Irmo Native Earns 2nd Place in International Equestrian Competition

Irmo native and U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team alternate Sinead Halpin earned second place in Britain's 2012 Burghley Horse Trials — one of the toughest four-star, international events in the world.

Three-day eventing, also called horse trials, is a three-phase equestrian competition where horse and rider must master dressage, cross country and stadium. Dressage is often called "horse ballet" and became more popular this year when conservative pundit spoof Stephen Colbert made it the Sport of the Summer. Cross country is a 10-minute-plus gallop across difficult terrain and features jumps just under 4-feet. Stadium is similar to the Olympic sport of show jumping, featuring fences that if struck by the horse, fall down and create penalty points. Both cross country and stadium depend on having rounds under the allotted time. 

Halpin, 30, led in dressage after day one, and then took on one of eventing's toughest cross courses to keep her lead on day two. 

Watch Halpin respond to being in the lead Saturday after cross country at the top of this story.

But New Zealand rider Andrew Nicholson grabbed first place after Halpin and her horse Manoir De Carneville, known as Tate, had three fences down in the final day of competition. Knocking down a rail at a fence on stadium day gives the rider faults, which accumulate to determine placing.

Halpin interviewed with Chronicle of the Horse after her second-place finish.

"My horse warmed up beautifully, but he was possibly a little bit tired. It was disappointing, but I’m really proud of him," she said. "I will be back, again and again and again!"

Click here to read more at Chronicle of the Horse.

Halpin was the only U.S. rider to finish in the top five. U.S. equestrian Allison Springer and her horse Arthur IV made sixth place. No other Americans finished in the top 20. 

To watch Halpin compete, visit www.burghley.tv.