Price Chasing Second Burghley Crown

All eyes will be on world no.3 Tim Price to see if he can top the podium at his 20th Defender Burghley Horse Trials this week. He won the prestigious event in 2018 and last year was second aboard Vitali who he is back in with this year.

NZL-Tim Price rides Vitali during the Cross Country. 2024 GBR-Defender Burghley Horse Trials. Stamford. Saturday 7 September. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

“I am looking forward to Burghley with Vitali,” says Tim. “He is in good form. I don’t know anything about the (cross country) course yet. It feels like it is going to be not too rainy but anything can happen. Vitali is at a good place where I know him very well and he knows me very well . . . together we could go and do something exciting.”

Samantha Lissington has Billy Alberto and Lord Seekonig on the card. It has been six years since she last had a start at Burghley. “That just shows how rare it is to have everything come together getting a horse to Burghley so we feel very privileged to have two this year,” says the world no.9. “They are two very different types but both very good jumpers. Dressage does not come naturally to Billy Alberto – it is what it is and we will make the most of whatever we have on the day.” Lord Seekonig however has the capability to produce “a very smart test”. “I am really looking forward to showing him off. The ponies are both on track.”

Samantha Lissington (NZL) rides Lord Seekonig during the Cross Country for the Eventing UBS Cup | CCIO4*-S. 2025 CHIO Aachen | Weltfest des Pferdesports. Soers, Aachen, Germany. Saturday 5 July 2025. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

Samantha and Billy Alberto are the first of the Kiwis out, having drawn number three to go. “I don’t mind being early to go with Bertie. We have been in that position with him a few times and are used to sticking to our own plan and making it happen. It will be great though to take the knowledge from that run into my ride on Lord Seekonig.”

Caroline Powell describes High Time as “a little fire cracker waiting to go off”. “He is a nice wee horse and just keeps going – like an Eveready battery. I have not found a jump that is big enough for him,” says Caroline, who won Burghley in 2010 with Lenamore. “It is pretty cool to get a new young horse to Burghley and it will be exciting to see what he can do and how he copes.”

Caroline POWELL rides HIGH TIME (NZL) during the showjumping. 2024 Les 5 Etoiles de Pau CCI5*. Pau, France. Sunday 27 October 2024. Copyright Photo: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times

Jesse Campbell is counting down to Burghley with Cooley Lafitte. “He is on as good a form as I can get him,” says Jesse. “I am always slightly at his mercy in the dressage but he has been working well at home. I have a few little plans to try and get him on side when he goes into the ring. His jumping is usually pretty solid and he is fit and ready to run.”

NZL-Jesse Campbell rides Cooley Lafitte during the 2nd Day of Dressage. 2024 GBR-Defender Burghley Horse Trials. Stamford. Friday 6 September. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

Lauren Innes and Global Fision M round out the Kiwis contesting Burghley. “My preparation has gone well and fingers crossed Flipper is in good form,” she says. “It will be my first time riding the cross country in the opposite direction so I am excited to get there and see what it looks like.”

NZL-Lauren Innes rides Global Fision M during the Showjumping. 2024 GBR-Defender Burghley Horse Trials. Stamford. Sunday 8 September. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

Last year victor Ros Canter (GBR) and Lordships Graffalo produced the event’s best-ever finishing score on 26.6 penalty points to claim a slice of history and they will certainly start as favourites this year. Fifty-eight combinations from eight nations are on the start card of one of the world’s highest-ranked events. There are plenty of top-notch combinations in there, including seven 5* winning riders, all of whom are keen to hoist the trophy. But Burghley is tough – always tough.
The first horse inspection is on Wednesday followed by two days of dressage on Thursday and Friday, the thrilling Derek di Grazia-designed cross country on Saturday and showjumping on Sunday.

New Zealand has a number of combinations competing in the Dubarry Burghley Young Horse Finals which run on Friday. There’s another very special Kiwi connection at Burghley this week with the Avebury Restaurant, which was opened last year and honours the mighty Andrew Nicholson and Avebury (owned by Mark and Rosemary Barlow) partnership who are the only combination to have won Burghley for three consecutive years. Andrew also holds the record for having completed Burghley more times than any other rider. As well as his treble with Avebury he has won the 5* crown two other times.

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THE HORSE DETAIL

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
Photos by Libby Law/ESNZ

3^rd September 2025