Andrew Nicholson riding Mr Smiffy

New Zealand rider Andrew Nicholson, riding Mr Smiffy, won his second Burghley title today at the Burghley Pedigree Horse Trials. Australian rider Merran Wallis, riding her own horse Gershwin III, moved up one place to finish second and British rider Clea Hoeg-Mudd and Feast of Florios were third.

Nicholson went into the final phase with one jump in hand over his nearest rival Wallis, but he didn't need it. To the delight of the crowd he jumped a clear round to lift the Burghley Trophy and collect the winning cheque of £20,000.

Nicholson, who has only been riding Mr Smiffy since April, survived an anxious moment yesterday on the cross country when he and his horse very nearly parted company at the Waterloo Rails, earning himself the nickname 'Mr Stickability'. Nicholson, who later claimed that he was 'merely entertaining the crowd', said, " It all happened very quickly, but the horse stayed straight. Most horses would have knuckled over but he tried hard to stay on his feet and we survived."

Local rider Vere Phillipps, who gathered such a following from the crowd this week, jumped clear to secure fourth place and the prize for the highest placed rider competing at their first Burghley Pedigree Horse Trials. So tight were the scores that just one pole down dropped Chris Bartle and Word Perfect II, who were second going into the show jumping phase, to fifth place. American rider Beale Morris and Pathfinder benefited from their clear round to move up from eighth to a final sixth place.

Last year's winner Mark Todd, competing in his last ever Burghley, on his own and Mr Robin Patrick's Just a Mission, completed the event in eighth place.

A large crowd turned out to the 40th Burghley three-day event, sponsored for the sixth time this year by Pedigree Masterfoods. Burghley Pedigree Horse Trials Director Bill Henson said, " It has been a superb four days of competition and a great occasion for the sport."

© Burghley Pedigree Chum Horse Trials 1999

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