Susie Berry’s second phase of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials was one of mixed emotions. 

The 28-year-old, who is originally from Belfast but now calls Kettering home, enjoyed a successful first outing of the day which saw her complete the challenging cross-country course for the first time. 

Berry was fifth to take to the notoriously tough four-mile course, following four British riders including Ros Canter and Pippa Funnell who both failed to finish, and couldn’t contai her excitement at the close.

“Wow. What an experience,” she said, largely lost for words at the achievement she had finally ticked off her bucket list with mare Irena Leva. 

“She’s just a cross country machine. I felt a little bit like a passenger at some stages but she was just all class and all scope, amazing.”

Berry’s 11-year-old mare only made the jump up to CC14* long earlier this year, finishing an impressive 16th at Bramham after adding 12.4 time penalties in the cross country phase.

Although this time around she added a more costly 26 extra points, Burghley’s cross country course is widely regarded as one of the toughest in the world and one even the Irish native was proud to conquer.  

“I wouldn’t say I usually enjoy cross country but today I did,” she added. “She just felt so safe, so straight. She’s such a lovely horse to ride on. 

“She’s just so careful. Behind the fence is her highest point of jumping so it’s a long way down quite a lot of the time and to be honest my second horse [Wellfields Lincoln] is a little bit the same. 

“They’re definitely the horses with the most scope in the yard but that’s a good complaint to have.”

Berry is riding the high of a fairytale summer, having represented her native Ireland at her maiden Olympics in Paris, but couldn’t quite repeat her cross country success during her second outing. 

She was forced to retire 11-year-old Wellfields Lincoln meaning she will only have one horse in the show jumping, the final phase of the competition, but her early success did more than just boost her spirits.

Berry’s partner Max Warburton admitted watching her cross the finish line unscathed helped him focus his mind ahead of a successful cross country completion.

“I was confident but you do watch a few riders go out who don’t come back and think, ‘oh god’, but watching my partner Susie get home did fill me with a bit of confidence for my run,” Warburton conceded.

Defender Burghley Horse Trials (5-8 September 2024) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world's top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk