Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. Photo by 1st Class Images.Oliver Townend shot to the top of the leaderboard in the Holme Dodsworth Metals CCI4*-S during the second of day of dressage with a brilliant score of 19.8 aboard his Kentucky CCI5* winner, Paul and Diana Ridgeons 10-year-old mare Cooley Rosalent.Shropshire-based Oliver said: Im very happy with Cooley Rosalents performance today; shes just getting better and better and is on an upwards trajectory. This is her first event in an atmosphere since winning Kentucky, and she coped brilliantly with the breeze and the flags.Shes ready now to deliver a test like this and, six weeks away from Burghley, its very encouraging.It was great to have such a good build-up yesterday at Burgham, winning the Open Intermediate on Caunton Manor Stud and Charlotte Coles Crazy Du Loir and an intermediate class on a new ride, Rachael Slinger and Suzanne Harley-Daviess Hermes Image. Ive brought 12 horses up to Burgham this week because we know we will get good courses, good ground and a really well-run and friendly event.Oliver has three marks in hand going into showjumping over second-placed Tom Jackson on his 2023 European Championships ride, Patricia Davenports Capels Hollow Drift (22.9), with Scottish rider Wills Oakden in third with a score of 26.9 aboard Geoff and Elspeth Adams Keep It Cooley.Izzy Taylor a former winner of the Burgham CCI4*-S claimed section B of the Hambro Sport Horses CCI3*-S on Caroline Wilsons eight-year-old mare Hathaway Royale. The pair led from start to finish, completing on their dressage score of 241.Shes relatively young still, Ive had her since she was a four-year-old, which makes it quite special. Shes very cute and very careful, a good jumper and a nice mover. Shes a very nice little horse who had her ears pricked all the way round and loves the job.The ground was very good and the track was great. It always rides very positively here, which is nice, and the horses are rewarded for it and come off the tracks with their ears pricked and feeling happy.Izzy was also fifth on Johnny Hornbys seven-year-old mare Barrington Alice, and ninth on Alex Phillips Retouchable.Holly Clarke, 20, scored her best international result to date in second on her mother Alexs 10-year-old gelding Nico. Their finishing score of 25.6 was 1.2 penalties in front of German rider Felix Etzel, third with TSF Polartanz.American rider Jenny Caras won section A of the Hambro Sport Horses CCI3*-S with Jerry Holliss Sommersby on her dressage score of 28.2.Jenny is based in the UK for the 2024 season. She explained: Originally I got sent over on the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) European Development Tour to do Chatsworth and Millstreet. Chatsworth was cancelled, but Millstreet went well. Now, thanks to the Wilton Fair Grant, I am able to stay for the season.Ive produced Sommersby to the top level myself hes got a super owner behind him, Jerry Hollis, so weve been partners in him all the way. This was his first run back after the Nations Cup CCI4*-S at Millstreet and he was super, so he will head to Hartpury and well make plans for an autumn four-star from there. Hes the sweetest horse in the world, hes easy to ride and a pleasure to work with every day. Were good friends.She added: The ground here felt amazing being from America, at this time of year we are used to really hard ground, so it is a privilege to be here and compete on going and ground like this.Rosie Ringer is in the lead after the first day of dressage in the NIS Group Services Ltd CCI2*-S on Daisy Proctors Quarryman with a score of 24.2Saturday and Sunday at Burgham not only offer top-class sport with the jumping phases of the CCI4*-S topping the bill, but also great fun for families, friends and children. From 10.30am on Saturday in the Burgham Park Arena, visitors can take part in have a go dog agility and the newly popular pastime of hobby horsing, and theres also a fun charity dog show. On Sunday, the dog show, dog agility and hobby horsing will take place in the afternoon following the conclusion of the Thoroughbred and Ex-Racehorse Show in the Burgham Park Arena.Burgham also features great tradestands and lots of delicious, locally-produced food and drink and public bars. It is situated in beautiful, tranquil Northumbrian countryside not far from the A1 between Morpeth and Alnwick.If youre looking for a family day out thats really affordable this summer, you cant do better than Burgham International Horse Trials (24-28 July) visitwww.burghaminternationalhorsetrials.co.ukto find out more and to buy tickets.All four days of cross-country from Burgham Thursday, 25 July to Sunday, 28 July are being livestreamed on ClipMyHorse.tv visitwww.clipmyhorse.tv/en_GB/to watch.