Kiwi Quinella at Burghley as Nicholson Makes History

Kiwi Quinella at Burghley as Nicholson Makes History

It's Kiwis one and two at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials CCI4* in the UK today, with Andrew Nicholson creating history as the first rider to win three consecutive titles on the same horse.

Aboard Rosemary and Mark Barlow's grey gelding Avebury, Nicholson rode a picture perfect round, nudging a few rails but dropping none and collecting just two time faults to take the victory ahead of team-mate Jock Paget and Clifton Promise (owned by Frances Stead and Russell Hall).

It was an emotional Nicholson who hoisted the winning trophy high.

“It is just an amazing feeling,” he said. “I have the easy part. Avebury is such a special horse.”

Nicholson was quick to say the victory was very much a team effort, including his wife Wiggy, grooms, vet and others.

“This is a very special moment. I have had a bad year and was putting a whole lot of pressure on myself.”

Nicholson took the lead yesterday with a gritty cross country round, but says he was in no way complacent.

“Eventing is very much three phases, and I know he is good at all three . . . I just have to do my job properly.”

Home-bred Avebury has competed at Burghley four times and loves the track.

“He has always been a consistent winner – that's what you want and you look after a horse like him when you get one.”

While he would love to say Avebury's talent was down to his training, but it was something he had had from the beginning.

Paget too was full of praise for his horse.

“I am sitting on a very good horse.”
The two had put in their “best performance” but it wasn't good enough on the day.

The top three was rounded out by Australian Sam Griffiths on Happy Times.

Jonelle Price and The Deputy (owned by Lucy Sangster, selwood.com and Price) was rapt with her ninth place finish – especially considering she almost opted to withdraw the horse before the cross country after a disappointing dressage score that saw her sit in 28thspot.

The two rode a beautiful clear round – much to the delight and surprise of all who know the horse.

“He doesn't normally leave so many poles in place,” she said. “He's not the most reliable horse on the last day but we have been playing around with different ways and today it worked.”

Nicholson also finished fourth in the 2014 FEI Classics, with Tim Price fifth and Jock Paget ninth.

Results -
Andrew Nicholson (NZL) Avebury (owned by Mark and Rosemary Barlow) 48.1 penalty points 1, Jock Paget (NZL) Clifton Promise (owned by Frances Stead and Russell Hall) 55.2 2, Sam Griffiths (AUS) Happy Times 57.8 3, William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Bay My Hero 60.3 4, Jonelle Price (NZL) The Deputy (owned by Lucy Sangster, selwood.com and Price) 71.1 9.

For full results, head to http://www..bdwp.co.uk/bur/14/ and to www.burghley-horse.co.uk for more information.

Notes
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, which runs from September 4-7, was established in 1961 and is held in Burghley Park. It is one of three events in the Rolex Grand Slam of eventing and one of six events in the FEI Classics™ which unites the only six existing CCI 4*events in the world.

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