Burgham International Horse Trials hailed a huge success

Although the weather in the build-up to the event and during the first three of the five days of competition posed challenges at times, around 750 horses competed.

Event Director Craig Anderson said: “I cannot thank everyone involved enough - our incredibly kind and generous landowners, all our amazing volunteers who give up so much time to make Burgham happen, our officials, contractors and committee, our riders, owners, grooms, wonderful sponsors, and possibly most of all, the tractor-drivers who pulled so many lorries and vehicles in and out of the site.

"It has been a brilliant week; a lot of people have worked exceptionally hard to pull it off, and that is what makes Burgham so special - the atmosphere, the can-do attitude and the desire to do the best we possibly can for everyone.”

Cumbrian-born rider Mark Davidson scored by far the biggest payday of his career to date when taking section A of the AW Jenkinson CCI3*-S on Fonbherna Lancer.

Mark’s Burgham victory means he wins a £7,000 bonus for scoring in two legs of the Northumberland Challenge - the big-money prize-pot that unites the county’s three international events (Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham).

Mark won on the The Round Table Syndicate’s 13-year-old grey last month at Alnwick Ford, and pulled off this second win at Burgham against a highly competitive field of top riders.

“It’s amazing - it’s not every day you win £7,000 and it goes a long way!

"I was reminded when I was warming up for showjumping that I probably won’t get to ride for prize-money like this again for another decade,” joked a delighted Mark, 30.

“‘Lance’ was completely brilliant. He pricks his ears, says ‘Look at me’. We are still a new partnership - I managed to get a syndicate together to buy him for me to ride in the spring - and I was so pleased with him. He’s a total gentleman and a lovely horse to have anything to do with.”

Belsay organiser Laura de Wesselow, who started the Northumberland Challenge in 2022, said: “I am absolutely delighted for Mark Davidson and the Round Table Syndicate’s Fonbherna Lancer.

"We started the Northumberland Challenge last year across the CCI2*-S events at Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham and extended it this year to the CCI3*-S with a total available prize pot of £45,000 generously provided by our sponsors, AW Jenkinson Forest Products (for the CCI3*-S) and Encon Technical Solutions Ltd and NIS Group Ltd (for the CCI2*-S).

"The whole idea of the Challenge is to encourage owners and riders, both amateur and professional, to make the journey north to our fabulous venues in Northumberland and we look forward to seeing more of them up here in 2024.”

Section B of the AW Jenkinson CCI3*-S at Burgham went to Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Laura Collett, riding the Ace of Spades Syndicate’s eight-year-old Fetiche Des Rouges.

Laura said: “He’s a little pocket rocket! I’m stand-in jockey for [Irish rider] Aoife Clark, who is injured - I’d prefer to be full-time jockey, because he’s so cool.

"I have had four runs now in quick succession to try to get used to him; he’s a bit of a cheeky chap, but he’s really come out and been a little professional here. He gallops like a thoroughbred but jumps like a warmblood, which is really nice! Today we felt like a proper partnership.”

The event concluded with victories in the two CCI2*-S sections, sponsored by Encon Technical Solutions Ltd and NIS Group Ltd, for Harry Meade and Katie Magee.

Harry, a regular traveller from his Wiltshire base to Burgham in Northumberland, won section E aboard Mandy Grey’s seven-year-old Uvera Z on a dressage score of 28.

“He’s a lovely horse and one I’m really excited about,” said Harry. “Burgham has totally lived up to our hopes and expectations. We all drive a long way to get up here predominantly because the jumping tracks are consistently flowing and horse-friendly. The ground stood up really well to the conditions and it was nice to let the horses run at their own pace, knowing they weren’t on tiring ground.”

Katie Magee, who lives in Co Durham, took section F with Sharon Parnaby’s Cushlas Indigo.