They qualified the Winergy Young
Event Horse Final at Burghley this month when they competed in the Yorkshire Sports Horse show at Thirsk in June.
3hh grey mare Swansong II, a nine year old, currently her only
event horse.
Researchers in Australia studied the risk of injury in three-day
event horse trials and found that those taking part were more than three times as likely to suffer injury than motorcycle racers.
Funnell had been 'really gutted', she said, when her first ride, Cornerman, fifth at Burghley in 2001, boiled over in Thursday's dressage and is down in 37th To add to her worries, Funnell's four-year-old Laspen Rock Star, due to compete in the Burghley Winergy Young
Event Horse at 9am, got lymphangitis, a leg infection through the pores of the skin, at 10.
Ms Telford said, ``We aim to breed a five-star
event horse - another Minstrel, perhaps?
Today the horse is my youngest daughter's foxhunter and
event horse.
Martyn Johnson, from the event's organising committee, said: "The Burgham International Horse Trials has grown in stature year on year and we're really proud to welcome many leading world event riders over the course of the four days, as well as the prestigious Burghley Young
Event Horse qualifiers which make a welcome return to the programme.
She says: "I grew up in New England, and then got a job in Pennsylvania looking after three-day
event horses.
International event rider Jamie Atkinson, from Waterford Equestrian near Lanchester, was third in the nationwide series following a successful season with a string of promising young
event horses.
Grand Prix
event horses cost at least pounds 70,000 and you need several of them, plus horseboxes, tack and staff to care for them.
Laura, who is to attend the meeting, said: "My husband and I have no need to live in a town and a potential move would have massive implications on the ability to continue to breed quality dogs and produce
event horses.
Maureen Haggas, wife of winning trainer William, said: "I used to ride
event horses and that was an amateur sport, but I'm now beginning to think I'm involved in another one.
