Caroline Powell riding Greenacres Special Cavalier Photo: Libby Law
New Zealand equestrian Caroline Powell will look to add the prestigious Burghley Horse trials title to her Badminton win earlier in the year when the event gets underway on Friday.
Powell and her horse Greenacres Special Cavalier are one of eight Kiwi combos starting in the 75-strong field.
Powell previously won Burghley in 2010 aboard Lenamore.
World number six Tim Price has two horses in the field including his Tokyo Olympic mount Vitali, on which he finished fourth at Burghley last year.
The combination finished eighth at Badminton in May and were third at Burghley in 2022 and have not been out of the top 10 in their five 5 star event starts.
Price will also ride Viscount Viktor.
"It sounds like the cross country is going to be very demanding and Burghley-esque... as it should be. It is fun to jump these massive tracks and try and do a good job, so that is what I want to do."
US-based Monica Spencer, who was on the reserve list with Artist for the Paris Games, opted to stay on for Burghley.
"In the lead up to the Olympic Games, all my focus was on that, but once that was over I thought let's redirect and stay on and give Burghley a crack," she said. "So here we are!"
"Everybody tells me I have a Burghley horse so it is time to find out," said Spencer.
Caroline Powell rides Greenacres Special Cavalier during cross-country at the Badminton Horse trials in May. Photo: Libby Law/Photosport
The first horse inspection is on Thursday morning NZ time followed by followed by two days of dressage, then the all-important cross country followed by showjumping.
The winning rider will receive $230,000 with a total prize pool of $775,000.
New Zealand riders have had plenty of success at Burghley since it was first contested in 1961, with both Sir Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson having won the trophy five times each.
Tim Price was the last New Zealander to win at Burgley, with his success coming in in 2018 aboard Ringwood Sky Boy.
Other New Zealanders to have won the title are Blyth Tait in 1998 and 2001, and Caroline Powell in 2010.
-RNZ
