THE Defender Burghley Horse Trials celebrated its 65th anniversary over the weekend and it proved to be a memorable outing for Great Britain’s Gemma Stevens, who claimed the £120,000 winner’s prize on board Chilli Knight (who is known as ‘Alfie’ at home), owned and bred by Christopher and Lisa Stone.

The five-star event, one of just seven in the world, began with the trot-up last Wednesday, followed by two days of dressage on Thursday and Friday, with the start list of 48 including some of the best-known combinations in the sport, representing seven nations. The Irish contenders were Lucy Latta on RCA Paton Saint; Susannah Berry on John The Bull (ISH) and Clever Trick (ISH); Austin O’Connor on Sixmilewater (ISH); Sam Watson on Ballyneety Rocketman (ISH) and Joseph Murphy on Calmaro.

Following the first phase, Switzerland’s Nadja Minder and Toblerone held a narrow lead on a penalty score of 29.5, but Stevens and the 16-year-old stallion Chilli Knight was just a fraction behind on 29.6. New Zealand’s Tim Price sat third with Falco on 30.5, as well as sixth riding the Irish Sport Horse stallion Global Quest (32.1). Fourth and fifth places were also held by Irish Sport Horses, with Max Warburton (GBR) on the 12-year-old stallion Deerpairc Revelry in fourth (31.2) and Caroline Pamukcu (USA) on the 11-year-old gelding HSH Blake, bred by Justin Burke, sitting fifth (32.0) at that stage.

Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint were best of the Irish after dressage in 18th place on a score of 36.0.

Leaderboard shifts

Cross-country can often bring big changes to five-star leaderboards and course designer Derek Di Grazia’s (USA) track certainly saw a few shifts. Not so for Stevens though, who added nothing to her dressage score to climb to first place, still on 29.6.

Price (NZL) and Global Quest added 4.8 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score, giving them 36.9 for second place, while Great Britain’s Holly Richardson and the Irish Sport Horse gelding Ballyneety Silver Service rode a super clear cross-country round with nothing to add to their first-phase mark, moving them up from 28th to third on 38.3. Fellow Briton Katie Magee and Treworra moved up from 19th place after dressage into fourth when adding 2.4 for time to their dressage score, putting them on 38.6 at that stage.

Pamukcu (USA) and HSH Blake held their fifth position when eight time penalties brought their total to 40. Dressage leader Minder (SUI) dropped to sixth place after picking up 13.2 on the cross-country to finish that phase on 42.7.

O’Connor was best of the Irish, despite adding 23.2 penalties, moving from 26th place up to 20th (61.2), while Murphy was the only other Irish contender to complete the cross-country, moving from 45th place after dressage up to 24th on a score of 69.8. With withdrawals, retirements and eliminations, just 28 combinations remained at the end of the cross-country.

Clean sheet

Stevens (GBR) held her lead after show jumping, when she and Chilli Knight maintained a clean sheet to finish on their dressage score of 29.6 and take victory by an amazing margin of 13.4. According to equestrian sports statistics company EquiRatings, only 1% of competitors in the last 20 years have finished on their dressage score at Burghley and Stevens’ winning margin was the biggest since Blyth Tait’s in 1998.

Magee (GBR) and Treworra added four jumping and 0.4 for time to finish on 43.0, moving from fourth place up to second. Pamukcu (USA) and HSH Blake completed the podium in third, when four show jumping faults put them just behind Magee on 44.0.

Tom Jackson (GBR) and another Irish Sport Horse, Hawk Eye, placed fourth on 46.1, while Minder (SUI) finished fifth on 46.7 and Yasmin Ingham (GBR) on Goliath du Loir placed sixth on 46.7.

Will Coleman (USA) rode the Irish Sport Horse mare Very Dignified into seventh place on 47.2 and was awarded the prestigious Avebury Trophy, presented to the rider who completes the best cross-country round at Defender Burghley, judged by dual winner Pippa Funnell. It was the mare's first five-star. Another Irish Sport Horse, Cavalier Crystal, placed 10th under Harry Meade (GBR), while O’Connor and Murphy placed 19th and 20th respectively.

Austin O'Connor finished best of the Irish riders at Burghley 2026 in 19th place \ Nigel Goddard

Big ‘B’ win

Afterwards, a delighted Stevens said: “I had no idea that I had three fences in hand. My husband Gary said, ‘Just imagine that you are going into the ring at Hickstead’ and that is what I did.

“This really means the world. On Saturday night at the world championships [after her elimination in Aachen three weeks ago], Chris Stone sent me the best text message. He said, ‘This is a bad day but we’re going to go to Burghley and we’re going to win it’.

“This represents 25 years of work and finally I have managed to win a ‘big B’ [Burghley or Badminton]. We so nearly won Badminton a couple of years ago, and I have just known in my heart of hearts that there was a big win in this horse. We just needed our stars to align, and everything has aligned this week.”

Runner-up Magee said: “I am absolutely delighted. It has taken me a long time to get to this point. In my humble opinion, I think Treworra is one of the best cross-country horses around. I loved it and he loved it too and was foot perfect. It is something I will remember forever.”

Pamukcu, competing at Burghley for the first time, had also been unlucky at Aachen, falling off on the cross-country. She said: “I was gutted [after Aachen] and went to Pippa Funnell’s to regroup. I have had to overcome quite a bit mentally, but this has really made up for it.

“This horse [HSH Blake] is a special guy. I have had him since the beginning and there is no horse I would rather be on at my first Burghley.”

The final day at Burghley saw another Irish Sport Horse, Ballaghmor Class, being honoured with a retirement presentation. Together with Oliver Townend, the 19-year-old gelding had an exceptional eventing career and has been an incredible ambassador for the Irish Sport Horse.

In 2027, Defender Burghley will take place from September 2-5.