STAPLEFORD eventer Vicky Brake hopes she will head into this year's Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials with the perfect blend of youth and experience.

The 50-year-old, pictured right, has a wealth of knowledge at her disposal after competing at the top level for more than a decade at Stamford, Lincolnshire.

Brake, whose horse Looks Like Fun has now retired, will be taking her new fourstar horse Cooleys First for an inaugural Burghley outing from Thursday to Sunday (September 4-7).

It will have been two years since she competed at the top level and Brake is excited about starting a new era with Cooleys First.

“Looks Like Fun is 18 now so he's earned a rest, there is nothing wrong with him but there just comes a point where it's time to call it a day,” Brake said.

“I had a long run with Looks Like Fun and now it's time for Cooleys First. I think Cooleys First has a bright future and I am really looking forward to what he can do.

“He's only ten at the moment so the pressure is off for us a little bit because we are not expecting anything.

“I've not done a four-star event for a while and it's something I've really missed so I'm really looking forward to getting back into the swing of it.”

For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk.

  • The multi-award winning Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (September 4-7) has been established as a major international equestrian and social event in the autumn sporting calendar for over 50 years.