PIGGY March has retired her Badminton and Burghley winner Vanir Kamira from five-star competition at the age of 18. The Irish Sport horse by Camiro de Haar Z, who is owned by March’s great supporter Trevor Dickens, will continue in the sport at a lower level this year.

The mare has an incredible five-star record: they won Badminton in 2019 and finished fourth last year, when they went on to win Burghley by almost seven marks. They were second at Burghley in 2017 and 2019 and fifth in 2018.

“She could easily go to Badminton, there is no reason not to, but she is 18, she’s been beyond amazing. Her five-star record is incredible,” March told The Irish Field this week during a visit to her Maidwell Lodge Farm for an upcoming feature.

“She’s done enough. I wanted it to be a choice, I didn’t want her going until she went lame or the form was bad. She’s been an absolute legend. She won Burghley at 17 by seven marks, we had probably her best year on paper. She looks amazing, she loves her life.”

Asked was it a hard decision to make, March said: “I probably would have taken her saddle off at Burghley last year, it was such a moment, but I’m glad in some ways I didn’t. Trevor [her owner] wouldn’t have agreed for starters, that has taken a few discussions, and I am very grateful to him for standing by us. My gut was saying to let her stop at the top, because she has been such a solider and she deserves it.”

‘Tilly’, as she is known as at home, ran in the Open Intermediate (OI) at Lincolnshire last Friday. “She lost a shoe on bad ground so we were skating around! She didn’t have a speedy run but she loved it, she was excited all day,” March said, adding: “I don’t know what we do from here on in… It’s important she still works for a while, she loves her rides, and she’s so sound so it’s good to stay in work.

“If she enjoys her one-days, we will take each day as they come. I don’t want her under any pressure, it is just about enjoying her now.”

Vanir Kamira was bred by Kathryn Jackson out of the Dixi-sired Fair Caledonian. She started her career with Piggy before spending four years with Izzy Taylor and Paul Tapner, and coming back to Maidwell in 2017.