Equestrian: Kiwi makes history at Burghley

Caroline Powell is the first New Zealand woman to win the Burghley Horse Trials title. Photo / Getty Images

Caroline Powell rode a perfect jumping round under pressure to become the first New Zealand woman to win the Burghley Horse Trials title in England overnight.

Powell, who is based in Kelso, Scotland, but hails from Christchurch, has had a long road to success, but her achievement in winning Burghley has put her on the roll of honour with fellow countrymen Mark Todd, Blyth Tait and Andrew Nicholson.

The win propelled her into third place in the FEI Classics series behind Britain's William Fox-Pitt, the new leader, and Germany's Andreas Dibowski with one event left, the Les Etoiles de Pau in France in November.

Powell, 37, did not put a foot wrong all weekend on the 17-year-old Lenamore, who stands only 15.2hh.

"He was such a wee star," she said.

"The owner, Lexi Mackinnon, is getting married next week. I'd told her that I hadn't got her a wedding present and that I'd try and win Burghley for her.

"I can't believe that's come off."

Fox-Pitt missed a record sixth Burghley victory by four penalties, but he said it was ``an honour'' to finish second to such a popular, seasoned combination.

Australian Clayton Fredericks was third for his his best Burghley result.

Three riders finished on their dressage scores - Powell, Fredericks, and New Zealand's Mark Todd who was 11th on Major Milestone.

Powell initially came to Britain to work for British equestrian Ian Stark whom she accompanied to the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

She got the ride on Lenamore, one of the oldest horses to win Burghley, in 2004 and was fourth at Badminton on him last year.

She was a member of the New Zealand team with Lenamore in 2006 and 2008 and will compete MacMacdonald in Kentucky's world equestrian games.

Burghley results (British unless noted):

Caroline Powell/Lenamore 38.7 points 1, William Fox-Pitt/Seacookie 42.9 2, Clayton Fredericks/Be My Guest (Australia) 45.8 3, Oliver Townend/Carousel Quest 46.6 4, Mary King/Apache Sauce 48.8, William Fox-Pitt/Macchiato 48.8 6, Mary King/Kings Temptress 49.3 7, Clea Phillipps/Lead The Way 49.9 8, Anna Warnecke/Twinkle Bee (Germany) 51.5 9, Francis Whittington/Sir Percival lll (Britain) 52.3 10.

Also: Mark Todd/Major Milestone (NZ) 52.7 11, Andrew Nicholson/Armada (NZ) 14, Annabel Wigley/Black Drum 62.1 18, Nicholson/Avebury 67.0 22, Dan Jocelyn/Special Advocate (NZ) 68.7 24, Bruce Haskell/Kiwi Smog (NZ) 87 39, Craig Nicolai/Just Ironic 90.4 41.

- NZPA