Caroline Powell claims victory at Burghley Horse Trials

Powell wins Burghley Horse Trials

Caroline Powell produced a clear round in the showjumping to secure the Burghley Horse Trials title.

Powell, partnered by 17-year-old horse Lenamore, became the first New Zealand-born woman to take the crown in what was her first four-star victory.

The 37-year-old finished with 38.7 penalties, 4.2 ahead of second-placed William Fox-Pitt on Seacookie.

"This is just amazing. It just doesn't happen to little girls like me. I'm absolutely chuffed," said Powell.

"The horse has been such a star all week. He just jumped - he loves it."

Topping the leaderboard after the cross country, Powell entered the showjumping with a fence in hand but cleared the course without error.

This was in contrast to her nearest rivals Fox-Pitt and Oliver Townend, on Carousel Quest, who both incurred penalties, thus strengthening Powell's position.

Seacookie is a brilliant horse. Hopefully, he'll have his day. To be in second place to Caroline and the amazing Lenamore is an honour.

William Fox-Pitt

Townend and his horse were attempting to become the first combination to win this event two years running and started the day just 0.9 penalties behind Powell, but they committed errors on two fences and dropped to fourth as a result.

Fox-Pitt, bidding to win Burghley for a record sixth time, drew just one penalty, but it was not enough to topple the impressive Powell, who becomes the fourth New Zealander after Mark Todd, Andrew Nicolson and Blyth Tait to win the event.

Powell's success is also an early wedding present for Lenamore's owner owner Lexi Mackinnon, who gets married next weekend.

"When we arrived here on Wednesday I said to Lexi that I hadn't got her a wedding present yet, and she said, 'Oh, you can win Burghley,' so now I don't have to get her a wedding present," said Powell.

Fox-Pitt paid tribute to Seacookie's performance, which leaves him leading the race to win this year's Classics Series.

The series, won by Fox-Pitt in 2008, concludes in Pau in November and rewards the rider with best aggregate results from the year's five four-star events.

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"Seacookie is a brilliant horse," he said. "Hopefully, he'll have his day. To be in second place to Caroline and the amazing Lenamore is an honour."

Australia's Clayton Fredericks and Be My Guest II produced a clear round on the show jumping to improve their overnight position from sixth to third.

A single downed fence lifted Mary King and Apache Sauce up a single place to fifth while Fox-Pitt finished sixth on his second ride Macchiato.

Earlier, Scottish rider Nicola Malcolm was discharged from hospital following a tumble from her grey gelding McFly during the cross-country phase of the event on Saturday.

Competition stopped for around an hour when the 22-year-old, from Renfrewshire, was unseated at the Birch Hedge but she was given the all-clear on Sunday after undergoing scans on a head injury.