Gemma Stevens wins Burghley on her dressage score as women fill the podium
Three weeks after elimination at the World Championships, the British rider and 16-year-old Chilli Knight did not add a single penalty all week.
Gemma Stevens has won the 2026 Defender Burghley Horse Trials, finishing on the 29.6 she scored in Thursday’s dressage and leading a top three made up entirely of women. Katie Magee and Treworra were second on 43.0 and the USA’s Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake third on 44.0.
Stevens, 41, from Horsham, arrived at Burghley with something to put right. She had been eliminated on the cross-country at the World Championships in Aachen last month and watched from the sidelines as her team-mates won gold. On Thursday she and Chilli Knight, bred and owned by Christopher and Lisa Stone, were the first pair to break 30 in the dressage. On Saturday they were one of only two combinations to make the optimum time, despite what she later called a “serious dodgy moment” at the Holland Cooper Leaf Pit. On Sunday, with a rail in hand over a course that had five in the top ten faulting, they jumped clear.
It is the horse’s second five-star title. He won the one-off Bicton five-star in 2021 when Burghley could not run, and this is his first win at the real thing. Stevens takes home a first prize of £120,000.
The placings
Katie Magee, 44, was 19th after dressage and climbed through the week on Treworra, the 17.2hh gelding she calls Wilf, adding just 2.4 time-faults across country and one rail on Sunday. It is by far the best five-star result for a rider who only made her debut at the level at Pau in 2024 and who trains with Nicola Wilson.
“I think he’s a true five-star horse.” — Katie Magee on Treworra, to Horse & Hound
Caroline Pamukcu had rerouted HSH Blake to Burghley after they parted company at Aachen. Fifth after dressage and fifth after cross-country, a single rail moved them up to third when others faulted. Her first ride, HSH Tolan King, was the pathfinder on Saturday morning and retired on course.
Tom Jackson and Hawk Eye were the highest-placed men in fourth after a clear showjumping round, the horse’s first five-star cross-country clear. Nadja Minder and the 19-year-old Toblerone, who led after dressage, finished fifth for Switzerland; Yasmin Ingham was sixth on her Burghley debut with the ten-year-old Goliath du Loir; Will Coleman seventh for the USA on five-star debutante Very Dignified; Benjamin Massie eighth for France; Jonelle Price ninth; and Harry Meade tenth on Cavalier Crystal, who had been third here three years running.
A punishing Saturday
Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course claimed 18 of the 46 starters. Sarah Bullimore, the pre-event favourite on home-bred Corimiro, fell at the final fence with the time in reach. Tim Price, second overnight on Global Quest, saw his Badminton runner-up Falco refuse at the Trout Hatchery and finished 11th on his first ride after three rails on Sunday. Holly Richardson, third after a clear inside the time on Ballyneety Silver Service, dropped to 15th with five down. Lucy Latta, Tara Dixon, Kate Rocher-Smith and Alex Bragg were among the eliminations, and Ireland’s Susie Berry retired both rides. Jennie Brannigan’s FE Lifestyle, 12th overnight, was not accepted at the final horse inspection.
Twenty-six combinations completed. Tom Strawson, who works full-time in property and has one event horse, got his ex-racehorse Public Address home clear for the second year running, and 52-year-old five-star debutant Anthony Clark retired after a run-out.
Irish interest
Austin O’Connor was the best of the Irish in 19th on Sixmilewater, his second string, after last year’s runner-up finish on Colorado Blue. Joseph Murphy and Calmaro were 20th. Sam Watson retired Ballyneety Rocketman after a run-out at the Trout Hatchery and Lucy Latta, runner-up at Badminton 2024, was eliminated at the same complex on RCA Patron Saint.
Final top 10
| # | Rider | Horse | Nation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gemma Stevens | Chilli Knight | GBR | 29.6 |
| 2 | Katie Magee | Treworra | GBR | 43.0 |
| 3 | Caroline Pamukcu | HSH Blake | USA | 44.0 |
| 4 | Tom Jackson | Hawk Eye | GBR | 46.1 |
| 5 | Nadja Minder | Toblerone | SUI | 46.7 |
| 6 | Yasmin Ingham | Goliath du Loir | GBR | 46.7 |
| 7 | William Coleman | Very Dignified | USA | 47.2 |
| 8 | Benjamin Massie | Filao de Perle | FRA | 47.3 |
| 9 | Jonelle Price | Chilli’s Midnight Star | NZL | 47.8 |
| 10 | Harry Meade | Cavalier Crystal | GBR | 48.4 |
Sources and credits
- Official results: Defender Burghley 2026 leaderboard (rechenstelle.de / hippo data)
- Rider quotes and phase reports: Horse & Hound live coverage and cross-country report
- Rider ages and form: Horse & Hound 2026 Burghley form guide
- Entries and draw: Defender Burghley Horse Trials
