learn more and more about each other, we’re definitely a stronger partnership and hopefully we can get it all right on the day.

“The undulations on the ground at Burghley are great and the terrain is a lot smoother.

“I did learn things going around Badminton, the conditions were the British weather’s fault but to know that she will keep going in those conditions for me is a nice bit of knowledge to know and just keep trying because she really is a trier.”

Hall-Jackson placed 29th at Badminton in May as CMS Google built on her experience at 5* events.

The pair are putting in routine preparations ahead of world-famous Burghley, and the rider hopes her ritual of refraining from previewing the course will pay off.

“I tend not to look at the previews,” she said. “Otherwise you end up worrying about specific things which you can’t do a lot about.

“It’s what I did last year so I’m keeping preparations as I normally would because you can't change your system.

“Google is a bit of donkey at home and we laugh because she’s so chilled, no one believes what she’s like because when we take her to a big event she knows it’s time to perform.

“I prefer Burghley over any event and because it has more of a special touch and everyone’s there to watch her.

"She thrives on the atmosphere, she’ll take a lot of calming down for the dressage.”

Defender Burghley Horse Trials has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world’s top equestrians and over 170,000 visitors. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk