Equestrian: Faultless Powell joins Burghley greats

Caroline Powell on her mount Lenamore. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand's World Games eventing campaign got a timely fillip with Caroline Powell's fine victory at the Burghley horse trials in England yesterday.

Powell, 37, joins the celebrated Olympic champions Mark Todd and Blyth Tait and six-time Olympic representative Andrew Nicholson as New Zealanders to have won the crown in Lincolnshire.

Riding 17-year-old Lenamore, Powell led going into the final showjumping round. A pressure-laden clear round did the trick, as the combination headed off England's William Fox-Pitt, who was aiming for a record sixth Burghley title on Seacookie.

Powell went from Christchurch to Britain in 1996 and is based at Kelso, Scotland. Lenamore stands only 15.2 hands but is highly regarded for her long list of achievements.

The horse has contested nine major three-day events, including the 2008 Olympics, and was fifth at Badminton this year. However, Powell did not set Lenamore for the World Games at Kentucky this month.

"It's a long way to travel an older horse, and we struggle to get good dressage tests out of him at certain events," she said.

"So as we know the three places he likes we'll stick with them and keep campaigning until he tells us it's time to stop."

Powell will ride Mac Macdonald in Kentucky, as part of the five-strong New Zealand eventing team, which also includes the ageless Todd, who finished 11th on Major Milestone, Nicholson and up-and-comers Clarke Johnstone and Jonathan Pagett.

In the cross-country stage on Sunday, Powell, then lying second, had to keep her focus during a one-hour delay after the fall of her near-neighbour, Nicola Malcolm, who was taken to hospital by air ambulance.

"The wait did not bother me too much because it's happened to me before, and I was out there on a horse that knows his job," she said, before storming past leader Mary King to take pole position for the showjumping.

"He was such a wee star," she said of Lenamore. "The owner, Lexi Mackinnon, is getting married next week. I'd told her that I hadn't got her a wedding present and that I'd try and win Burghley for her. I can't believe that's come off."

Fox-Pitt finished four penalty points back in second with Australian Clayton Fredericks third on Be My Guest II. Only three riders - Powell, Fredericks and Todd - finished on their dressage scores.

Powell's win lifts her to third place in the FEI Classics series behind Fox-Pitt and Germany's Andreas Dibowski, with one event left in November.

The World Games start on September 25.

NZ VICTORS AT BURGHLEY

* Mark Todd (1987, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1999)
* Blyth Tait (1998, 2001)
* Andrew Nicholson (1995, 2000)
* Caroline Powell (2010)