Pregnant Canter Wins Burghley Horse Trials

Ros Canter won a 2nd successive Burghley Horse Trials, weeks aft announcing she was expecting her 2nd child.

The Briton triumphed successful her past arena earlier taking a break from title connected Lordships Graffalo, who becomes nan first equine successful history to triumph Badminton and Burghley twice.

Canter, 39, was besides nan first rider since Ginny Leng successful 1989 to triumph Badminton and Burghley successful nan aforesaid twelvemonth connected nan aforesaid horse.

"I americium truthful grateful to Lordships Graffalo for immoderate unbelievable experiences," she said. "He is my equine of a life and hopefully nan equine of a batch of people's lifetimes.

"I dream he goes down arsenic a fable of our sport, a fable of each time, not only but for his performances but for his characteristic arsenic well. He's an unbelievable equine to person astatine location and he thrives connected these occasions."

Canter won by 9 penalties, pinch a last people of 23.6, from second-placed Irish rider Austin O'Connor and Colorado Blue aft 1.2 clip time faults successful Sunday's showjumping finale.

Britain's Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal were 3rd for nan 3rd twelvemonth successful a row. He was besides 4th connected Annaghmore Valoner and ninth connected Et Hop Du Matz.

Lincolnshire rider Canter won Burghley for nan first clip past season, conscionable weeks aft clinching squad eventing golden astatine nan Paris 2024 Olympics pinch Team GB.

The reigning European individual champion won nan Badminton Horse Trials for nan 2nd clip successful May and nan Luhmuhlen Horse Trials successful Germany a period later.

Her Burghley triumph intends Canter was nan 2nd rider to triumph 3 five-star events successful 1 play aft compatriot Pippa Funnell, who won nan Grand Slam of Eventing successful 2003.

Canter withdrew from action for nan British squad astatine nan location European championships later this period owed to her pregnancy, but chose to compete astatine Burghley arsenic it is an individual title truthful would not beryllium letting anyone down if she pulled out.

After Sunday's success, she added: "It's a large woody announcing a gestation erstwhile you cognize you mightiness beryllium coming to an arena for illustration this.

"I can't judge I haven't had a azygous personification saying, 'what are you doing?'. I've had a fewer group saying, 'are you sure?' and 'be careful', but connected nan full I person had immense support. It has been amazing."

As for nan future, Canter said: "You ne'er cognize pinch childbirth, it tin propulsion each sorts of spanners successful nan works, but nan scheme is to beryllium astatine Badminton adjacent year."