Nicolas Touzaint to make Burghley Horse Trials debut – ‘I’m very excited’

More than one medal-winning tournament rider Nicolas Touzaint plans to make his Defender Burghley Horse Trials debut at this yr’s tournament (5-8 September), driving Absolut Gold HDC.

“I’m very excited for it,” stated the French rider. “I’ve by no means been there, now not even on foot, so I’m very motivated to be there – I will be able to’t wait.”

Nicolas gained a workforce silver medal on the Paris Olympics on Diabolo Menthe, finishing his set of Olympic workforce medals as he took gold in Athens in 2004 and bronze in Tokyo in 2021.

He’s additionally a two-time particular person Ecu champion with Galan De Sauvagère (2003 and 2007) and has 8 Ecu workforce medals to his title – two golds (2003 and 2007), 4 silvers (2003, 2005, 2007 and 2011) and two bronzes (2013 and 2023).

Absolut Gold HDC was once firstly indexed along Diabolo Menthe as a possible Paris journey for Nicolas and was once his spouse in workforce bronze on the Tokyo Olympics and 2023 Europeans, main the French workforce to victory on each events with 6th and 5th puts in my view. He additionally contested the 2019 Europeans, the place he was once tenth in my view, and the 2022 Global Championships. Burghley will mark the pony’s five-star debut.

Burghley Horse Trials debutant Nicolas Touzaint himself has revel in at five-star stage and was once the primary – and thus far simplest – French winner of Badminton Horse Trials, a victory he pulled off in 2008 driving Hildago De L’Ile. He additionally gained the primary working of Pau Horse Trials at five-star stage in 2007 at the similar horse.

The arena quantity 15 final rode in Britain at Chatsworth Horse Trials final yr, the place he was once 2d in a CCI4*-S segment on Diabolo Menthe and 7th on the similar stage on Absolut Gold HDC, so it’ll be thrilling for British fanatics to have a possibility to observe probably the most constant French rider of the previous 20 years in Britain once more.

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H&H mag editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a real eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand revel in of competing as much as British Eventing intermediate and world CCI2*-L stage, and has labored within the trade on a best tournament backyard. Pippa enjoys not anything greater than immersing herself within the recreation on the best stage, reporting from the five-stars and world championships, together with the Olympics.