Gemma Stevens wins Burghley Horse Trials for first time

Britain's Gemma Stevens won the Burghley Horse Trials for the first time on Sunday, securing what BBC Sport described as the biggest victory of her career. The 41-year-old Olympian achieved the breakthrough on Chilli Knight in her 31st attempt at five-star level, adding a major title to a partnership that had already succeeded at the sport's highest grade.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT-i2HjzvOE

Stevens completed the victory with a faultless showjumping round. Her final total remained 29.6, the same as her dressage score, and she was the only rider in the field to finish the competition without adding penalties to that opening mark. The clean final round confirmed her place at the top of the standings.

The rest of the podium also featured British and American riders. Britain's Katie Magee took second place aboard Treworra, while Caroline Pamukcu of the United States finished third with HSH Blake. Those results left Stevens and Chilli Knight in front at the end of the five-star competition.

The win carried particular significance because of Stevens' long association with Chilli Knight. She told BBC Sport that she had known the horse since the day he was born and had previously ridden his mother, King's Gem. After the result, Stevens said she could not have been prouder and emphasized how much finally winning Burghley meant to her.

Stevens first competed at five-star level in 2007 and represented Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Burghley is her second victory in a five-star competition: she and Chilli Knight also won at Bicton in 2021, when that event replaced Burghley after the latter was cancelled because of Covid. Sunday's result was therefore both a new title and another five-star success for the pair.

The victory followed a difficult World Championships for Stevens in Aachen, Germany, the previous month. She did not complete the cross-country event there while representing the British team. Reflecting on that setback after Burghley, she said athletes have to bounce back and continue. Her response was a complete Burghley performance capped by the decisive clear showjumping round.