September 8, 2024 
Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo added another five star feather and new Burghley record to their cap on Sunday.
Adding just 1.6 time penalties to their dressage score, Canter and the 12-year-old SHBGB gelding (aka “Walter”) finished on a score of 23.6 to take the win in the 2024 edition of the CCI5*-L Defender Burghley Horse Trials. It’s nearly a two penalty improvement over the previous record of 25.4, set in 2006 by Lucinda Fredericks.
The Paris Olympic team champions won their first CCI5*-L at Badminton in 2023.
Leaving nothing to chance, Canter walked the show jumping course so many times that she likely knew every blade of grass on Sunday. Her thorough preparation paid off with a lovely clear round, putting her nearly six points ahead of Tim Price and Vitali (29.5).
The time was tight over Paul Connor’s course. In the morning session only two horses produced clear rounds: New Zealand’s Cooley Lafitte, ridden by Jesse Campbell and Australia’s Humble Glory, ridden by Sophia Hill.
The afternoon session produced 10 clear rounds, but only five within the time.
“Burghley is the local event for me and Walter’s owner’s Archie and Michele Saul so to win here is really special,” said Canter, noting she has been dreaming of a win at the event since her Pony Club days.
“I have been coming here all my life, competed in the show jumping with the Burghley Pony Club and in the Young Event Horse Finals here. At one time, I thought that might be my pinnacle but Walter is a perfect match for Burghley. I’ve had a few rides here, a couple on Allstar B, but I hadn’t found my way and hadn’t found my system, so it was great to bring a horse that I have such faith in and really let rip on the Burghley terrain.”
Runner up Tim Price (NZL) believes he has found the key to Vitali’s three-day jumping and was delighted to have just one fence down, maintaining his second place.
“I believe in the horse and he is a great athlete and jumper—a weird thing to say about a horse who has probably had something like 48 rails in the last couple of years. He jumps well in his one day starts but to find the key to his long format jumping issues has been a long and enduring task and I am just thrilled to think that we are now on the same page and I am super happy today.
“For him, for connections, his owners—we have tried so hard and today was a good day that will go down in my books as one of my greatest days in the sport.”
Harry Meade was the most consistent performer of the week, bringing all three of his rides to the show jumping. He produced two beautiful clears within the time on Superstition, who finished 12th, and Cavalier Crystal, who finished on her dressage score of 31.3 in third place. His third ride, Annaghmore Crystal finished just 0.5 penalties behind in fourth.
“I grew up as a little boy wanting to compete in this sport and I wanted to ride at the big events and they don’t get any bigger,” said Meade. “It’s been a whirlwind week, trying to stay in the moment the whole time, to give each horse the best opportunity in every phase and to do them justice and I hopefully did that!”
In what was truly a vintage year, ninth place finishers Alexander Bragg and Quindiva also came home on their dressage score, a feat rarely achieved.
