Despite the down poor, Saturday's cross-country was as thrilling as ever! Just watching those magnificent horses gallop past, so close you can smell them, while feeling the ground vibrate beneath you, is enough to fill your heart. I have never been one to go along to watch the first days dressage, but it left some of our top riders in a great position to begin the Cross Country on. The course this year didn't disappoint. Asking questions of the horse and rider, ensuring an eventful day. It was a joy to watch Mary King go around first on Apache Sauce, then again at the very end of the day, on the powerful Imperial Cavalier, even being the last competitor on the course, she made it look easy.

Earlier, while I was positioned at the mushrooms at Coutts Curve, I had witnessed the unfortunate fall of Zara Phillips on Ardfield Magic Star. This was a real blow, as Zara had already decided to withdraw Glenbuck earlier in the day, and was having a cracking round with her second horse and only 7 fences from home. Unfortunately the slippery slope leading into this combination ended Zara and Ardfield Magic Star's round. The disappointment was etched all over Zara's face, as she led him back to the stables.

The tension was high as both Mary King and William Fox-Pitt were both still on the course yet to finish. However both of them made short work of the problem area and went on to finish their rounds in good time, dominating the top spots with their respective rides Williams, Ballincoola and Tamarillo and Mary's Apache Sauce, and Imperial Cavalier. The experience of the two riders was really proved on the day. As I waded back towards the trade stands, I wondered what the show jumping would bring?

The final day's showjumping brought tremendous tension. At the end of the day however, William and Mary showed what class acts they were, with the following results; 1st William Fox-Pitt and Tamarillo, 2nd William Fox-Pitt and Ballincoola, 3rd Mary King and Imperial Cavalier, 4th Mary King and Apache Sauce, 5th Nicola Wilson and Opposition Buzz and 6th Clea Phillipps with Lead the Way. All in all a superb result for international 3-day eventing with the top six positions taken by our very own british riders.

William was emotional after finishing in first and second on his two mounts "Tam has been a fantastic horse for me...to win at the age of 16 here is very special". The Anglos Arab has also come back after an injury at the 2004 Olympics in Athens "Incredibly he made yesterday's cross-country feel easy and I don't think I will have any more rides like that in my career" William commented who was sad to be having his last ride on 14 year old Ballincoola "He has been a tremendous horse to have - to come here six running just shows what sort of horse he is."

With only a few more dates before the end of the year, outside of the United Kingdom, this seasons eventing has been a pleasure to follow.