The Price is right at Burghley
New Zealander Tim Price completed a memorable husband and wife double by winning the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials yesterday (September 2).
Just four months after his wife Jonelle took top honours in the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Price captured British eventing’s other major four-star crown.
A clear showjumping round on seasoned campaigner Ringwood Sky Boy gave him a clear winning margin from British world number one Oliver Townend.
Wiltshire-based Price finished on a score of 27.3 penalties, with Yorkshireman Townend and Ballaghmor Class - last year’s winning Burghley combination - finishing second.
Price captured £95,000 for his efforts, with Townend taking £50,000 for second spot, while he also finished 12th aboard this year’s Badminton runner-up Cooley SRS.
Multiple Burghley champion Andrew Nicholson was third on Swallow Springs, with Sarah Bullimore and Reve du Rouet fourth, Piggy French and Vanir Kamira in fifth and Harry Meade on Away Cruising sixth.
Townend has now had two firsts and two seconds in his last four four-star competitions, and he is set to retain the world number one status when updated rankings are published next week.
“I couldn’t he happier with the performances of my horses this week,” Townend said.
“I have been beaten by a very consistent, top-class pairing, and my horses have hopefully got an awful lot of years to go.
“It has been an unbelievable Burghley for me. It is always the highlight of my year, and always very special competing in it.
“I am very, very happy. The horses have given their best, and I have given mine.”