The Price is right as Tim takes the big Burghley prize

New Zealander Tim Price completed a memorable husband and wife double by winning the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials on Sunday.

Just four months after his wife Jonelle took top honours in the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Price captured British eventing’s other major four-star crown.

A clear showjumping round on seasoned campaigner Ringwood Sky Boy gave him a clear winning margin from British world number one Oliver Townend.

Wiltshire-based Price finished on a score of 27.3 penalties, with Yorkshireman Townend and Ballaghmor Class - last year’s winning Burghley combination - finishing second.

Price captured £95,000 for his efforts, with Townend taking £50,000 for second spot, while he also finished 12th aboard this year’s Badminton runner-up Cooley SRS.

Multiple Burghley champion Andrew Nicholson was third on Swallow Springs, with Sarah Bullimore and Reve du Rouet fourth, Piggy French and Vanir Kamira in fifth and Harry Meade on Away Cruising sixth.

Townend has now had two firsts and two seconds in his last four four-star competitions, and he is set to retain the world number one status when updated rankings are published next week.

“I couldn’t be happier with the performances of my horses this week,” Townend said.

“I have been beaten by a very consistent, top-class pairing, and my horses have hopefully got an awful lot of years to go.

“It has been an unbelievable Burghley for me. It is always the highlight of my year, and always very special competing in it.

“I am very, very happy. The horses have given their best, and I have given mine.”

Price, who had previously finished runner-up, fourth and fifth at the event with the same horse, said that the achievement meant everything to him.

“This horse deserves a big day, but he’s the sort of horse that is usually somewhere in the mix, with a couple of good weeks,” said the 39-year-old.

“But to put it all together in one week has been exceptional. I couldn’t be prouder of him and it’s just a super team effort. It means everything to me, it’s Burghley.

Local girl Sarah Cohen withdrew because her horse Treason wasn’t 100 per cent.

Winner Tim Price with his trophy.