Alexander Bragg overjoyed after personal best at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials

By Ben Hart

Event rider Alexander Bragg was in high spirits after achieving a personal best finish at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

Bragg, 44, joined a very exclusive list of Burghley riders who avoided a single penalty across the cross-country and showjumping phases to finish in eighth place at the famed 5* event.

It was also another big step forward for mare Quindiva, who finished third at Badminton Horse Trials in the spring.

“I’m thrilled,” said Bridgwater's Bragg. “Not many people can put themselves on that sort of list around Burghley. The mare [Quindiva] has been outstanding over the weekend. She really deserved it so I’m thrilled.

“This Burghley experience has been very different because the weather has been so up and down. It was scorching this afternoon yet it was quite damp this morning and wet and windy for the cross-country.

“It’s been weird because you don’t know what you’re going to wake up to but my experience with Quindiva, she’s put in personal best’s throughout the competition and I couldn’t be more proud of her.

“We stuck to her plan which has paid off so hopefully I’m growing up because I haven’t been able to do that before.”

The title went to Olympic gold medallist Ros Canter, who put the finishing touches to her spectacular summer by adding a first Burghley crown and third 5* triumph to the team eventing crown she captured in Paris.

Canter led from the end of the first round courtesy of Izilot DHI but it was Lordships Graffalo, lovingly nicknamed ‘Walter’, who took control in the cross-country phase before coming through Sunday’s nerve-shredding showjumping finale to take glory.

“It means everything,” Canter told Burghley TV. “I’ve achieved a lot, I’ve been lucky, I’ve achieved some great things and going into this year, the Olympics was this one big box tick and in some ways it's made me a bit flat.

“So I came into this week and I thought:' I don’t need this, but I really want it.' I had a good feeling all week but I didn’t tell anyone.

“I felt really confident, ready to go out there and be more and I’ve stuck to my system and haven’t asked questions about anyone else about how to ride or what strides they're going on. I said to myself: 'you know what you’re doing, believe in yourself', and it’s paid off.

“I take my hat off to Defender Burghley Horse Trials. The event is absolutely outstanding – we are looked after so well and I think that shows in the quality of the field.”

Defender Burghley Horse Trials (5-8 September 2024) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world's top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk